DELEGATION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

  Preliminary View on the preparations for the 10-year review of progress achieved in the implementation of Agenda 21  

The Russian Federation attaches particular importance to the success of the ten-year review of progress achieved in the implementation of Agenda 21 which should become the next important step towards the attainment of sustainable development at national, regional and international levels. It should reconfirm the commitment of the international community to the goals and objectives agreed in Rio and provide new vision for future concerted action in this direction.

Conceptually, the purpose of the review should be not to re-negotiate the Agenda 21 but to provide a thorough and objective analysis of the lessons learnt over the ten years that will have elapsed since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, an unbiased assessment of the achievements and failures, evaluate obstacles and constraints in the effective implementation of Agenda 21, and at the same time identify ways and means to overcome the encountered difficulties on the basis of available positive experiences and approaches.

It should also take the Rio process to a new level of international solidarity for ensuring that no country is left alone with its problems, and that global issues are addressed in the spirit of shared responsibility.

A major goal of the review would be to assess the new issues that have emerged during the past decade, first of all, in the context of globalisation. It will be crucial to consider the opportunities and challenges engendered by this phenomenon for different categories of countries.

We believe that the Rio+ 10 process should generate a more comprehensive, coherent and holistic approach to the concept of sustainable development in its entirety, including its environmental, developmental and social aspects. The progress in the implementation of the recommendations of other global conferences and the performance of the major environment- related multilateral instruments relevant to sustainable development should be taken into account.

We consider it important to ensure that the preparatory process is conducted in an open and participatory manner, that it uses fully the existing potentials of the relevant intergovernmental and secretarial mechanisms of the United Nations and outside it. It should also benefit from a constructive and creative participation of major groups and civil society.

The preparatory process, in our view, should also include a strong regional component. Regional perspective could greatly contribute to the overall assessment of progress and generate new ideas as to possible future actions. To this end, it would be wise to fully utilise the potential of the regional organisations of the UN system.

Organisationally, we believe, that the Commission on Sustainable Development and its ad-hoc inter-sessional working groups should act as the Preparatory Committee for the event.

Substantive inputs to it should be provided by the Secretariat of the Commission on Sustainable Development based on the contributions to be provided by relevant UN Task Managers and other organisations of the UN systems, major environment-related multilateral agreements, international organisations, governments and major groups.

As to the venue, level and format of the event, we are open to consider any options taking into account all aspects, including the need to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of the work, broad participation of the public, business community, civil society, as well as to attract media attention.

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