Norway

Since Agenda 21 was adopted at the Earth Summit in 1992, global integration has proceeded with unprecedented speed. Security challenges continue to be posed by poverty, public health problems and environmental degradation, to mention some of the key issues before us. The poverty, health and environment nexus warrants particular attention. Inadequate attention to environmental issues has led to substantial direct and indirect impacts on the health and livelihoods of populations throughout the world. In fact, environmental factors are responsible for almost a quarter of all disease in developing countries. And the poor, particularly women and children, are most affected. At the same time, over the past few years we have together developed new instruments and initiatives to meet the challenges of making our common future a sustainable one. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the ON Forum on Forests are welcome additions in this regard, to which we attach great importance. Now is the time to mobilise the political will to make effective use of the agreements.

As highlighted in Agenda 21, economic and social development and environmental protection are inextricably linked. For development to be sustainable, it must flow from the priorities of the society in which it is taking place. Accordingly, environmental protection must support poverty eradication through economic and social development. Since the Earth Summit, the international community has taken important steps forward on the basis of this principle. For example, the Kyoto Protocol requires industrialised countries to reduce emissions linked to global warming while introducing a clean development mechanism to enable participation also by interested developing country Parties. Our experience of various innovative partnership arrangements indicates that measures that benefit both the global and the local and regional environment -such as the use of more efficient and cleaner energy technologies -can promote a number of development objectives.

However, such measures are in many areas still at an exploratory stage. To date, the estimated resource requirements for implementing Agenda 21 -from national and international sources -are a long way form being met. Renewed efforts should therefore be made to mobilise new and increased resources, including through the private sector. ODA remains pivotal, particularly in the Least Developed Countries, and must act as a catalyst for policies and initiatives promoting sustainable development. We welcome the work related to financing for development and the efforts to mobilise "green" capital.

CSD 9 will be an important opportunity to address issues related to energy and transport and should help to pave the way for better solutions based on, for example, infrastructural and land use planning, clean technologies, energy efficiency and - where possible -renewable energy. Worldwide, energy is used inefficiently due to outdated technologies and practices. The resulting pollutants do immense damage, particularly in urban areas, where they cause health problems such as respiratory diseases in young children. In some countries, some 80 percent of the population are without secure access to basic energy services. However, there are abundant win-win opportunities available and this represents a great potential that should be better utilised. Future plans need to take into consideration the regional perspectives and potentials so that sustainable energy markets can be developed. Approaching energy on a regional level will provide opportunities for increased efficiency and for exploring comparative advantages across national borders.

We have noted the many statements given at the recent Millennium Summit underlining the importance of the environment for our welfare. Sustainability is the only acceptable path for our journey into the new millennium. We owe nothing less to future generations. To achieve this we must continue working together to translate our intentions into fruitful political action. Rather than being a mere stocktaking, the upcoming World Summit for Sustainable Development (Rio+ 10) must therefore be geared towards defining the further process of progressive implementation of Agenda 21. The continuous stocktaking of what we have achieved so far, carried out through the CSD, provides important background information, but cannot be an end in itself for Rio+ 10. In order to mobilise public support and media attention for Rio+ 10 we must go beyond reviewing our past. In our view, the Rio+ 10 meeting should be a high-Ievel summit with a .vision of the future that will capture the attention of the general public, particularly our young people. Without effective environmental protection and management of natural resources we simply will not be able to enjoy prosperity in the future. In order to provide the right context for the summit, and to underline the importance of poverty eradication, my delegation would support convening the summit in a developing country.

At this stage in the process, the emphasis should be on the substantive preparations at local, national and regional levels. Strategies and plans for sustainable development must be further developed particularly at the national level with the participation of civil society. In the process there is a need for multi-stakeholder engagement and accountability, i.e. in involvement of NGOs, industry and business, trade unions, religious and cultural organisations, indigenous people, women and young people.

Without pre-empting the important regional consultation processes ahead, let me draw attention to a few key issues we believe warrant particular consideration in the process of defining the agenda for Rio+ 10. In order to be effective, we believe the summit should focus on certain themes. In considering such themes we may want to pay particular attention to poverty eradication and frameworks for mobilising capital for development building upon the financing for development event in 200 1, linkages between the environment, human health and conflict prevention, and corporate responsibility in promoting a shift to sustainable consumption and production patterns. As a general principle, consistent with Agenda 21, we also believe that the need for cross-sectoral integration of policies needs to be emphasised, particularly in areas related to energy, water and land use.

Let me conclude my remarks by reiterating my country's full support for Rio+ 10 preparatory process and by underlining the need to create a proper momentum and basis for the summit in 2002, to which we a11 attach the utmost importance.

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