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Elizabeth Dowdeswell

, the Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), encouraged a greater concentration of meetings on environmental and human settlements to be held at the UN in Nairobi. She pointed out that the 17th session of the UNEP Governing Council focused on UNCED follow-up. It highlighted the importance of according a high priority to activities that give direct or indirect support to developing countries and decided to give greater emphasis to fresh water resources, terrestrial eco-systems, oceans, all kinds of seas, coastal areas, environmental health, human settlements, toxic chemicals and waste management and capacity building. The Governing Council decided to make the Earthwatch Programme a more efficient instrument for environmental sensing. Other responses to Agenda 21 include: formulating a possible international legal instrument on prior informed consent procedure contained in the amended London Guidelines for the exchange of information on chemicals in international trade; an expanded programme on capacity building; supporting the implementation of international and regional conventions; supporting the desertification negotiations and work on poverty alleviation and clean drinking water. UNEP will be an equal partner in the GEF and will develop its role to ensure that activities financed by GEF will be in keeping with UNEP's work in the UN system. UNEP needs to initiate action in the following areas: restructure and reorient programmes to align them with the new directions provided by UNCED; strengthen the operational capacity of Regional Offices; and reassess its coordinating role.

With regard to Habitat, Dowdeswell highlighted the fourteenth session of the Commission on Human Settlements (26 April - 5 May 1993) and the Preparatory Committee meeting for the UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) (3-5 March 1993). Habitat II will be held in Turkey in June 1996. Habitat II is the strategic initiative that will lead to settlements and urban policies in the 21st century that are inclusive, innovative, enabling, capable of generating economic growth, alleviating poverty and improving the environment. The two themes for the Conference are Sustainable Human Settlements in an Urbanizing World and Shelter for All. [Return to start of article]