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Views
and suggestions related to the preparatory process for the 10-year
review of progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 put forward by the
government of Japan |
Basic views on the scope and nature of the ten-year review The following points should be considered in an attempt to bring
meaningful results to the ten-year review: Participation of all Member States and all major groups For the effective implementation of Agenda 21 a multifaceted approach at
the local national regional and global levels as well as the continued
involvement of not only governments but also major groups such as business and
industry, scientific community. and non-governmental organizations are important
The United Nations needs to undertake a comprehensive review of progress
achieved in the implementation of Agenda 21. assessing the progress in the
implementation at those various levels and by stakeholders including
governments. identifying priority issues to be addressed and deliberating upon
necessary measures. Consideration
and assistance given to developing countries and to countries with economies in
transition. The international community is required to strengthen its assistance to
developing countries and countries with economies in transition in such fields
as the provision of adequate and predictable financial resources, the transfer
of environmentally-sound technologies and capacity-building to help them
implement Agenda 21 effectively and achieve the long-term goals of sustainable
development. Accelerating the implementation of Agenda 2 The
Following action are important for accelerating the implementation of Agenda 21
by the international community in years to come. Identification of constraints in the effective implementation of Agenda
21 at all levels and deliberation of measures to accelerate the implementation
of Agenda 21 including those to address the constraints Identification of momentous issues emerged since UNCED as a result,
inter-alia, of globalization and technological progress as well as development
of measures or mechanisms to address those issues Deliberation of effective and efficient ways of following up the ten-year
review including improvements in the methods of work of the Commission on
Sustainable Development Recommending the Concrete Strategies oriented to accelerating Sustainable
Development Enhancement and promotion of inter-linkages among related activities As is pointed out in Chapter IV of the Programme for the Further
Implementation of Agenda 21, greater coherence in various intergovernmental
organizations and processes need to be pursued. Linkages and coordination among
environment-related conventions and institutional arrangements need to be
strengthened and promoted. The efforts in these lines are important for
maintaining the momentum for global progress towards sustainable development. Form scope and nature of the preparatory process for the review In view of the points raised above the preparatory process should
include: Inputs from all 'levels regarding the progress achieved in the
implementation of Agenda 21 Inputs from all major groups such as business and industry
scientific community and non-governmental organizations
in addition to the reports provided by the secretariats of environment-related
conventions and international organizations in accordance with General Assembly
resolution 54/218. To ensure adequate inputs, wide dissemination in advance of information
relating to the undertaking of the ten-year review as well as pertinent issues
and actions on sustainable development is necessary. Internet may as well be
made good use of in obtaining inputs. Stocktaking of information relating to the progress in the implementation
of Agenda 21 Stocktaking of information obtained from major groups as indicated in (1)
above and of information contained in national reports. Assessment of the progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 by experts The information could be processed into case studies by categories and a
compilation of best practices. Establishment of a working group of experts who, from scientific and
objective points of view, will analyse and assess the progress in the
implementation of Agenda 21, identify priority issues still remaining or emerged
since UNCED, and report their findings to the General Assembly, based on the
inputs from all major groups and national reports. Deliberation of measures to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 21 Possible ways of deliberating upon measures to accelerate the
implementation of Agenda 21 are: Convening an ad-hoc preparatory committee and/or a group of eminent
persons The committee and/or the group will deliberate upon measures to
accelerate the implementation of Agenda 21 and address the momentous issues
identified as emerged since UNCED. focusing on priority ones expected to be
taken up at the ten-year review (see 3. below) and explore concrete strategies.
based on the report of the working group of experts in (3) above and the
Secretary-Generals report on constraints in the implementation of Agenda 21 and
how the United Nations system can contribute to accelerated implementation of
Agenda 21. Convening regional meetings of national institutions established to
promote the implementation of Agenda 21 such as National Councils on Sustainable
Development (NCSDs) The regional meetings will identify constraints in promoting sustainable
development at the national level. and seek the role of the national
institutions such as NCSDs and the possibility of strengthened linkages and
coordination among them in addressing the constraints from the regional
perspective Japan is prepared to share the experience gained the Asia NCSDs Workshop
organized by Japan CounciI on Sustainable Development on 31 January 2000. Priority issues that the review and its preparatory process should
particularly focus The ten-year review may well be expected to be comprehensive.
To prevent the deliberations at the review from being shallow and
desultory, however it will be desirable that. in the preparatory process,
priority issues be identified and deliberations on those issues be started with
a view to reaching meaningful conclusions. It will also be desirable that
deliberations of those issues at the United Nations contribute to enlightening
every tier of society in each nation as to the significance of sustainable
development. Candidates of such priority issues may include: National economy in which environmental protection is incorporated as a
organic part To deliberate the possibility and ways of developing national economies
in which environmental protection is incorporated in a more organic way to
promote sustainable development Style of living that is environmentally sound
To make recommendations to the international community, drawing on the debates
in relevant United Nations fora and national experiences on consumption and
production patterns Promotion of scientific research and assessment To identify the areas where consideration of certain subject matters wi
II benefit from further scientific research and assessment In some cases,
unnecessary divergence of views takes place due to inadequate scientific
research and assessment of the issues in question in environment-related fields.
Education on the subject of environmental protection To identify major issues and deliberate upon ways of addressing the
issues to improve in education on the subject of environmental protection
drawing on national experiences Methods of work of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) To deliberate upon ways of effective and efficient follow-up to the
ten-year review including possible improvements in the methods of work of CSD Enhancement and promotion of linkages among relevant activities To consider possible areas of further coordination and cooperation among
activities of environment-related conventions and international organizations
and possible concrete actions based. Inter-alia on the Secretary-Genera" s
report on enhancing complementarities among international instruments related to
environment and sustainable development requested in the General Assembly
resolution 54/217 |