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Info. News ISSUE 4 June 2002 Part I 3 June to 9 June 2002 Compiled by Richard Sherman Edited by Kimo Goree |
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29) PRESSURE MOUNTS ON UNITED STATES TO COMPROMISE IN BALI TALKS Associated Press, 6 June
2002
BALI, Indonesia - Pressure mounted Thursday on rich countries to ease their conditions for giving financial aid to poor nations as part of a U.N.-sponsored blueprint to cut poverty and protect the environment over the next decade. Delegates at an environmental conference said the main sticking point in negotiations for the blueprint was Washington's insistence that aid to poor countries be conditioned on reducing corruption. The European delegation is expected to ask the United States to ease its position in meetings later Thursday. Non-governmental organizations and environmental groups are also asking the United States, Canada and Australia to come ahead with promised aid. More than 100 environment and economic ministers are gathering on Indonesia's Bali Island in a preparatory meeting ahead of a major U.N.-sponsored summit in August in Johannesburg, South Africa. Delegates are working on an ambitious 158-point plan to be called the Bali Commitment, which includes ways to achieve goals agreed to in the U.N. Millenium Summit in September 2000. The head of the U.S. delegation, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky, said that although "there were no quick fixes," the United States was committed to completing the plan. One proposal is to halve the number of people living on less than one dollar a day by 2015. Another is to halve the number of people who are unable to reach or afford safe drinking water by 2015. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) has proposed five key areas to focus on: water and sanitation, energy, agriculture, biodiversity, and ecosystem management and health. Annan's deputy secretary-general, Louise Frechette, said it was usual for the United States "to keep this issue of financing until late on the negotiating table," but urged delegates to come to an agreement. Ministers are also scheduled to produce a political declaration stating their governments' willingness to carry out the action plan, which was supposed to be done by last weekend but has run into delays. Both texts will be voted on by world leaders at the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in Johannesburg. U.S.-based environmentalists on Wednesday staged a protest against their government outside the beachside convention center on Bali. A giant three-headed green dragon brought in by Greenpeace International depicted U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites), Canadian Premier Jean Cretien and Australia's John Howard, whom the environmental group accuses of blocking progress in the talks. Some 50,000 delegates are expected in Johannesburg in what will be the largest ever U.N. gathering. The meeting, dubbed "Earth Summit 2," will coincide with the 10-year anniversary of a summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, where the first global agreements on environmental protection were reached. However, critics say many of the governments did not to carry out the programs they agreed to in Rio. 30) SEEKING RIGHT THEME FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT IN BALI Xinhua News Agency, 6 June
2002
BALI, INDONESIA, Jun 7, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting in Bali is the last opportunity to accomplish the global plan for sustainable development before it is to be adopted and endorsed by world's leaders in Johannesburg, South Africa in next August. The meeting, started May 27, entered its final day on June 7 and it had been reported that more than 4,300 people from 173 countries were participating in the meeting, including 1,794 government delegates, 1,324 representatives of nongovernmental organizations and 181 journalists. Sustainable development is simply understood as the efforts to improve the lives of all human beings while protecting the global environment to ensure better future for the upcoming generations. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has named five key areas for particular focus -- water and sanitation, energy, agriculture, biodiversity and ecosystem management and health. However, many doubted that Bali meeting would be able to lay out the specifics for World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, saying that the current talks were lacking specific timelines, specific targets and specific concrete plans for WSSD. "The 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro did not identify clear time targets either and, as a result, fell short of producing the measures promised under the Rio Declaration," said Dawn Martin, chairman of a U.S.-based NGO. "The question for the world’s leaders is will we learn from our past or are we condemned to repeat it?" The meeting is made more difficult as many countries want to address different issues and each wants the outcome to reflect their positions, though there are efforts to make the process smoother by negotiating in blocs. The developing countries are represented by the Group of 77 and China and the members of European Union speak with one voice. Another more informal group is the JUSCANZ countries -- Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Yet, it remains unlikely to generalize the common result so far, as many delegates spent the precious few days debating details and seeking consensus behind closed doors and restricted from journalists. Despite hesitation of global consensus on sustainable development to be reached in Bali, Chairman of the Preparatory Committee Emil Salim stays optimistic. "Everyone has the same spirit that it will be finalized in Bali," he said. He firmly said that in the next ten years, poverty eradication would be an essential element of sustainable development and urged delegations to finalize the agenda here. "Bali was final harbor before sailing into Johannesburg. It means all necessary documents had to be finalized here," he affirmed. U.N. Deputy Secretary General Louise Frechette underlined that important progress had been made in Bali, though some critical work remained to be done between Bali and Johannesburg. "Full agreement must be reached on a solid, specific implementation plan with targets before we leave Bali," she said. "We know what needs to be done. Now, let us move ahead." 31) UNEP WARNS OF MAJOR DEGRADATION OF WORLD ENVIRONMENT Xinhua News Agency, 6 June
2002
BALI, INDONESIA, Jun 6, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) warned Thursday evening about the degradation of world environment here at the United Nations- organized Preparatory Committee Meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer told the press briefing how the earth had become much more fragile and degraded than in 1972. He began with a story of a UNEP-sponsored expedition in the Himalayas in May, when the team learned that the glacier had retreated by around five kilometers up the mountain. It was a clear evidence that global warming was emerging as one of the biggest threat to the environment, raising the fear of a sudden glacial floods swollen by melting glaciers, he said. He added the main driving force had been the growing global population, as currently there were 2.2 billion more mouths to feed than there had been in 1972. Around two billion hectares of soil, equal to fifteen percent of the earth's land cover, is now reported as degraded as a result of human activities. The main types of soil degradation were water erosion, 56 percent; wind erosion 28 percent; chemical degradation 12 percent and physical or structural damage four percent, according to the report. "Unless we alter our course (in exploiting natural resources) now, we will be left with little of value", Toepfer warned. The United Nations-organized Preparatory Committee Meeting for World Summit on Sustainable Development was opened by Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday. Megawati underlined that the Indonesian government was determined to do its utmost for the success of the meeting. More than 400 ministerial-level delegates from 140 countries and regions take part in the meeting which will end Friday before finalizing the agendas for the World Summit to be held in Johannesburg. 32) LAND DEGRADATION THREATENS MOSTLY AFRICAN COUNTRIES: REPORT Xinhua News Agency, 6 June
2002
BALI, INDONESIA, Jun 6, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Land degradation has resulted in drylands of about forty percent of the earth's surface, where more than one hundred countries, mostly least developed ones in Africa, lie entirely or partly within. This was made clear by a report released by a panel at the meeting on sustainable development here Thursday. The report said geography of poverty coincides strongly with that of land degradation. Of 1.3 billion people living on less than one dollar per day, nearly 75 percent live in rural areas and nearly half of the 325-million population of the African continent live in drylands. Mostafa Tolba, president of Egyptian Center for Environment and Development and panel member, noted that while the international community is strongly committed to poverty eradication as the ultimate goal of sustainable human development, the practical measures taken to reach this objective do not always produce expected results. In fact, according to chairman of the panel, the number of people living by less than one dollar a day in sub-Saharan Africa increased from 217 million to 291 million between 1990-98. He demanded participants of the meeting here to formulate soon effective strategy for poverty eradication. The United Nations-organized Preparatory Committee Meeting for World Summit on Sustainable Development was opened by Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday. Megawati underlined that the Indonesian government was determined to do its utmost for the success of the meeting. "I believe that we all share the same perception and dreams about an advanced life that is prosperous, just, independent and dignified, " the president said. More than 400 ministerial-level delegates from 140 countries and regions take part in the meeting which will end Friday before finalizing the agendas for the World Summit to be held in Johannesburg.
33) NGOS QUESTION WORLD LEADERS' COMMITMENT TO ATTEND WORLD SUMMIT Xinhua News Agency, 6 June
2002
BALI, INDONESIA, Jun 6, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- With only two days left for ministers in Bali to finalize a common agenda for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August, questions over world leaders ' commitment to attend the summit started to rise. "We are very concerned that at this late stage of the preparatory process, so many national leaders still have not yet announced their intent to go to the World Summit," Jacob Scherr, director of the U.S.-based Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), said here Thursday. He pointed to the latest survey conducted by NRDC mentioning that only 45 national leaders had been confirmed as planning to attend the Summit in Johannesburg, and an additional 40 countries said that their head of state would 'likely' participate. The leaders of a number of key countries are still uncommitted, including the United States, India and Russia. "Now the question is whether the world leaders have the courage to go to Johannesburg to take real actions, collectively and individually, to assure a sustainable future?" Scherr asked. Kathleen Rogers, president of the Earth Day Network, said, " Considering the magnitude of problems ranging from poverty and homelessness to environmental degradation and human health, it is shameful so few leaders have shown the courage or feel any need to commit to attending the Johannesburg Summit." The most awaited guest in Johannesburg will be U.S. President George W. Bush, leader of the world biggest consumers of the planet's natural resources and one of the biggest polluters as well. Earlier in the day, a group of activists of some American non- governmental organizations gathered in front of Nusa Dua Hotel, the venue for international delegations of Preparatory Meeting, demanding leadership role by the U.S. government in global sustainable development.
34) MEGA CALLS ON NATIONS TO BUILD THE WORLD ANEW The Jakarta Post, 6 June
2002
President Megawati Soekarnoputri urged on Wednesday ministers of various nations to build the world anew, as they gathered in Bali to decide the direction that world development would take in the next decade. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the ministerial meeting in Bali on sustainable development, Megawati's call for building a new world coincided with World Environment Day and came amid concerns that countries lacked the political will to change the world's course and balance economic interests with environmental issues. Nearly two weeks of talks on an action plan for sustainable development ran the risk of being watered down by a general lack of commitment. "Should we manage to make the concept work, it would simply mean that we actually materialize the ideals of building the world anew," Megawati said. She referred to a speech delivered in the 1960s by her father -- first president Sukarno -- to the General Assembly of the United Nations titled "To Build the World Anew" at a time when the cold war threatened world peace. The spirit and principles of Sukarno's address, she said, remained relevant to the world's current situation and challenges. Overexploitation of the earth's natural resources because of current global economic development put at risk future generations, bringing calls for a new approach that would harmonize development with nature. In 1992 the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil called on nations through the Rio declaration to implement sustainable development principles in their national development plans. But implementation of the declaration fell short of expectation as countries lacked the necessary commitment. Ten years later, delegates in Bali are drafting another action plan to be known as the Bali Commitment. They hope it will get countries to implement the decided measures and go beyond the Rio declaration in the next 10 years. The meeting in Bali is a precursor to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, which will run from late August through early September. Heads of states are expected to endorse the Bali Commitment with a political declaration. Negotiations on the plan advanced slowly despite three pre-summit meetings in New York. Bali is hosting the fourth and last meeting, and a UN resolution requires delegates to finalize the Bali Commitment here. But negotiators have run into a near deadlock on the level of commitment countries should put into the action plan. "Critical work remains to be done over the next three days. Full agreement has to be reached on a solid, specific implementation plan with targets before we leave Bali," said UN deputy secretary-general Louise Frechette in her opening remarks. Getting time targets and strong action into the draft plan remain an elusive effort as they require more commitments that many developed countries appear reluctant to lend. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also criticized business interests for holding hostage developed countries, which flinched during negotiations on paragraphs hampering free trade and restricting corporate action. Frechette said sustainable development could not go without the involvement of the private sector, but urged it to do more than "corporate philanthropy". "The world is not asking corporations to do something different from their normal business, but rather to do their normal business differently -- to see the long term, not just the short term; and to see not just the cost of change, but also the cost of status quo," she said. Frechette said that progress toward implementation would also depend on the availability of resources. "Governments must sustain the momentum generated by the Monterey conference, particularly in the area of official development assistance," she said. The European Union and the United States pledged some US$30 billion in additional aid to fight poverty during the conference on financing development early this year in Monterey, Mexico. Developing countries, however, questioned the gesture, noting that the amount of aid promised was six times less than what developed countries spend on subsidizing their agricultural sectors at the expense of developing countries. A senior U.S. delegate further dismissed hopes of more aid, and asked developing countries instead to first improve their laws. "The U.S. delegation insists that they will only head for a compromise when the rest of the world considers the U.S. government's interests," he said. Head of the Indonesian delegate Makarim Wibisono said that developing countries wanted developed countries to go beyond Monterey. Negotiations, he said, were aimed at getting developed countries to agree to at least indicate willingness to go beyond Monterey, meaning more aid. The position of developed countries was that the Bali Commitment should just endorse the results of Monterey. 35) NGOS REJECT UN MEETING RESULTS The Jakarta Post, 6 June
2002 More than 500 non-governmental organization (NGO) activists took the opportunity of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's arrival in Bali on Wednesday to launch a demonstration denouncing the results of the UN meeting on sustainable development here. The protesters marched from the amphitheater in the sprawling Nusa Dua hotel complex where the meeting is being held toward the Bali International Convention Center, also in the same complex. Besides denouncing the ongoing meeting, the activists also rejected the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, to be held in August through early September. Wednesday's rally, the largest to take place during the ongoing ministerial-level preparatory committee (PrepCom) meeting for the WSSD, was organized by the Indonesian People's Forum (IPF) on behalf of groups representing women, children, farmers, fishermen, indigenous peoples, labor unions, the urban poor and NGOs. The demonstrators charged that government delegates lacked sincerity in accommodating the interests of major civil society groups during the whole PrepCom process. The demonstrators claimed that developed countries, multinational corporations and international financial institutions had dominated the process. The demonstrators also called for international civil society groups to rally under the antitrade liberalization banner at the global forum for civil society in Johannesburg, and called for governments to stop their repression and aggression against the people. Hundreds of people marched out of the amphitheater carrying colorful banners and plywood figures depicting fishermen and farmers. Four men, their bodies painted red, white, blue and green, performed a dance at the head of the line, each using props such as a bamboo ladder, a wok and plastic bags to represent the pollution of the earth. "Reclaim our earth!" they cried in unison. Meanwhile, an open-speech forum was led by members of local and international NGOs, including from the Philippines and Palestine. About an hour later, the marchers headed toward the Bali International Convention Center, the main venue of the ministerial-level meeting, but were blocked by security personnel. The demonstration caused traffic jams within the Nusa Dua complex and outside the resort, prompting the police to block off some roads to clear the way for the President and her escort to enter the complex. The police also were deployed in surrounding areas to prevent others from joining the rally. The police were seen cooperating with traditional Bali security guards, or Pecalang, with their black outfits sporting the emblems of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), to prevent more people from joining the rally. They were also seen searching vehicles entering the complex. Some NGOs claimed their members were unable to reach the IPF venue, forcing the organization to cancel most of its scheduled meetings and workshops. In response, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), as well as several other NGOs, are planning to file a lawsuit against the National Police and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's civilian guards for blocking the entrance to the Nusa Dua complex. "Our lawyers are now arranging lawsuits against both parties," said Emmy Hafild, the national coordinator for the IPF as well as the Walhi executive director. Emmy went on to say that the IPF committee suffered a significant financial loss due to the cancellation of many of its events. "The committee was forced to totally cancel at least two programs from our schedule this morning," Emmy said. Despite the cancellations, the committee still had to pay booking fees for function rooms at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. "The booking fee for each function room reaches Rp 6 million, while the ballroom costs Rp 24 million," she said. 36) EXPERT: CORRUPTION HURTS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The Jakarta Post, 6 June
2002 Comprehensive measures must be taken to combat corruption as it significantly contributes to damaging the environment, an expert said on Wednesday. Richard Holloway from the Partnership for Governance Reform, an initiative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), said during a workshop on the global anticorruption agenda here that one clear example that corruption could damage the environment was ongoing illegal logging activities. "It's an open secret that some private companies have bribed government officials to get forest concessions," Holloway said. This harmful practice often ended up with illegal logging which seriously damaged the forests and the environment. Illegal logging is considered to be one of the most damaging activities to the environment, he added. The workshop was a fringe event at the ongoing ministerial/preparatory committee meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development here. Holloway went on to say that the scale of forest concessions granted by the government to private companies was excessive. In 1995, the government awarded 585 forest concessions involving a total area of 62 million hectares. These concessions supplied between 60 and 70 million cubic metres of logs per year, far from the sustainable harvest rate of 20 million cubic meters per year, according to data provided by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi). "Illegal logging involves some 50 million cubic meters of logs per year, the equivalent to US$4 billion in financial losses per year to the state," said Walhi. Some 25 percent of the total state losses goes into the pockets of government officials, especially the legal apparatus," said Agus Purnomo, an executive of Transparency Indonesia, an affiliate organization of Transparency International. "Many ships transporting illegal logs are arrested by the authorities, but they are released soon afterwards due to (an alleged) lack of evidence," Agus added. Given widespread corruption, law enforcement was far from what it should be. Law enforcement was badly needed to deter the illegal loggers from damaging the environment. Needless to say, the absence of law enforcement had paved the way for illegal loggers to extract more logs, which further damaged the environment, said Agus. He explained that illegal logging and deforestation had caused severe environmental degradation in forested areas as they damaged water catchment areas with ensuing heavy flooding during wet seasons and drought during dry seasons. Meanwhile, Peter Rooke from Transparency International-Australia, explained that the organization provided technical assistance to developing countries to implement antibribery measures and good governance initiatives. Transparency International, founded in l993, is a global anticorruption movement operating in 85 countries. However, he admitted that the government itself was not able to eradicate corruption due to the complicated and immense problems facing it. "NGOs, including Greenpeace, and other international organizations and agencies, such as the World Bank, have set up the Forest Integrity Network, for example, to help the government and the authorities eradicate illegal logging," said Rooke. He further said that illegal logging was always backed up and facilitated by corrupt officials. According to Holloway, the drive to combat corruption should not merely be confined to the sustainable development agenda since the harmful practice would bring suffering to all the people, especially children. "People cannot send their kids to school because their are no school buildings as the money was stolen by government officials. Parents are not able to access health facilities since they have to pay bribes to the nurses, for example," said Holloway. 37) NO MORE 'BUSINESS AS USUAL', SAYS DORODJATUN The Jakarta Post, 6 June
2002
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti called on businesses on Tuesday to leave their "business as usual" practices and move toward more responsible methods benefiting society and the environment. Meanwhile, the business leaders said that the awareness was there, claiming that they had carried out efforts to pursue sustainable development, including protecting the environment and helping the society, but other factors prevented them from doing it all the time. Dorodjatun said the business sectors were given emphasis because they had an immense role in the sustainable development drive. Businesses, according to Dorodjatun, had become the most powerful institution after nation states. They are now stronger than labor unions or non-governmental organizations (NGO). "Even, in some cases, the governments are even powerless in facing multinational corporations," Dorodjatun told business players during a luncheon speech in Nusa Dua, on the sidelines of the current ministerial/preparatory committee meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Unfortunately, many business sectors had failed to push ahead with the sustainable development drive in their operations, and worse, they were deceitful to the public by defending their harmful practices through public relations moves, said Dorodjatun. Due to the immense role of business, their contributions were needed both to prevent their harmful practices to the environment and to support community and government programs to continue development while maintaining the ecological balance for future generations. "There should be concrete action. For example, after digging the earth, the mining companies must carry out reforestation to prevent ecological damage in the area," said Dorodjatun in an interview with The Jakarta Post, after the luncheon. The failure to contribute to protecting the environment could lead to disaster in the future. "The next generations deserve a better life, and the business sectors are also responsible for this," Dorodjatun said. Meanwhile, business leaders claimed that they had given particular attention to sustainable development through, for example, the establishment of foundations dealing with issues on environmental impact. Mining company Rio Tinto and consumer product company PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk -- both foreign-owned companies -- were among those which had established such foundations, the Rio Tinto Foundation and Uli Peduli Foundation respectively. The companies kept parts of their profits flowing to such foundations to finance the sustainable development drive such as through Clean Rivers and Forestation programs. "We keep the highest standards for corporate behavior, not only to the employees, but also to public," claimed A.A. Pranatadjaja, the director of PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk. 38) DEVELOPMENT DILEMMA HAUNTS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: UN The Jakarta Post , 6 June
2002
Sustainable development still poses problems for developing countries, including India, China and Indonesia, despite high economic growth and improvements in social development in these three prominent developing countries, a report has found. The report, released here on Wednesday by the United Nations University based in Japan, stated that industrialization, which contributed to high economic growth, had developed well in the three countries over the past several decades. In China, for example, industrial output growth averaged 12.6 percent a year in the 1980s. One decade later, growth had accelerated to 18 percent per year. The three countries also enjoyed improving levels of social development as manifested in decreasing poverty levels, said the report. The poverty rate in India declined steadily from 54 percent to 38 percent between 1973 and 1986. Indonesia was able to dramatically reduce the poverty rate over the past 20 years, from 70 percent to below 10 percent in the early 1990s. Even after the financial crisis in 1997, Indonesia's poverty rate never reached higher than 20 percent. While industrialization and high economic growth are hoped for, unfortunately they can later pose challenges to sustainable development. Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization in Indonesia, the country will have to deal with an increase in solid waste of 500 percent by 2020 for the residential sector and 1000 percent in the case of the manufacturing sector. Besides waste, the three countries also faced problems arising from increased demand for water. Rapid industrialization increased industrial and residential water use in China from 45.7 billion cubic meters and 6.8 billion cubic meters in 1980 respectively to 112.1 billion cubic meters and 525 billion cubic meters in 1997. To reduce the undesirable impacts of industrialization and social development, a researcher at the United Nations University suggested that multiple approaches be taken by the authorities, in partnership with the people. "The three developing countries need more resources and better technology to implement Agenda 21 of the Rio World Summit," said Thangavel Palanivel, who presented the report on the sidelines of the ministerial/preparatory committee meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development here at the Bali International Convention Center. Ambassador Milos Alcalay, a G-77 representative from Venezuela, praised the report, saying that it could provide a good model for developing countries to achieve higher standards of living. He further suggested that science and technological development be pursued by governments in developing countries as this sector were crucial to sustainable development. "The role of science and technology should be stressed since these could show us the way to sustainable development," he said in a keynote speech before the presentation. 39) LOCAL KEY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The Jakarta Post, 6 June
2002
The ones who know the best about what is good for the people are the people themselves. The ones who know the best about the environment are the people who have lived on the land for millions of years, according to Princess Basma bin Talal of Jordan. In creating a successful partnership program for the interest of sustainable development, it was important for the local community to be involved, Princess Basma said on Wednesday in her keynote speech at the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) side event to the preparatory committee (prepcom) IV meeting here. "Each local community has their own sets of values in managing the sustainability of their lands, and these should be involved to share, learn and create partnerships that promote sustainability," she said. The participation of women in the management of water, for example, was of utmost importance because when women see water and sanitation problems they instinctively understand the direct effect the problems have on hygiene and health, Prema Gopalan, executive director of India's Swayam Shikshan Prayog, said. Therefore women's participation in determining the improvements of operations and maintenance in water management were important and could form a force that could work together with local governments, she said in the dialog entitled "Communities make the difference" organized by UNDP. Kenya's Minister of Agriculture, Edward Owango, said that the African experience in involving local communities in the management of soil and water had so far been successful because of the wealth of knowledge that indigenous people possess. He said that ideas generated from the people themselves caught on easier than those from foreign sources, and with it there was a lot more enthusiasm by the people to try new innovations. Owango said that there should be a paradigm shift in which local indigenous people were involved, but that to unlock the knowledge that these people own, guidance was needed. Meanwhile, Susan McDade, manager for UNDP's Sustainable Energy Program, said that women should be involved when making public policies on energy, explaining that more than two billion people in developing countries had to work and live without the benefits from energy such as illumination and refrigeration. Not so long ago, this lack of energy also was common in developed countries, she said, explaining that her grandmother had to get up every morning to light the wood-fire stove to boil water in which to clean and wash. "I am sure that there are other grandmothers in developed countries that have the same experiences, all this not so long ago," McDade said, explaining that developed countries had come out of the dark by getting organized and raising the people's awareness on the importance of energy. However, the magnitude of the task to provide basic energy sources to about a third of the earth's population is getting bigger, she said. The UNDP has launched a series of initiatives that focused on the participation of local communities in decision-making processes for sustainable development, including those on water, energy and agriculture, UNDP's director for environmentally sustainable development groups Alvaro Umana said. 40) UNDP UNVEILS PROGRAMME TO BOOST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES' ABILITY TO OFFER BASIC SERVICES United Nations, 6 June
2002 6 June - With government officials still working in Bali to hammer out a final action plan and political declaration for the upcoming World Summit for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today unveiled a new initiative for countries striving to meet global targets for cutting poverty by 2015. Known as "Capacity 2015," the project aims to support nations in improving their ability to meet the goals set at the 2000 Millennium Summit in New York. The scheme provides a flexible, service-oriented platform to address a diverse range of capacity development needs, including nurturing healthy economies and environments and bringing practical support to communities, while linking their efforts to national and global initiatives, according to UNDP. "Real improvements in managing water, energy and biological resources, health services and sanitation, must happen at the local level, [but] local actors will need national and global support to achieve their goals," UNDP said in a statement released in Bali, where more than 4,500 delegates are gathered for the final preparatory meeting for the Summit, which will be held from 26 August to 4 September in Johannesburg, South Africa. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has named water and sanitation, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity as key areas of focus for the Summit. Meanwhile, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Fréchette, today participated in the political launch of a recent UN report that looks at policies and environmental affects of the past 30 years and outlines approaches for the coming three decades. The Global Environment Outlook-3 (GEO-3), the Deputy Secretary-General said, paints a picture that is "not pretty" and shows that the environment is seriously at risk because of the burdens being placed on it. "GEO-3 warns us that we can no longer blindly trust in the regenerative capacity of the planet's ecosystems," she said. "Even in the best-case scenario, conditions will continue to worsen for several decades in a number of areas." The preparations in Bali for the Johannesburg Summit afforded delegates an opportunity to focus on practical responses, the Deputy Secretary-General stressed. "It would be disastrous to sit back and ignore the picture that GEO-3 has painted for us," she said. "Let us resolve to translate the vision that GEO-3 offers us into reality." 41) INDONESIA, AUSTRALIA SIGN ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENT Xinhua News Agency , 6
June 2002
BALI, INDONESIA, Jun 6, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Indonesia and Australia have signed an agreement on environmental management relating to water, waste water, recycling and renewable energy. Indonesian Environment Minister Nabiel Makarim and his Australian counterpart David Kemp witnessed here Thursday the signing of the agreement between the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and the Environment Business Australia. Signed during the Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the agreement is expected to pave the way for a number of partnerships to address poverty eradication, change unsustainable production and consumption practices and protect and manage natural resources. The agreement was signed by Ing Ilhamy Elias, chairman of the Environment Compartment of KADIN and Fiona Wain, CEO of Environment Business Australia. "Australia is close to Indonesia and has advanced technologies that have been well tried and are appropriate to our country," Elias said. Australian Minister for Environment David Kemp said that the agreement reflected Australia's willingness to share its expertise in environmental management with other countries. 42) JAPAN JOINS DONOR GROUP FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION Xinhua News Agency, 6 June
2002
BALI, INDONESIA, Jun 6, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The Japanese government announced Thursday its entry of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), an environmental group aiming to preserve Earth's most critically endangered and biologically richest regions, in the side event of the Fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting for World Summit on Sustainable Development. Japan's Minister for the Environment Hiroshi Ohki told a press briefing here that Japan had considered biodiversity conservation as one of the most critical issues facing the world today and would strongly support the efforts of private conservation group by joining the CEPF. "The CEPF approach enables local people in developing nations to create and implement projects for a healthy environment and to prosper economically", the minister said. "That is why the Japanese government has chosen to be participant in this very focused initiative". The five-member CEPF has announced a commitment of financial assistance amounting to at least 150 million U.S. dollars over five years for biodiversity hotspots -- highly threatened regions where more than sixty percent of terrestrial species diversity is found on only 1.4 percent of the Earth's surface. Each CEPF member organization has pledged to commit five million U.S. dollars annually over five years to the fund, which provides financial support, technical expertise, field knowledge and information on biodiversity conservation. The bulk of the 58.1 million U.S. dollars approved this year will be disburse to Sumatra island of Indonesia, a home to more than 10,000 plant species. Sumatra is the only place where elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, clouded leopards and orangutans are all found. 43) IRAN BLAMES INDUSTRIAL NATIONS FOR STALEMATE AT BALI MEETING Islamic Republic News Agency,
6 June 2002
Bali, June 6, IRNA -- Iran's Vice-President and the Head of its Department of Environment (DOE) Masoumeh Ebtekar here Thursday blamed industrial countries as developing nations came to a face-off against the United States at a meeting, held in this Indonesian resort island, to tackle world poverty while protecting the environment. The stalemate in Bali talks could be blamed on the failure of certain industrial nations to fulfill their financing pledges to the developing nations shed said. Ebtekar, who was addressing the UN-sponsored preparatory meeting for World Summit on Sustainable Development, said the same cause had kept the goals set at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro from materializing. The Rio summit put environmental issues on the world political agenda for the first time. She said the Bali meeting could serve as an appropriate occasion to set the tone for a sustainable development and to address what has kept certain countries from making good on their pledges made in previous summits.Ebtekar stressed the significance of the action plan to be drawn up at the Bali meeting, and said the international community must feel duty-bound to implement the contents of the plan. She further stressed the need to tap new financial resources to push ahead with the goals, set in the 1992 Rio Earth Summit as well as those declared by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on sustainable development. "Although there had been several breakthroughs to tackle such challenges as water, poverty, sanitary and the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, the success of the Bali talks is still in doubt as there has been no tangible progress in such issues as financial commitments of world (developed) countries,” Ebtekar said. President Khatami's envoy further said globalization, as the main concern of the 21st century, had posed many threats to the international community, in addition to its benefits. These threats, she stressed, have to be limited. Ebtekar called on the international community to adopt measures to protect the environment better, and also to support the developing nations in facing up the perceived threats of globalization. "Globalization must include both the developed and the under-developed nations on an equal footing, and all world nations must benefit from its advantages," she said. Ebtekar arrived in Bali Monday to attend the three-day ministerial meeting meant to finalize a series of implementation plans that should help world leaders stick to their commitments to sustainable development. The Bali meeting which opened on Wednesday is also expected to debate a political declaration to be adopted in the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, August 26 to September 4. It follows a UN meeting of environment officials and activists in Bali that began last Monday to sketch out a draft action plan to protect the planet. The draft plan will serve as a blueprint for sustainable economic development over the next decade. 44) PRINCESS BASMA URGES HELPING COMMUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Jordan Times, 6 June 2002
AMMAN (JT) - HRH Princess Basma on Wednesday highlighted some of the major challenges to sustainable development, and talked about possible mechanisms for facing these challenges. In a keynote address entitled, "Communities Make the Critical Difference," delivered in Bali, Indonesia at a preparatory meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), the Princess spoke of the strategic role that communities play in advancing sustainable development. Despite the enormous contributions that civil society, and in particular communities, have made to advance the understanding of sustainable development, communities are generally the least well-positioned to have a voice in international summits, she said. "While the critical and dynamic relationship between a local community, its natural surroundings and its cultural identity are now more recognised, the pitfall of many well-intended projects has been in implementing measures that concentrate on one aspect, to the detriment of the other ... sustainability cannot simply be defined in absolute terms," Princess Basma said. "As we convene here today..., let us remember that each community has its own set of values which can be utilised to further sustainability." Princess Basma cited Jordan's Dana Nature Reserve as home to a pioneering approach to conservation - which integrates the needs of nature with the needs of local residents, many of whom are still nomadic and dependent on the resources of the reserve. "Let us also reinforce our commitment to eradicating poverty and to strengthening local institutions that will take the lead in demonstrating that `people do make a difference'," she concluded. Country delegations, civil society representatives, international organisations and other partners present at PrepCom IV in Bali, attended this event which was hosted by UNDP and the Equator Initiative. In a sideline event, hosted by the Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED), of which Princess Basma is patron, she put forward the priorities raised by the Arab states regarding sustainable development. "Although great strides have been made in the civil society movement, little is seen amidst the political events the Arab region is witnessing. We are striving for peace, stability and democracy in the hope for a prosperous and promising world in which we join other nations in their efforts to achieve development and sustainability," said the Princess. RAED, is a network of more than 200 Arab non-governmental organisations from Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. It publishes a monthly environmental and developmental newsletter entitled, "Montada Al Biah." Also on Wednesday Princess Basma met with Indonesia's President Megawati. During the meeting, Megawati expressed her admiration of the Hashemite leadership and spoke of His Majesty King Abdullah's active role in the Middle East region. The Indonesian leader also spoke of the efforts of King Abdullah to strengthen the relations between Jakarta and Amman. The talks between Megawati and Princess Basma also focused on the environment, development and women's issues. The Indonesian president praised Princess Basma for her efforts in these fields, especially her role in advancing humanitarian work and the status of women in Jordan. The minister of municipal and rural affairs and environment, who is accompanying Princess Basma, attended the meeting. United Nations Press Release,
6 June 2002
The importance of promoting partnerships to facilitate the acquisition and use of modern technology by developing countries was among the many issues stressed as the ministerial segment of the fourth and final Preparatory Committee for the upcoming World Summit for Sustainable Development continued discussing "implementation partnerships/initiatives" this afternoon in Bali. A representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) said technology was central to achieving sustainable development. Many developing countries faced major challenges in acquiring and using modern technologies. She noted a divide between the technology "innovators", the technology "adaptors" and those countries that were technologically "disconnected". The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) promoted partnerships to overcome the divide -- there was a programme under way in 25 countries on assessing needs and promoting action in the area of technology cooperation. A representative of the European Space Agency described partnerships formed to monitor the earth through satellite observation for many problems of sustainable development. It was necessary to highlight the importance of such observation in the World Summit documents. To do so would help direct such programmes to support Agenda 21 objectives. The representative of Kyrgyzstan, noting that his largely mountainous country had a vulnerable ecosystem, said there was an absence of technology to take advantage of natural resources such as water. A complex development programme for 2000 to 2010 had been developed by the Government, as had a strategy for poverty eradication. Partnership with other Central Asian States was under way to help protect the mountains, reduce debt and strengthen environmental management. Among a number of speakers discussing the role of partnerships to promote sustainable development in Africa, the representative of Gabon said he hoped the Summit would adopt the New Programme for African Development (NEPAD) as the best way of enhancing sustainable development in Africa. Other regional efforts were under way that were aimed at promoting sustainable development, he noted. The representative of Uganda said her Government had been at the forefront of establishing a solid platform to promote various forms of partnerships. Africa, she said, welcomed partnerships intended to support regional and subregional initiatives such as NEPAD and others. She looked forward to the announcement of new initiatives at the Summit that were intended to support national and regional efforts. Her Government sought partnerships to aid in combating diseases, including those that were water-borne. The representative of Finland said that partnerships were important because they provided substantial additions of resources for sustainable development. Through them, new actors could be brought in, and sustainable development could be mainstreamed. Finland's basic strategy was to facilitate partnerships that formed voluntarily under criteria of relevance, and to help link such partnerships with international initiatives. Partnerships were so essential to sustainable development that it could be said that the Johannesburg Summit would be about partnerships. Statements were also made this afternoon by the representatives of Mozambique, Turkey, Jordan, Belgium, Nepal, Nigeria, Cuba, Iceland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, South Africa, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, China, Ireland, Senegal, Honduras, Belize, Benin, Chad, Guyana, Panama, Bahamas, Solomon Islands, Austria, New Zealand and Romania. A representative of the Secretariat of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and Their Disposal also spoke. Richard Ballhorn (Canada), Acting Committee Chair; Jan Kara (Czech Republic), Committee Vice-Chair; and Diane Quarless (Jamaica), Committee Vice-Chair spoke at the conclusion of the debate. The ministerial segment is scheduled to meet again tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. to continue its deliberations BACKGROUND The fourth and final Preparatory Committee for the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development this afternoon continued its ministerial segment, during which Ministers are expected to discuss follow-up to the Bali implementation plan, partnership initiatives and elements for the political declaration to be adopted at the Johannesburg Summit. The focus of this afternoon's discussion was the implementation of partnership initiatives. STATEMENTS The representative of Mozambique said the right balance had to be created between Type 1 and Type 2 partnerships. Type 2 partnerships could add to the pool of resources available and increase other opportunities, but governments should not be written off as the main actors in those kinds of partnerships. In addition, he said, partnerships should be steered equally by all actors. The New Programme for African Development (NEPAD) could be very useful in areas of interest to his country. In Mozambique, environmental laws had been enacted and many other activities had been undertaken in response to Agenda 21. Those actions needed adequate support by the international community, and type 2 partnerships could provide some of that support. The representative of Finland said that Type 2 partnerships were important because they provided substantial additional resources for sustainable development. Through them, new actors could be brought in, and sustainable development could be mainstreamed. Finland's basic strategy was to facilitate partnerships that formed voluntarily under criteria of relevance, and to help link such partnerships with international initiatives. Partnerships were so essential to sustainable development that it could be said that the Johannesburg Summit would be about partnerships. The representative of Turkey said that among the benefits of partnerships was increased of awareness of sustainable development issues. Enhanced partnership was essential for success in areas such as improved governance mechanisms. Her country had fostered partnerships in support of Agenda 21 at all levels and in cooperation with United Nations agencies. She stressed the need for increasing the capacity of local actors and for new resources for demands placed on the Global Environment Facility (GEF). She emphasized the importance of regional and cross-regional partnerships, which bridged efforts at the national and local levels to those at the international level. The representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) said technology was central to achieving sustainable development. Modern technology had an important role to play in realizing the Millennium Development Goals and alleviating poverty. Many developing countries faced major challenges in acquiring and using technologies. She noted a divide between the technology "innovators", the technology "adaptors" and those countries that were technologically "disconnected". She hoped the Summit would provide strong outcomes on technology issues in the area of means of implementation. The UNIDO promoted partnerships to overcome the divide -- there was a programme under way in 25 countries on assessing needs and promoting action in the area of technology cooperation. Partnerships in the area of energy were also being promoted by UNIDO. The representative of Jordan said the current session was an opportunity to try to resolve problems that had developed over the past 10 years and to assess what had been done. Decisions must be strengthened but not repeated. Working together was essential, he said, stressing the role of partnerships between the various stakeholders in the sustainable developments process. The specific roles of the various actors must be established, and the interests of all must be taken into account, he said. Financial institutions and governments of rich countries must provide monetary and technological assistance to help with partnerships. He went on to highlight Jordan's partnership initiatives to promote sustainable development. The representative of Belgium said the Co-Chairman's document on guiding principles for partnerships, which had been distributed throughout the room, was a good paper. Partnerships should be based on what had already been agreed. Sustainable development could only be achieved if there was respect for the social, economic and environmental pillars. He said the international community should work together on Agenda 21, which established the proper balance among those pillars. Partnerships must be monitored by the international community as they evolved to determine whether they were up to the vision set forth for sustainable development. The representative of Nepal said partnerships were vital to the goals of poverty alleviation, environmental stewardship and increased equitability of development. Such partnerships could help increase the resources available. An international partnership for sustainable mountain development was particularly important for his country. Civil society partnerships were also vital in Nepal for dealing with such problems as the depletion of forestry resources through use of wood fuels in homes, which also caused other environmental and social development problems. International support for partnerships formed within Nepal was necessary, however. The representative of the European Space Agency described partnerships formed to monitor the earth through satellite observation for many areas of sustainable development. It was necessary to highlight the importance of such observations in the World Summit documents. To do so would help direct such programmes to support Agenda 21 objectives. They should be supported as relevant "type 2" outcomes. The representative of Nigeria said that governments could not undertake the sustainable development agenda alone, and they required partners to do so. That had been the case in his country in programmes to protect coastal and marine environments, which had attracted the support of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector. But such partnerships should not be a substitute for government commitments, and they should serve such commitments while being transparent, relevant and accountable. The representative of Cuba said partnerships must not replace government outcomes or multilateral cooperation. Initiatives should be geared towards contributing to the three pillars of sustainable development. That could only be ensured if partnerships were clearly and properly linked to the Summit's plan of implementation. Monitoring was key, as were transparency and coordination. He underscored that observing the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities for developed and developing countries must be a basic concept underlying partnerships. The guiding principles with regard to partnerships should be strengthened. He noted his delegation's support for the NEPAD. Opportunities to promote South-South cooperation should be seized. Respect for sovereignty and the development models of individual countries were key. The representative of Iceland said her country welcomed Type 2 initiatives as long as they did not undermine the importance of Type 1 outcomes. A framework was needed to ensure that Type 2 outcomes added to the implementation of Agenda 21. All had something to offer in the field of cooperation. Programmes of the United Nations University on fisheries and geothermal energy had been hosted by her country, she noted. A new initiative on capacity-building in the area of geo-thermal energy was being contemplated by her Government. The representative of Ukraine said Ukraine fully realized its role and responsibility to protect natural resources. In that context, it would host the Fifth Environment for Europe ministerial meeting in Kiev next year. The meeting was expected to introduce action-oriented mechanisms to promote environmental protection. The current task of the international community was to eliminate the controversies between the new development methodologies and old values. He urged negotiators to agree on a specific, time-bound implementation plan. The session was crucial opportunity to make the Johannesburg Summit a success. The representative of the United Arab Emirates said his country had been active in creating partnerships between all sectors in his country in support of Agenda 21. In order to promote partnership with the international community, it had established the Zayid International Environment Awards, which this year, recognized programmes countering water problems in dry areas, among other initiatives. It had also established funds for the sustainable development of developing nations, helping to build their capabilities in a range of areas and fulfill their responsibilities under international accords. The representative of Pakistan said that side partnerships were valuable but should not be an open-ended process and had to be developed under strict guidelines to better the lifestyles of the poor and support sustainable development in the most vulnerable areas. The representative of South Africa stressed the need for mutual respect in partnerships, which were vital to meet goals in water and sanitation access and poverty reduction. Projects in water and sanitation, in particular, met the criteria of all three pillars of sustainable developments. Partnerships on those issues in southern Africa could be a model of how Type 1 agreements could link with Type 2 initiatives to meet Agenda 21 goals. Monitoring of water and sanitation goals should be included in the follow-up to the Johannesburg Summit. The representative of Kyrgyzstan said his country was 94 per cent mountains and had a very vulnerable ecosystem. There was an absence of technology to take advantage of natural resources, as well as large amounts of radioactive waste on the territory. The waste and heavy metal residue had been left from the time of the former Soviet Union. A complex development programme for 2000 to 2010 had been developed by his Government, as had a strategy for poverty eradication. He wished to reinforce the Central Asian initiatives for cooperation. Cooperation was under way to help protect the mountains, reduce debt and strengthen environmental management. The representative of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia said his Government had been among the first countries to accept the concept of sustainable development. However, the period of wars and sanctions during the 1990s had had visible consequences. The technological level of the country had declined, facilities were underused, and the import of raw materials and export of finished products had been undermined. Scientific and technological exchange and cultural cooperation had been interrupted. Cooperation with international organizations had been undertaken to protect the environment, he said. The country expected assistance in dealing with depleted uranium from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) missiles. He fully supported the search for financing to support sustainable development and was in favour of reaching fruitful agreements for the establishment of partnerships. The representative of China said to fully implement Agenda 21, comprehensive partnerships must be established according to the Rio principles. The actual difficulties confronting developing countries should be addressed. Type 2 outcomes should reflect the spirit of global partnerships and should complement the implementation plan. Only when all parties demonstrated good political will in the plan could partnerships be effectively implemented. China would take an active part in partnership initiatives. Cooperation among civil society was important, but government departments should provide guidance. The representative of Ireland said partnership was central to sustainable development, and that donors should work more closely with both the national plans of developing countries, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) strategy and the World Bank's comprehensive development framework. Partnerships should be owned by developing countries and should complement all existing efforts. The private sector should be involved to the greatest extent possible, and partnerships should continue to be established after the Johannesburg Summit in support of its goals. The representative of Senegal said that governments of developing countries should be involved in Type 2 partnerships, as part of the assistance that should be provided to partnerships at all levels. NEPAD was a Type 2 partnership according to his country, and its priorities should be access to water, and new and renewable energy sources. Chemical development should proceed, but its negative effects should be countered. Resources needed in such efforts should be provided by the international community. Institutional coordination had been one of the major obstacles in implementing Agenda 21, and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) should play an important role in that regard. The representative of Honduras said his country had tried pilot projects in partnerships and, while there were successes, much could be improved. Account needed to be taken of efficiency, coherence and impact of such projects by ECOSOC so that partnership models did not create an additional level of bureaucracy. It was also essential that sustainable development strategies meshed with all other existing activities. Only in that way could programmes have a measurable, positive impact on people's lives. The representative of Belize said Type 2 partnerships must complement and not replace Type 1 outcomes. Partnerships should coincide with national priorities and Agenda 21 objectives. Certain existing projects could be extended, including regional initiatives. Too much structure initially might be stifling, but at the same time too little structure could lead to an unmanageable situation. The management and tracking of partnerships must be dealt with. The ultimate responsibility for partnerships must in many cases remain with governments, she said. Discussions should be conducted, in large part, through regional and national agencies. A follow-up process through self-reporting mechanisms should also be established. The representative of Gabon said Type 1 outcomes had not really yielded the results hoped for in the areas of climate change and conservation of bio-diversity among others. Synergies must be sought in all areas not covered by the Rio commitments. Type 2 initiatives should permit new kinds of ways of doing things and also make possible new resources. He hoped the Summit would adopt NEPAD as the best way of enhancing sustainable development in Africa. Other regional efforts were under way that were aimed at promoting sustainable development. The representative of Uganda said her Government had been at the forefront of establishing a solid platform to promote various forms of partnerships. For the past 10 years, several partnership arrangements had been initiated and her Government would continue to appreciate implementable initiatives with clear outcomes to combat poverty. Africa, she said, welcomed partnerships intended to support regional and subregional initiatives such as NEPAD and others. She looked forward to the announcement of new initiatives at the Summit that were intended to support national and regional efforts. Her Government sought partnerships to aid in combating diseases, including those that were water-bound. The representative of Benin encouraged the meeting to work for quicker progress in filling in the blanks that still existed in the implementation plan. Globalization, he said, still benefited only the richest nations, and access to trade was blocked to many developing countries. Type 2 partnerships should focus on those areas. NEPAD was a good model of Type 2 partnerships. Non-discriminitory trade access and debt relief should, in that way, help countries to relieve pressure on their resources and the environment. The representative of Chad said that there should be partnership at all levels in the effort for sustainable development. It should also be the basis for mutual respect between the North and South and allow developing countries to participate in global development. His country was developing a decentralization programme, which empowered action at all levels that needed to be supported by partnerships. Partnerships that, on the other hand, aimed to pull strings from above, were not what was needed. The representative of Guyana said he fully supported the statement by Barbados of this morning. Efforts must be redoubled to make and meet deadlines in sustainable development. He disagreed with what had been said about the voluntary aspect of Type 2 partnerships. His country had hosted a project on protection of rainforests that had all the elements of the type of partnership that had been discussed. Yet implementation had been slow because financial support had been voluntary. There needed to be an arrangement that allowed for predictability in the flow of resources. In addition, the power of large corporations relative to developing governments must be taken into account. The representative of Panama said governments of developing countries participating in the South Summit in Algeria had instituted partnerships with NGOs, United Nations agencies, and others. Panama had proposed that through a pooling of resources and the formation of an academy for sustainable development, existing information could be made available on the environment and development. All that was needed now was political will to comply with the commitments already undertaken. Partnerships could provide a basis to support the implementation of Agenda 21. The representative of the Bahamas said partnerships were a good opportunity to assist regional and national governments in implementing Type 1 outcomes. Partnerships were voluntary, and each was unique and specific to the partners. She suggested that guiding principles set forward by the Co-Chairs promote the establishment of review processes to evaluate the capacity of partners to promote sustainable development. The representative of Solomon Islands said the outcome of UNCED had not really worked. Cooperation was necessary to ensure the success of Johannesburg. His country had endorsed 24 international agreements and conventions to promote sustainable development since Rio. The Government had created national policies to investigate sustainable programmes and planning. Obstacles to development were being investigated. He said a network must be put in place to prevent duplication of activities. All actors should work together in partnership to promote sustainable development. He noted the spiritual connection some people had to the environment -- that must be taken into account when policies were made at the national level. The representative of Austria said that to realize sustainability in all sectors, it had to be translated to the public; partnership was the best means for that. An example was the Alpine Convention - the Convention on the Protection of the Alps -- which fulfilled all criteria for Type 2 partnerships. Energy was another important area for partnerships, and to facilitate those, the Global Forum for Sustainable Energy had been formed. In general, partnerships should not only be established but also improved. The representative of the Secretariat of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and Their Disposal cited examples of partnerships in areas such as sound management of waste where partnership with industry was vital. The representative of New Zealand expressed interest in many of the kinds of partnerships discussed and the idea of the mainstreaming of sustainable development. Voters and communities must be involved in the effort; so far, that had not been the case. If the blank spaces in the implementation plan were being filled in during closed meetings, there was no chance for transparency or mainstreaming the case for sustainable development. The representative of Kyrgyzstan said partnership was the main thing achieved since Rio. All understood that barriers between the various actors were the main obstacles to achieving sustainable development. A voluntary approach to overcoming that problem was key. The representative of Guyana said thought should be given to the process that would help concretize the kinds of Type 2 outcomes that could address the major issues, especially those identified by the Secretary-General. Thought should also be given to how civil society actors and the private sector could be brought in to play a central role in partnerships. RICHARD BALLHORN (Canada), Acting Committee Chair, said the Secretariat had started producing background documents that might help representatives to form partnerships. JAN KARA (Czech Republic), Committee Vice-Chair, noted the five areas identified by the Secretary-General. A background paper on sustainable energy and others were being prepared. These papers were seen as a potential bridge between Type 1s and Type 2s outcome. The overall framework of Type 2 outcomes was Agenda 21, but it was also hoped that they would evolve around the Secretary-General's five areas, as well as others. DIANE QUARLESS (Jamaica), Committee Vice-Chair, said the guiding principles document was a work in progress. There was no full answer to the questions yet posed. From now to Johannesburg, the Secretariat was facilitating the process. There was a Web site, she noted. There was agreement in the relevant working group that the Commission on Sustainable Development would serve as a focal point for partnerships. Mr. BALLHORN said there were Web sites and other ways to facilitate the aforesaid processes. The representative of Romania then asked how partnerships could succeed in combating climate change and what kind of technical answers could be applied to that problem. Mr. BALLHORN said his country had a joint application programme that coordinated efforts for emission reduction. In addition, the Kyoto Protocol included many opportunities to create all sort of partnerships in that regard.
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