WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
WT/CTE/W/220/Rev.1
20 December 2002
(02-7033)
Committee on Trade and Development
Committee on Trade and Environment
REPORT OF THE WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Note by the Secretariat
Revision
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) took place in Johannesburg,
South Africa from 26 August to 4 September 2002.
The main purpose of the WSSD was to hold a ten-year review of the 1992 UN Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED) at the Summit level to reinvigorate global commitment tosustainable development.
As a result of the negotiations at the WSSD, UN Member States adopted the Johannesburg
Declaration on Sustainable Development, as well as a Plan of Implementation which provides a
framework for action on sustainable development.
The text of the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and of the WSSD Plan
of Implementation are circulated to Members for information.
1
These documents are part of the final Report of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development which was circulated by th e UN Secretariat as document A/CONF.199/20.
                                                     
1 Additional information is also available on the WSSD website at
http://www.johannesburgsummit.org.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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CONTENTS
JOHANNESBURG DECLARATION ON SU STAINABLE DEVE LOPMENT............................3
PLAN OF IMPLEM ENTATION........................................................................................................7
I. I NTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................7
II. P OVERTY ERADICATION ..............................................................................................................9
III. C HANGING UNSUSTAINABLE PATTERNS OF CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION ........................14
IV. P ROTECTING AND MANAGING THE NATURAL RESOURCE BASE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................................... ...21
V. S USTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD ........................................................38
VI. H EALTH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................40
VII. S USTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES ...................................43
VIII.S USTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR AFRICA ..............................................................................46
IX. O THER REGIONAL INITIATIVES .................................................................................................51
A. Sustainable development in La tin America and the Caribbean............................................51
B. Sustainable development in  Asia and the Pacific .................................................................51
C. Sustainable development in  the West Asia region.................................................................51
D. Sustainable development in the Eco nomic Commission for Europe region .........................52
X. M EANS OF IMPLEMENTATION ...................................................................................................53
XI. I NSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ............................................67
A. Objectives................................................................................................................... ...........67
B. Strengthening the institutional framework fo r sustainable development at the international
level .......................................................................................................................... ....................68
C. Role of the General Assembly ...............................................................................................69D. Role of the Economic and Social Council.............................................................................69
E. Role and function of the Commission on Sustainable Development.....................................70
F. Role of interna tional inst itutions........................................................................................... 72
G. Strengthening institutional arrangements for sustainable development at
the regional  level............................................................................................................. ..............73
H. Strengthening institutional frameworks for su stainable development at the national level .74
I. Participation of major groups ..............................................................................................75WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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JOHANNESBURG DECLARATION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT*
From our origins to the future
1. We, the representatives of the peoples of the world, assembled at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 2 to 4 September 2002, reaffirm our
commitment to sustainable development.
2. We commit ourselves to building a humane, equitable and caring global society, cognizant of
the need for human dignity for all.
3. At the beginning of this Summit, the children of the world spoke to us in a simple yet clear
voice that the future belongs to them, and accordingly challenged all of us to ensure that through our
actions they will inherit a world free of the indignity and indecency occasioned by poverty,
environmental degradation and patterns of unsustainable development.
4. As part of our response to these children, who represent our collective future, all of us,
coming from every corner of the world, informed by different life experiences, are united and moved
by a deeply felt sense that we urgently need to create a new and brighter world of hope.
5. Accordingly, we assume a collective res ponsibility to advance and strengthen the
interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development — economic
development, social development and environmental protection — at the local, national, regional and
global levels.
6. From this continent, the cradle of humanity, we declare, through the Plan of Implementation
of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the present Declaration, our responsibility to
one another, to the greater community of life and to our children.
7. Recognizing that humankind is at a crossroads, we have united in a common resolve to make
a determined effort to respond positively to the need to produce a practical and visible plan to bring
about poverty eradication and human development.
From Stockholm to Rio de Janeiro to Johannesburg
8. Thirty years ago, in Stockholm, we agreed on the urgent need to respond to the problem of
environmental deterioration.1 Ten years ago, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, held in Rio de Janeiro,2 we agreed that the protection of the environment and social and
economic development are fundamental to sustainable development, based on the Rio Principles. Toachieve such development, we adopted the global programme entitled Agenda 21
3 and the Rio
Declaration on Environment and Development,3 to which we reaffirm our commitment. The Rio
Conference was a significant milestone that set a new agenda for sustainable development.
                                                     
* Adopted at the 17th plenary meeting, on 4 September 2002.
1 Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.73.II.A.14 and corrigendum), chap. I.
2 Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro,
3-14 June 1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vols. I-III.
3 Ibid., vol. I: Resolutions adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annexes I and II.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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9. Between Rio and Johannesburg, the world’s nations have met in several major conferences
under the auspices of the United Nations, including the International Conference on Financing for
Development,4 as well as the Doha Ministerial Conference.5 These conferences defined for the world
a comprehensive vision for the future of humanity.
10. At the Johannesburg Summit, we have achieved much in bringing together a rich tapestry of
peoples and views in a constructive search for a common path towards a world that respects and
implements the vision of sustainable development. The Johannesburg Summit has also confirmed that
significant progress has been made towards achieving a global consensus and partnership among all
the people of our planet.
The challenges we face
11. We recognize that poverty eradication, changing consumption and production patterns and
protecting and managing the natural resource base for economic and social development are
overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development.
12. The deep fault line that divides human society between the rich and the poor and the ever-
increasing gap between the developed and developing worlds pose a major threat to global prosperity,
security and stability.
13. The global environment continues to suffer. Loss of biodiversity continues, fish stocks
continue to be depleted, desertification claims more and more fertile land, the adverse effects of
climate change are already evident, natural disasters are more frequent and more devastating, and
developing countries more vulnerable, and air, water and marine pollution continue to rob millions of
a decent life.
14. Globalization has added a new dimension to these challenges. The rapid integration of
markets, mobility of capital and significant increases in investment flows around the world have
opened new challenges and opportunities for the pursuit of sustainable development. But the benefits
and costs of globalization are unevenly distributed, with developing countries facing special
difficulties in meeting this challenge.
15. We risk the entrenchment of these global disparities and unless we act in a manner that
fundamentally changes their lives the poor of the world may lose confidence in their representatives
and the democratic systems to which we remain committed, seeing their representatives as nothing
more than sounding brass or tinkling cymbals.
Our commitment to sustainable development
16. We are determined to ensure that our rich diversity, which is our collective strength, will be
used for constructive partnership for change and for the achievement of the common goal ofsustainable development.
17. Recognizing the importance of building human solidarity, we urge the promotion of dialogue
and cooperation among the world’s civilizations and peoples, irrespective of race, disabilities,
religion, language, culture or tradition.
                                                     
4 Report of the International Conference on Financing for Development, Monterrey, Mexico,
18-22 March 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.II.A.7), chap. I, resolution 1, annex.
5 See A/C.2/56/7, annex.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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18. We welcome the focus of the Johannesburg Summit on the indivisibility of human dignity
and are resolved, through decisions on targets, timetables and partnerships, to speedily increase access
to such basic requirements as clean water, sanitation, adequate shelter, energy, health care, food
security and the protection of biodiversity. At the same time, we will work together to help oneanother gain access to financial resources, benefit from the opening of markets, ensure capacity-
building, use modern technology to bring about development and make sure that there is technology
transfer, human resource development, education and training to banish underdevelopment forever.
19. We reaffirm our pledge to place particular focus on, and give priority attention to, the fight
against the worldwide conditions that pose severe threats to the sustainable development of our
people, which include: chronic hunger; malnutrition; foreign occupation; armed conflict; illicit drug
problems; organized crime; corruption; natural disasters; illicit arms trafficking; trafficking inpersons; terrorism; intolerance and incitement to racial, ethnic, religious and other hatreds;
xenophobia; and endemic, communicable and chronic diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis.
20. We are committed to ensuring that women’s empowerment, emancipation and gender
equality are integrated in all the activities encompassed within Agenda 21, the Millenniumdevelopment goals
6 and the Plan of Implementation of the Summit.
21. We recognize the reality that global society ha s the means and is endowed with the resources
to address the challenges of poverty eradication and sustainable development confronting all
humanity. Together, we will take extra steps to ensure that these available resources are used to the
benefit of humanity.
22. In this regard, to contribute to the achievement of our development goals and targets, we urge
developed countries that have not done so to make concrete efforts reach the internationally agreed
levels of official development assistance.
23. We welcome and support the emergence of stronger regional groupings and alliances, such as
the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, to promote regional cooperation, improvedinternational cooperation and sustainable development.
24. We shall continue to pay special attention to the developmental needs of small island
developing States and the least developed countries.
25. We reaffirm the vital role of the indigenous peoples in sustainable development.
26. We recognize that sustainable development requires a long-term perspective and broad-based
participation in policy formulation, decision-making and implementation at all levels. As social
partners, we will continue to work for stable partnerships with all major groups, respecting theindependent, important roles of each of them.
27. We agree that in pursuit of its legitimate activities the private sector, including both large and
small companies, has a duty to contribute to the evolution of equitable and sustainable communities
and societies.
28. We also agree to provide assistance to increase income-generating employment opportunities,
taking into account the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of the International
Labour Organization.
7
                                                     
6 See General Assembly resolution 55/2.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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29. We agree that there is a need for private sector corporations to enforce corporate
accountability, which should take place within a transparent and stable regulatory environment.
30. We undertake to strengthen and improve governance at all levels for the effective
implementation of Agenda 21, the Millennium development goals and the Plan of Implementation ofthe Summit.
Multilateralism is the future
31. To achieve our goals of sustainable development, we need more effective, democratic and
accountable international and multilateral institutions.
32. We reaffirm our commitment to the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United
Nations and international law, as well as to the strengthening of multilateralism. We support the
leadership role of the United Nations as the most universal and representative organization in theworld, which is best placed to promote sustainable development.
33. We further commit ourselves to monitor progress at regular intervals towards the achievement
of our sustainable development goals and objectives.
Making it happen!
34. We are in agreement that this must be an incl usive process, involving all the major groups and
Governments that participated in the historic Johannesburg Summit.
35. We commit ourselves to act together, united by a common determination to save our planet,
promote human development and achieve universal prosperity and peace.
36. We commit ourselves to the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development and to expediting the achievement of the time-bound, socio-economic andenvironmental targets contained therein.
37. From the African continent, the cradle of humankind, we solemnly pledge to the peoples of
the world and the generations that will surely inherit this Earth that we are determined to ensure that
our collective hope for sustainable development is realized.
                                                                                                                                                                    
7 See ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up Adopted by
the International Labour Conference at its Eighty-sixth Session, Geneva, 18 June 1998 (Geneva, InternationalLabour Office, 1998).WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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PLAN OF IMPLEMENTATION*
I. INTRODUCTION
1. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in
1992,1 provided the fundamental principles and the programme of action for achieving sustainable
development. We strongly reaffirm our commitment to the Rio principles, 2 the full implementation of
Agenda 212 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 3. We also commit
ourselves to achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in theUnited Nations Millennium Declaration
4 and in the outcomes of the major United Nations
conferences and international agreements since 1992.
2. The present plan of implementation will further build on the achievements made since the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Deve lopment and expedite the realization of the
remaining goals. To this end, we commit ourselves to undertaking concrete actions and measures atall levels and to enhancing international cooperatio n, taking into account the Rio principles, including
the principle of common but differentiated responsi bilities as set out in principle 7 of the Rio
Declaration on Environment and Development.
5 These efforts will also promote the integration of the
three components of sustainable development — economic development, social development and
environmental protection — as interdependent and mu tually reinforcing pillars. Poverty eradication,
changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and protecting and managing the
natural resource base of economic and social development are overarching objectives of, and essentialrequirements for, sustainable development.
3. We recognize that the implementation of the outcomes of the Summit should benefit all,
particularly women, youth, children and vulnerable groups. Furthermore, the implementation should
involve all relevant actors through partnerships, especially between Governments of the North and
South, on the one hand, and between Governments and major groups, on the other, to achieve thewidely shared goals of sustainable development. As reflected in the Monterrey Consensus,
6 such
partnerships are key to pursuing sustainable development in a globalizing world.
4. Good governance within each country and at the international level is essential for sustainable
development. At the domestic level, sound environmental, social and economic policies, democratic
institutions responsive to the needs of the people, the rule of law, anti-corruption measures, genderequality and an enabling environment for investment are the basis for sustainable development. As a
result of globalization, external factors have become critical in determining the success or failure of
developing countries in their national efforts. The gap between developed and developing countries
                                                     
* Adopted at the 17th plenary meeting, on 4 September 2002.
1 Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro,
3-14 June 1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda).
2 Ibid., vol. I: Resolutions Adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annexes I and II.
3 General Assembly resolution S-19/2, annex.
4 General Assembly resolution 55/2.
5 Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro,
3-14 June 1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions Adopted bythe Conference, resolution 1, annex I.
6 Report of the International Conference on Financing for Development , Monterrey, Mexico,
18-22 March 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.II.A.7), chap. I, resolution 1, annex.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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points to the continued need for a dynamic and enabling international economic environment
supportive of international cooperation, particularly in the areas of finance, technology transfer, debt
and trade and full and effective participation of developing countries in global decision-making, if the
momentum for global progress towards sustainable development is to be maintained and increased.
5. Peace, security, stability and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including
the right to development, as well as respect for cultural diversity, are essential for achieving
sustainable development and ensuring that sustainable development benefits all.
6. We acknowledge the importance of ethics for sustainable development and, therefore,
emphasize the need to consider ethics in the implementation of Agenda 21.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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II. POVERTY ERADICATION
7. Eradicating poverty is the greatest global challenge facing the world today and an
indispensable requirement for sustainable development, particularly for developing countries.
Although each country has the primary responsibility for its own sustainable development and povertyeradication and the role of national policies and development strategies cannot be over-emphasized,
concerted and concrete measures are required at all levels to enable developing countries to achieve
their sustainable development goals as related to the internationally agreed poverty-related targets and
goals, including those contained in Agenda 21, the relevant outcomes of other United Nations
conferences and the United Nations Millennium Declaration. This would include actions at all levels
to:
(a) Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the world’s people whose income is less than 1
dollar a day and the proportion of people who suffer from hunger and, by the same
date, to halve the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water;
(b) Establish a world solidarity fund to eradicate poverty and to promote social and
human development in the developing countries pursuant to modalities to be
determined by the General Assembly, while stressing the voluntary nature of thecontributions and the need to avoid duplication of existing United Nations funds, and
encouraging the role of the private sector and individual citizens relative to
Governments in funding the endeavours;
(c) Develop national programmes for sustainable development and local and community
development, where appropriate within country-owned poverty reduction strategies,to promote the empowerment of people living in poverty and their organizations.
These programmes should reflect their priorities and enable them to increase access
to productive resources, public services and institutions, in particular land, water,
employment opportunities, credit, education and health;
(d) Promote women’s equal access to and full participation in, on the basis of equality
with men, decision-making at all levels, mainstreaming gender perspectives in all
policies and strategies, eliminating all forms of violence and discrimination against
women and improving the status, health and economic welfare of women and girls
through full and equal access to economic opportunity, land, credit, education and
health-care services;
(e) Develop policies and ways and means to improve access by indigenous people and
their communities to economic activities and increase their employment through,where appropriate, measures such as training, technical assistance and credit
facilities. Recognize that traditional and direct dependence on renewable resources
and ecosystems, including sustainable harvesting, continues to be essential to the
cultural, economic and physical well-being of indigenous people and their
communities;
(f) Deliver basic health services for all and reduce environmental health threats, taking
into account the special needs of children and the linkages between poverty, health
and environment, with provision of financial resources, technical assistance and
knowledge transfer to developing countries and countries with economies in
transition;
(g) Ensure that children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full
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(h) Provide access to agricultural resources for people living in poverty, especially
women and indigenous communities, and promote, as appropriate, land tenure
arrangements that recognize and protect indigenous and common property resource
management systems;
(i) Build basic rural infrastructure, diversify the economy and improve transportation
and access to markets, market information and credit for the rural poor to support
sustainable agriculture and rural development;
(j) Transfer basic sustainable agricultural techniques and knowledge, including natural
resource management, to small and medium-scale farmers, fishers and the rural poor,
especially in developing countries, including through multi-stakeholder approaches
and public-private partnerships aimed at increasing agriculture production and foodsecurity;
(k) Increase food availability and affordability, including through harvest and food
technology and management, as well as equitable and efficient distribution systems,
by promoting, for example, community-based partnerships linking urban and rural
people and enterprises;
(l) Combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought and floods through
measures such as improved use of climate and weather information and forecasts,
early warning systems, land and natural resource management, agricultural practices
and ecosystem conservation in order to reverse current trends and minimize
degradation of land and water resources, in cluding through the provision of adequate
and predictable financial resources to implement the United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification, particularly in Africa,
7 as one of the tools for poverty eradication;
(m) Increase access to sanitation to improve human health and reduce infant and child
mortality, prioritizing water and sanitation in national sustainable developmentstrategies and poverty reduction strategies where they exist.
8. The provision of clean drinking water and adequate sanitation is necessary to protect human
health and the environment. In this respect, we agree to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people who
are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water (as outlined in the Millennium Declaration) and
the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation, which would include actions at
all levels to:
(a) Develop and implement efficient household sanitation systems;
(b) Improve sanitation in public institutions, especially schools;
(c) Promote safe hygiene practices;
(d) Promote education and outreach focused on children, as agents of behavioural
change;
(e) Promote affordable and socially and culturally acceptable technologies and practices;
                                                     
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(f) Develop innovative financing and partnership mechanisms;
(g) Integrate sanitation into water resources management strategies.
*   *   *
9. Take joint actions and improve efforts to work together at all levels to improve access to
reliable and affordable energy services for sustainable development sufficient to facilitate the
achievement of the Millennium development goals, including the goal of halving the proportion of
people in poverty by 2015, and as a means to generate other important services that mitigate poverty,
bearing in mind that access to energy facilitates the eradication of poverty. This would include actions
at all levels to:
(a) Improve access to reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and
environmentally sound energy services and resources, taking into account national
specificities and circumstances, through various means, such as enhanced rural
electrification and decentralized energy systems, increased use of renewables, cleaner
liquid and gaseous fuels and enhanced energy efficiency, by intensifying regional and
international cooperation in support of national efforts, including through capacity-building, financial and technological assistance and innovative financing
mechanisms, including at the micro- and meso- levels, recognizing the specific
factors for providing access to the poor;
(b) Improve access to modern biomass technologies and fuelwood sources and supplies
and commercialize biomass operations, including the use of agricultural residues, inrural areas and where such practices are sustainable;
(c) Promote a sustainable use of biomass and,  as appropriate, other renewable energies
through improvement of current patterns of use, such as management of resources,
more efficient use of fuelwood and new or improved products and technologies;
(d) Support the transition to the cleaner use of liquid and gaseous fossil fuels, where
considered more environmentally sound, socially acceptable and cost-effective;
(e) Develop national energy policies and regulatory frameworks that will help to create
the necessary economic, social and institutional conditions in the energy sector to
improve access to reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and
environmentally sound energy services for sustainable development and poverty
eradication in rural, peri-urban and urban areas;
(f) Enhance international and regional cooperation to improve access to reliable,
affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound
energy services, as an integral part of poverty reduction programmes, by facilitating
the creation of enabling environments and addressing capacity-building needs, with
special attention to rural and isolated areas, as appropriate;
(g) Assist and facilitate on an accelerated basis, with the financial and technical
assistance of developed countries, including through public-private partnerships, the
access of the poor to reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and
environmentally sound energy services, taking into account the instrumental role of
developing national policies on energy for sustainable development, bearing in mind
that in developing countries sharp increases in energy services are required toWT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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improve the standards of living of their populations and that energy services have
positive impacts on poverty eradication and improve standards of living.
10. Strengthen the contribution of industrial development to poverty eradication and sustainable
natural resource management. This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Provide assistance and mobilize resources to enhance industrial productivity and
competitiveness as well as industrial development in developing countries, including
the transfer of environmentally sound technologies on preferential terms, as mutually
agreed;
(b) Provide assistance to increase income-generating employment opportunities, taking
into account the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of the
International Labour Organization;8
(c) Promote the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, including by
means of training, education and skill enhancement, with a special focus on agro-
industry as a provider of livelihoods for rural communities;
(d) Provide financial and technological support, as appropriate, to rural communities of
developing countries to enable them to benefit from safe and sustainable livelihoodopportunities in small-scale mining ventures;
(e) Provide support to developing countries for the development of safe low-cost
technologies that provide or conserve fuel for cooking and water heating;
(f) Provide support for natural resource management for creating sustainable livelihoods
for the poor.
11. By 2020, achieve a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers,
as proposed in the “Cities without slums” initiative. This would include actions at all levels to
(a) Improve access to land and property, to adequate shelter and to basic services for the
urban and rural poor, with special attention to female heads of household;
(b) Use low-cost and sustainable materials and appropriate technologies for the
construction of adequate and secure housing for the poor, with financial and
technological assistance to developing countries, taking into account their culture,
climate, specific social conditions and vulnerability to natural disasters;
(c) Increase decent employment, credit and income for the urban poor, through
appropriate national policies, promoting equal opportunities for women and men;
(d) Remove unnecessary regulatory and other obstacles for micro-enterprises and the
informal sector;
(e) Support local authorities in elaborating slum upgrading programmes within the
framework of urban development plans and facilitate access, particularly for the poor,
to information on housing legislation.
                                                     
8 See ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up Adopted by
the International Labour Conference at its Eighty-sixth Session, Geneva, 16 June 1998 (Geneva, International
Labour Office, 1998).WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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12. Take immediate and effective measures to eliminate the worst forms of child labour as
defined in International Labour Organization Convention No. 182, and elaborate and implement
strategies for the elimination of child labour that  is contrary to accepted international standards.
13. Promote international cooperation to assist developing countries, upon request, in addressing
child labour and its root causes, inter alia, through social and economic policies aimed at poverty
conditions, while stressing that labour standards should not be used for protectionist trade purposes.
*   *   *WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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III. CHANGING UNSUSTAINABLE PATTERNS OF CONSUMPTION AND
PRODUCTION
14. Fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for
achieving global sustainable development. All countries should promote sustainable consumption andproduction patterns, with the developed countries taking the lead and with all countries benefiting
from the process, taking into account the Rio principles, including, inter alia, the principle of common
but differentiated responsibilities as set out in principle 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development. Governments, relevant international organizations, the private sector and all major
groups should play an active role in changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns.
This would include the actions at all levels set out below.
*   *   *
15. Encourage and promote the development of a 10-year framework of programmes in support
of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and
production to promote social and economic development within the carrying capacity of ecosystems
by addressing, where appropriate, delinking econom ic growth and environmental degradation through
improving efficiency and sustainability in the use of resources and production processes and reducing
resource degradation, pollution and waste. All countries should take action, with developed countries
taking the lead, taking into account the development needs and capabilities of developing countries,
through mobilization, from all sources, of financial and technical assistance and capacity-building for
developing countries. This would require actions at all levels to:
(a) Identify specific activities, tools, policies, measures and monitoring and assessment
mechanisms, including, where appropriate, life-cycle analysis and national indicators
for measuring progress, bearing in mind that standards applied by some countries
may be inappropriate and of unwarranted economic and social cost to other countries,
in particular developing countries;
(b) Adopt and implement policies and measures aimed at promoting sustainable patterns
of production and consumption, applying, inter alia, the polluter-pays principle
described in principle 16 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development;
(c) Develop production and consumption policies to improve the products and services
provided, while reducing environmental and health impacts, using, where appropriate,
science-based approaches, such as life-cycle analysis;
(d) Develop awareness-raising programmes on the importance of sustainable production
and consumption patterns, particularly among youth and the relevant segments in all
countries, especially in developed countries, through, inter alia, education, public and
consumer information, advertising and other media, taking into account local,
national and regional cultural values;
(e) Develop and adopt, where appropriate, on a voluntary basis, effective, transparent,
verifiable, non-misleading and non-discriminatory consumer information tools to
provide information relating to sustainable consumption and production, including
human health and safety aspects. These tools should not be used as disguised trade
barriers;
(f) Increase eco-efficiency, with financial support from all sources, where mutually
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developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in cooperation with
relevant international organizations.
16. Increase investment in cleaner production and eco-efficiency in all countries through, inter
alia, incentives and support schemes and policies directed at establishing appropriate regulatory,financial and legal frameworks. This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Establish and support cleaner production programmes and centres and more efficient
production methods by providing, inter alia, incentives and capacity-building to assist
enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly in developing
countries, in improving productivity and sustainable development;
(b) Provide incentives for investment in cleaner production and eco-efficiency in all
countries, such as state-financed loans, venture capital, technical assistance andtraining programmes for small and medium-sized companies while avoiding trade-
distorting measures inconsistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization;
(c) Collect and disseminate information on cost-effective examples in cleaner
production, eco-efficiency and environmental management and promote the exchange
of best practices and know-how on en vironmentally sound technologies between
public and private institutions;
(d) Provide training programmes to small and medium-sized enterprises on the use of
information and communication technologies.
17. Integrate the issue of production and consumption patterns into sustainable development
policies, programmes and strategies, including, where applicable, into poverty reduction strategies.
18. Enhance corporate environmental and social responsibility and accountability. This would
include actions at all levels to:
(a) Encourage industry to improve social and environmental performance through
voluntary initiatives, including environmental management systems, codes of
conduct, certification and public reporting on environmental and social issues, takinginto account such initiatives as the International Organization for Standardization
standards and Global Reporting Initiative guidelines on sustainability reporting,
bearing in mind principle 11 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development;
(b) Encourage dialogue between enterprises and the communities in which they operate
and other stakeholders;
(c) Encourage financial institutions to incorporate sustainable development
considerations into their decision-making processes;
(d) Develop workplace-based partnerships and programmes, including training and
education programmes.
19. Encourage relevant authorities at all levels to take sustainable development considerations
into account in decision-making, including on national and local development planning, investment ininfrastructure, business development and public procurement. This would include actions at all levels
to:WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(a) Provide support for the development of sustainable development strategies and
programmes, including in decision-making on investment in infrastructure and
business development;
(b) Continue to promote the internalization of environmental costs and the use of
economic instruments, taking into account the approach that the polluter should, in
principle, bear the costs of pollution, with due regard to the public interest and
without distorting international trade and investment;
(c) Promote public procurement policies that encourage development and diffusion of
environmentally sound goods and services;
(d) Provide capacity-building and training to assi st relevant authorities with regard to the
implementation of the initiatives listed in the present paragraph;
(e) Use environmental impact assessment procedures.
20. Call upon Governments as well as relevant regional and international organizations and other
relevant stakeholders to implement, taking into account national and regional specificities and
circumstances, the recommendations and conclusi ons adopted by the Commission on Sustainable
Development concerning energy for sustainable devel opment at its ninth session, including the issues
and options set out below, bearing in mind that in view of the different contributions to global
environmental degradation, States have common but  differentiated responsibilities. This would
include actions at all levels to:
(a) Take further action to mobilize the provision of financial resources, technology
transfer, capacity-building and the diffusion of environmentally sound technologiesaccording to the recommendations and conclusions of the Commission on Sustainable
Development, as contained in section A, paragraph 3, and section D, paragraph 30, of
its decision 9/1
9 on energy for sustainable development;
(b) Integrate energy considerations, including energy efficiency, affordability and
accessibility, into socio-economic programmes, especially into policies of majorenergy-consuming sectors, and into the planning, operation and maintenance of long-
lived energy consuming infrastructures, such as the public sector, transport, industry,
agriculture, urban land use, tourism and construction sectors;
(c) Develop and disseminate alternative energy technologies with the aim of giving a
greater share of the energy mix to renewable energies, improving energy efficiency
and greater reliance on advanced energy technologies, including cleaner fossil fuel
technologies;
(d) Combine, as appropriate, the increased use of renewable energy resources, more
efficient use of energy, greater reliance on advanced energy technologies, including
advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies, and the sustainable use of traditional
energy resources, which could meet the growing need for energy services in the
longer term to achieve sustainable development;
                                                     
9 Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2001, Supplement No. 9 (E/2001/29),
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(e) Diversify energy supply by developing advanced, cleaner, more efficient, affordable
and cost-effective energy technologies, including fossil fuel technologies and
renewable energy technologies, hydro included, and their transfer to developing
countries on concessional terms as mutually agreed. With a sense of urgency,substantially increase the global share of renewable energy sources with the objective
of increasing its contribution to total ener gy supply, recognizing the role of national
and voluntary regional targets as well as initiatives, where they exist, and ensuring
that energy policies are supportive to developing countries’ efforts to eradicate
poverty, and regularly evaluate available data to review progress to this end;
(f) Support efforts, including through provision of financial and technical assistance to
developing countries, with the involvement of the private sector, to reduce flaring andventing of gas associated with crude oil production;
(g) Develop and utilize indigenous energy sources and infrastructures for various local
uses and promote rural community participation, including local Agenda 21 groups,
with the support of the international community, in developing and utilizing
renewable energy technologies to meet their daily energy needs to find simple andlocal solutions;
(h) Establish domestic programmes for energy efficiency, including, as appropriate, by
accelerating the deployment of energy efficiency technologies, with the necessary
support of the international community;
(i) Accelerate the development, dissemination and deployment of affordable and cleaner
energy efficiency and energy conservation technologies, as well as the transfer of
such technologies, in particular to developing countries, on favourable terms,
including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed;
(j) Recommend that international financial institutions and other agencies’ policies
support developing countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, intheir own efforts to establish policy and regulatory frameworks which create a level
playing field between the following: renewable energy, energy efficiency, advanced
energy technologies, including advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies, and
centralized, distributed and decentralized energy systems;
(k) Promote increased research and development in the field of various energy
technologies, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced energy
technologies, including advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies, both nationallyand through international collaboration, strengthen national and regional research and
development institutions/centres on reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially
acceptable and environmentally sound energy for sustainable development;
(l) Promote networking between centres of excellence on energy for sustainable
development, including regional networks, by linking competent centres on energytechnologies for sustainable development that could support and promote efforts at
capacity-building and technology transfer activities, particularly of developing
countries, as well as serve as information clearing houses;
(m) Promote education to provide informati on for both men and women about available
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(n) Utilize financial instruments and mechanisms, in particular the Global Environment
Facility, within its mandate, to provide fina ncial resources to developing countries, in
particular least developed countries and small island developing States, to meet their
capacity needs for training, technical know-how and strengthening nationalinstitutions in reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and
environmentally sound energy, including promoting energy efficiency and
conservation, renewable energy and advanced energy technologies, including
advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies;
(o) Support efforts to improve the functioning, transparency and information about
energy markets with respect to both supply and demand, with the aim of achieving
greater stability and predictability, and to ensure consumer access to reliable,affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound
energy services;
(p) Promote policies to reduce market dist ortions would promote energy systems
compatible with sustainable development through the use of improved market signals
and by removing market distortions, including restructuring taxation and phasing outharmful subsidies, where they exist, to re flect their environmental impacts, with such
policies taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing
countries, with the aim of minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their
development;
(q) Take action, where appropriate, to phase out subsidies in this area that inhibit
sustainable development, taking fully into account the specific conditions and
different levels of development of individual countries and considering their adverse
effect, particularly on developing countries;
(r) Governments are encouraged to improve the functioning of national energy markets
in such a way that they support sustainable development, overcome market barriersand improve accessibility, taking fully into account that such policies should be
decided by each country, and that its own characteristics and capabilities and level of
development should be considered, especially as reflected in national sustainable
development strategies, where they exist;
(s) Strengthen national and regional energy institutions or arrangements for enhancing
regional and international cooperation on energy for sustainable development, in
particular to assist developing countries in their domestic efforts to provide reliable,affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound
energy services to all sections of their populations;
(t) Countries are urged to develop and implement actions within the framework of the
ninth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, including through
public-private partnerships, taking into account the different circumstances ofcountries, based on lessons learned by Governments, international institutions and
stakeholders, including business and industry, in the field of access to energy,
including renewable energy and energy-efficiency and advanced energy technologies,
including advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies;
(u) Promote cooperation between international and regional institutions and bodies
dealing with different aspects of energy for sustainable development within their
existing mandate, bearing in mind paragraph 46 (h) of the Programme of Action for
the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, strengthening, as appropriate, regional andWT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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national activities for the promotion of education and capacity-building regarding
energy for sustainable development;
(v) Strengthen and facilitate, as appropriate, regional cooperation arrangements for
promoting cross-border energy trade, including the interconnection of electricity gridsand oil and natural gas pipelines;
(w) Strengthen and, where appropriate, facilitate dialogue forums among regional,
national and international producers and consumers of energy.
21. Promote an integrated approach to policy-making at the national, regional and local levels for
transport services and systems to promote sustainable development, including policies and planning
for land use, infrastructure, public transport syst ems and goods delivery networks, with a view to
providing safe, affordable and efficient transportation, increasing energy efficiency, reducingpollution, congestion, and adverse health effects and limiting urban sprawl, taking into account
national priorities and circumstances. This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Implement transport strategies for sustainable development, reflecting specific
regional, national and local conditions, to improve the affordability, efficiency and
convenience of transportation as well as urban air quality and health and reducegreenhouse gas emissions, including through the development of better vehicle
technologies that are more environmentally sound, affordable and socially acceptable;
(b) Promote investment and partnerships for the development of sustainable, energy
efficient multi-modal transportation systems, including public mass transportation
systems and better transportation systems in rural areas, with technical and financialassistance for developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
22. Prevent and minimize waste and maximize reuse, recycling and use of environmentally
friendly alternative materials, with the participation of government authorities and all stakeholders, in
order to minimize adverse effects on the environment and improve resource efficiency, with financial,
technical and other assistance for developing countries. This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Develop waste management systems, with the highest priority placed on waste
prevention and minimization, reuse and recycling, and environmentally sound
disposal facilities, including technology to  recapture the energy contained in waste,
and encourage small-scale waste-recycling initiatives that support urban and rural
waste management and provide income-generating opportunities, with international
support for developing countries;
(b) Promote waste prevention and minimization by encouraging production of reusable
consumer goods and biodegradable products and developing the infrastructure
required.
23. Renew the commitment, as advanced in Agenda 21, to sound management of chemicals
throughout their life cycle and of hazardous wastes for sustainable development as well as for the
protection of human health and the environment, inter alia, aiming to achieve, by 2020, the use andproduction of chemicals in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human
health and the environment, using transparent science-based risk assessment procedures and science-
based risk management procedures, taking into account the precautionary approach, as set out in
principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and support developing
countries in strengthening their capacity for the sound management of chemicals and hazardouswastes by providing technical and financial assistance. This would include actions at all levels to:WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(a) Promote the ratification and implementation of relevant international instruments on
chemicals and hazardous waste, including the Rotterdam Convention on Prior
Informed Consent Procedures for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in
International Trade10 so that it can enter into force by 2003 and the Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants11 so that it can enter into force by 2004,
and encourage and improve coordination as well as supporting developing countries
in their implementation;
(b) Further develop a strategic approach to international chemicals management based on
the Bahia Declaration and Priorities for Action beyond 2000 of the Intergovernmental
Forum on Chemical Safety12 by 2005, and urge that the United Nations Environment
Programme, the Intergovernmental Forum, other international organizations dealingwith chemical management and other relevant international organizations and actors
closely cooperate in this regard, as appropriate;
(c) Encourage countries to implement the new globally harmonized system for the
classification and labelling of chemicals as soon as possible with a view to having the
system fully operational by 2008;
(d) Encourage partnerships to promote activities aimed at enhancing environmentally
sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes, implementing multilateral
environmental agreements, raising awareness of issues relating to chemicals and
hazardous waste and encouraging the collection and use of additional scientific data;
(e) Promote efforts to prevent international illegal trafficking of hazardous chemicals and
hazardous wastes and to prevent damage resulting from the transboundary movement
and disposal of hazardous wastes in a manner consistent with obligations under
relevant international instruments, such as the Basel Convention on the Control of
Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal;
13
(f) Encourage development of coherent and integrated information on chemicals, such as
through national pollutant release and transfer registers;
(g) Promote reduction of the risks posed by heavy metals that are harmful to human
health and the environment, including through a review of relevant studies, such as
the United Nations Environment Programme global assessment of mercury and its
compounds.
*   *   *
                                                     
10 UNEP/FAO/PIC/CONF.5, annex III.
11 www.chem.unep.ch/sc.
12 Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety, third session, Forum III final report (IFCS/Forum
III/23w), annex 6.
13 United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 1673, No. 28911.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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IV. PROTECTING AND MANAGING THE NATURAL RESOURCE BASE OF
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
24. Human activities are having an increasing impact on the integrity of ecosystems that provide
essential resources and services for human well-being and economic activities. Managing the naturalresources base in a sustainable and integrated manner is essential for sustainable development. In this
regard, to reverse the current trend in natural resource degradation as soon as possible, it is necessary
to implement strategies that should include targets adopted at the national and, where appropriate,
regional levels to protect ecosystems and to achieve integrated management of land, water and living
resources, while strengthening regional, national and local capacities. This would include the actions
at all levels set out below.
*   *   *
25. Launch programmes of action, with financial and technical assistance, to achieve the
Millennium development goal on safe drinking water. In this respect, we agree to halve, by 2015, the
proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water, as outlined in the
Millennium Declaration, and the proportion of people  without access to basic sanitation, which would
include actions at all levels to:
(a) Mobilize international and domestic financial resources at all levels, transfer
technology, promote best practice and support capacity-building for water and
sanitation infrastructure and services development, ensuring that such infrastructure
and services meet the needs of the poor and are gender-sensitive;
(b) Facilitate access to public information and participation, including by women, at all
levels in support of policy and decision-making related to water resources
management and project implementation;
(c) Promote priority action by Governments, with the support of all stakeholders, in
water management and capacity-building at the national level and, where appropriate,at the regional level, and promote and provide new and additional financial resources
and innovative technologies to implement chapter 18 of Agenda 21;
(d) Intensify water pollution prevention to reduce health hazards and protect ecosystems
by introducing technologies for affordable sanitation and industrial and domestic
wastewater treatment, by mitigating the effects of groundwater contamination and by
establishing, at the national level, monitoring systems and effective legal frameworks;
(e) Adopt prevention and protection measures to promote sustainable water use and to
address water shortages.
26. Develop integrated water resources management and water efficiency plans by 2005, with
support to developing countries, through actions at all levels to:
(a) Develop and implement national/regional strategies, plans and programmes with
regard to integrated river basin, watershed and groundwater management andintroduce measures to improve the efficiency of water infrastructure to reduce losses
and increase recycling of water;
(b) Employ the full range of policy instruments, including regulation, monitoring,
voluntary measures, market and informati on-based tools, land-use management andWT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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cost recovery of water services, without cost recovery objectives becoming a barrier
to access to safe water by poor people, and adopt an integrated water basin approach;
(c) Improve the efficient use of water resources and promote their allocation among
competing uses in a way that gives priority to the satisfaction of basic human needsand balances the requirement of preserving or restoring ecosystems and their
functions, in particular in fragile environments, with human domestic, industrial and
agriculture needs, including safeguarding drinking water quality;
(d) Develop programmes for mitigating the effects of extreme water-related events;
(e) Support the diffusion of technology and capacity-building for non-conventional water
resources and conservation technologies, to developing countries and regions facing
water scarcity conditions or subject to drought and desertification, through technicaland financial support and capacity-building;
(f) Support, where appropriate, efforts and programmes for energy-efficient, sustainable
and cost-effective desalination of seawater, water recycling and water harvesting
from coastal fogs in developing countries, through such measures as technological,
technical and financial assistance and other modalities;
(g) Facilitate the establishment of public-private partnerships and other forms of
partnership that give priority to the needs of the poor, within stable and transparent
national regulatory frameworks provided by Governments, while respecting local
conditions, involving all concerned stakeholders, and monitoring the performance and
improving accountability of public institutions and private companies.
27. Support developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their efforts to
monitor and assess the quantity and quality of water resources, including through the establishment
and/or further development of national monitoring networks and water resources databases and the
development of relevant national indicators.
28. Improve water resource management and scientific understanding of the water cycle through
cooperation in joint observation and research, and for this purpose encourage and promote
knowledge-sharing and provide capacity-building and th e transfer of technology, as mutually agreed,
including remote-sensing and satellite technologies, particularly to developing countries and countries
with economies in transition.
29. Promote effective coordination among the various international and intergovernmental bodies
and processes working on water-related issues, both within the United Nations system and between
the United Nations and international financial institutions, drawing on the contributions of otherinternational institutions and civil society to inform intergovernmental decision-making; closer
coordination should also be promoted to elaborate and support proposals and undertake activities
related to the International Year of Freshwater, 2003 and beyond.
*   *   *
30. Oceans, seas, islands and coastal areas form an integrated and essential component of the
Earth’s ecosystem and are critical for global food security and for sustaining economic prosperity and
the well-being of many national economies, particularly in developing countries. Ensuring the
sustainable development of the oceans requires effective coordination and cooperation, including at
the global and regional levels, between relevant bodies, and actions at all levels to:WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(a) Invite States to ratify or accede to and implement the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea of 1982,14which provides the overall legal framework for ocean
activities;
(b) Promote the implementation of chapter 17 of Agenda 21, which provides the
programme of action for achieving the sustainable development of oceans, coastal
areas and seas through its programme areas of integrated management and sustainable
development of coastal areas, including exclusive economic zones; marine
environmental protection; sustainable use and conservation of marine living
resources; addressing critical uncertainties for the management of the marine
environment and climate change; strengthen ing international, including regional,
cooperation and coordination; and sustainable development of small islands;
(c) Establish an effective, transparent and regular inter-agency coordination mechanism
on ocean and coastal issues within the United Nations system;
(d) Encourage the application by 2010 of the ecosystem approach, noting the Reykjavik
Declaration on Responsible Fisheries in the Marine Ecosystem15 and decision V/6 of
the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity;16
(e) Promote integrated, multidisciplinary and multisectoral coastal and ocean
management at the national level and encourage and assist coastal States in
developing ocean policies and mechanisms on integrated coastal management;
(f) Strengthen regional cooperation and coordination between the relevant regional
organizations and programmes, the regional seas programmes of the United NationsEnvironment Programme, regional fisheries management organizations and other
regional science, health and development organizations;
(g) Assist developing countries in coordinating policies and programmes at the regional
and subregional levels aimed at the conservation and sustainable management of
fishery resources and implement integrated coastal area management plans, includingthrough the promotion of sustainable coastal and small-scale fishing activities and,
where appropriate, the development of related infrastructure;
(h) Take note of the work of the open-ended informal consultative process established by
the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 54/33 in order to facilitate the
annual review by the Assembly of developments in ocean affairs and the upcoming
review of its effectiveness and utility to be held at its fifty-seventh session under the
terms of the above-mentioned resolution.
31. To achieve sustainable fisheries, the following actions are required at all levels:
(a) Maintain or restore stocks to levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield
with the aim of achieving these goals for depleted stocks on an urgent basis and
where possible not later than 2015;
                                                     
14 Official Records of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, vol. XVII
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.84.V.3), document A/CONF.62/122.
15 See Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations document C200/INF/25, appendix I.
16 See UNEP/CBD/COP/5/23, annex III.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(b) Ratify or accede to and effectively implement the relevant United Nations and, where
appropriate, associated regional fisheries agreements or arrangements, noting in
particular the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to theConservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish
Stocks
17 and the 1993 Agreement to Promote Compliance with International
Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas;18
(c) Implement the 1995 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries,19 taking note of the
special requirements of developing countries as noted in its article 5, and the relevant
international plans of action and technical guidelines of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations;
(d) Urgently develop and implement national and, where appropriate, regional plans of
action, to put into effect the international plans of action of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, in partic ular the International Plan of Action for
the Management of Fishing Capacity20 by 2005 and the International Plan of Action
to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing21 by
2004. Establish effective monitoring, reporting and enforcement, and control of
fishing vessels, including by flag States, to further the international plan of action to
prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing;
(e) Encourage relevant regional fisheries management organizations and arrangements to
give due consideration to the rights, duties and interests of coastal States and thespecial requirements of developing States when addressing the issue of the allocation
of share of fishery resources for straddling stocks and highly migratory fish stocks,
mindful of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
and the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservationand Management of Straddling Fish Stocks  and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, on the
high seas and within exclusive economic zones;
(f) Eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and
to over-capacity, while completing the efforts undertaken at the World Trade
Organization to clarify and improve its disciplines on fisheries subsidies, taking into
account the importance of this sector to developing countries;
(g) Strengthen donor coordination and partnerships between international financial
institutions, bilateral agencies and other relevant stakeholders to enable developing
countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing
States and countries with economies in transition, to develop their national, regional
and subregional capacities for infrastructure and integrated management and the
sustainable use of fisheries;
                                                     
17 See International Fisheries Instruments (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.98.V.11), sect. I;
see also A/CONF.164/37.
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid., sect. III.
20 International Plan of Action for Reducing Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries:
International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks: International Plan of Action forthe Management of Fishing Capacity (Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1999).
21 See Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Technical Guidelines for Responsible
Fisheries, No. 9, appendix I.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(h) Support the sustainable development of aquaculture, including small-scale
aquaculture, given its growing importance for food security and economic
development.
32. In accordance with chapter 17 of Agenda 21, promote the conservation and management of
the oceans through actions at all levels, giving due regard to the relevant international instruments to:
(a) Maintain the productivity and bio-diversity of important and vulnerable marine and
coastal areas, including in areas within and beyond national jurisdiction;
(b) Implement the work programme arising from the Jakarta Mandate on the
Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity of the
Convention on Biological Diversity,22 including through the urgent mobilization of
financial resources and technological assistance and the development of human andinstitutional capacity, particularly in developing countries;
(c) Develop and facilitate the use of diverse approaches and tools, including the
ecosystem approach, the elimination of destructive fishing practices, the
establishment of marine protected areas consistent with international law and based
on scientific information, including representative networks, by 2012 and time/areaclosures for the protection of nursery grounds and periods, proper coastal land use
and watershed planning and the integration of marine and coastal areas management
into key sectors;
(d) Develop national, regional and international programmes for halting the loss of
marine bio-diversity, including in coral reefs and wetlands;
(e) Implement the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as
Waterfowl Habitat,
23 including its joint work programme with the Convention on
Biological Diversity,24 and the programme of action called for by the International
Coral Reef Initiative to strengthen joint management plans and international
networking for wetland ecosystems in coastal zones, including coral reefs,mangroves, seaweed beds and tidal mud flats.
*   *   *
33. Advance implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine
Environment from Land-based Activities
25 and the Montreal Declaration on the Protection of the
Marine Environment from Land-based Activities,26 with particular emphasis during the period from
2002 to 2006 on municipal wastewater, the physical alteration and destruction of habitats andnutrients, by actions at all levels to:
(a) Facilitate partnerships, scientific research and diffusion of technical knowledge;
mobilize domestic, regional and international resources; and promote human and
institutional capacity-building, paying particular attention to the needs of developing
countries;
                                                     
22 See A/51/312, annex II, decision II/10.
23 United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 996, No.14583.
24 See United Nations Environment Programme, Convention on Biological Diversity (Environmental
Law and Institution Programme Activity Centre), June 1992.
25 A/51/116, annex II.
26 See E/CN.17/2002/PC.2/15.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(b) Strengthen the capacity of developing countries in the development of their national
and regional programmes and mechanisms to mainstream the objectives of the Global
Programme of Action and to manage the risks and impacts of ocean pollution;
(c) Elaborate regional programmes of action and improve the links with strategic plans
for the sustainable development of coastal and marine resources, noting in particular
areas that are subject to accelerated environmental changes and development
pressures;
(d) Make every effort to achieve substantial progress by the next Global Programme of
Action conference in 2006 to protect the marine environment from land-based
activities.
34. Enhance maritime safety and protection of the marine environment from pollution by actions
at all levels to:
(a) Invite States to ratify or accede to and implement the conventions and protocols and
other relevant instruments of the International Maritime Organization relating to the
enhancement of maritime safety and protection of the marine environment from
marine pollution and environmental damage caused by ships, including the use oftoxic anti-fouling paints, and urge the International Maritime Organization to
consider stronger mechanisms to secure the implementation of its instruments by flag
States;
(b) Accelerate the development of measures to address invasive alien species in ballast
water and urge the International Maritime Organization to finalize its draftInternational Convention on the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water
and Sediments.
35. Governments, taking into account their national circumstances, are encouraged, recalling
paragraph 8 of resolution GC (44)/RES/17 of the General Conference of the International Atomic
Energy Agency, and taking into account the very serious potential for environment and human healthimpacts of radioactive wastes, to make efforts to examine and further improve measures and
internationally agreed regulations regarding safety, while stressing the importance of having effective
liability mechanisms in place, relevant to in ternational maritime transportation and other
transboundary movement of radioactive material, radioactive waste and spent fuel, including,
arrangements for prior notification and consultations done in accordance with relevant international
instruments.
36. Improve the scientific understanding and assessment of marine and coastal ecosystems as a
fundamental basis for sound decision-making, through actions at all levels to:
(a) Increase scientific and technical collaboration, including integrated assessment at the
global and regional levels, including the appropriate transfer of marine science and
marine technologies and techniques for the conservation and management of living
and non-living marine resources and expanding ocean-observing capabilities for thetimely prediction and assessment of the state of marine environment;
(b) Establish by 2004 a regular process under the United Nations for global reporting and
assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects,
both current and foreseeable, building on existing regional assessments;WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(c) Build capacity in marine science, information and management, through, inter alia,
promoting the use of environmental impact assessments and environmental
evaluation and reporting techniques, for projects or activities that are potentially
harmful to the coastal and marine environments and their living and non-livingresources;
(d) Strengthen the ability of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and other relevant international and
regional and subregional organizations to build national and local capacity in marine
science and the sustainable management of oceans and their resources.
*  *  *
37. An integrated, multi-hazard, inclusive approach to address vulnerability, risk assessment and
disaster management, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, is an
essential element of a safer world in the twenty-first century. Actions are required at all levels to:
(a) Strengthen the role of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and encourage
the international community to provide the necessary financial resources to its Trust
Fund;
(b) Support the establishment of effective regional, subregional and national strategies
and scientific and technical institutional support for disaster management;
(c) Strengthen the institutional capacities of countries and promote international joint
observation and research, through improved surface-based monitoring and increased
use of satellite data, dissemination of technical and scientific knowledge, and the
provision of assistance to vulnerable countries;
(d) Reduce the risks of flooding and drought in vulnerable countries by, inter alia,
promoting wetland and watershed protection and restoration, improved land-useplanning, improving and applying more widely techniques and methodologies for
assessing the potential adverse effects of climate change on wetlands and, as
appropriate, assisting countries that are particularly vulnerable to those effects;
(e) Improve techniques and methodologies for assessing the effects of climate change,
and encourage the continuing assessment of those adverse effects by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;
(f) Encourage the dissemination and use of traditional and indigenous knowledge to
mitigate the impact of disasters and promote community-based disaster management
planning by local authorities, including through training activities and raising public
awareness;
(g) Support the ongoing voluntary contributi on of, as appropriate, non-governmental
organizations, the scientific community and other partners in the management ofnatural disasters according to agreed, relevant guidelines;
(h) Develop and strengthen early warning systems and information networks in disaster
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(i) Develop and strengthen capacity at all levels to collect and disseminate scientific and
technical information, including the im provement of early warning systems for
predicting extreme weather events, especially El Niño/La Niña, through the provision
of assistance to institutions devoted to addressing such events, including theInternational Centre for the Study of the El Niño phenomenon;
(j) Promote cooperation for the prevention and mitigation of, preparedness for, response
to and recovery from major technological and other disasters with an adverse impact
on the environment in order to enhance the capabilities of affected countries to cope
with such situations.
38. Change in the Earth’s climate and its adverse effects are a common concern of humankind.
We remain deeply concerned that all countries, particularly developing countries, including the leastdeveloped countries and small island developing States, face increased risks of negative impacts of
climate change and recognize that, in this context, the problems of poverty, land degradation, access
to water and food and human health remain at the centre of global attention. The United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
27 is the key instrument for addressing climate change, a
global concern, and we reaffirm our commitment to achieving its ultimate objective of stabilization ofgreenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous
anthropogenic interference with the climate syst em, within a time frame sufficient to allow
ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and
to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner, in accordance with our common
but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Recalling the United NationsMillennium Declaration, in which heads of State and Government resolved to make every effort to
ensure the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change,
28 preferably by the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development in 2002, and to embark on the required reduction of emissions of
greenhouse gases, States that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol strongly urge States that have notalready done so to ratify it in a timely manner. Actions at all levels are required to:
(a) Meet all the commitments and obligations under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change;
(b) Work cooperatively towards achieving the objectives of the Convention;
(c) Provide technical and financial assistance and capacity-building to developing
countries and countries with economies in transition in accordance with commitments
under the Convention, including the Marrakesh Accords;
29
(d) Build and enhance scientific and technological capabilities, inter alia, through
continuing support to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the
exchange of scientific data and information especially in developing countries;
(e) Develop and transfer technological solutions;
(f) Develop and disseminate innovative technologies in regard to key sectors of
development, particularly energy, and of investment in this regard, including through
                                                     
27 A/AC.237/18 (Part II)/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex I.
28 FCCC/CP/1997/7/Add.1, decision 1/CP.3, annex.
29 FCCC/CP/2001/13 and Add.1-4.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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private sector involvement, market-oriented approaches, and supportive public
policies and international cooperation;
(g) Promote the systematic observation of the Earth’s atmosphere, land and oceans by
improving monitoring stations, increasing the use of satellites and appropriateintegration of these observations to produce high-quality data that could be
disseminated for the use of all countries, in particular developing countries;
(h) Enhance the implementation of national, regional and international strategies to
monitor the Earth’s atmosphere, land and oceans, including, as appropriate, strategies
for integrated global observations, inter alia, with the cooperation of relevant
international organizations, especially the specialized agencies, in cooperation with
the Convention;
(i) Support initiatives to assess the consequences of climate change, such as the Arctic
Council initiative, including the environmental, economic and social impacts on local
and indigenous communities.
*   *   *
39. Enhance cooperation at the international, regional and national levels to reduce air pollution,
including transboundary air pollution, acid deposition and ozone depletion, bearing in mind the Rio
principles, including the principle that, in view of  the different contributions to global environmental
degradation, States have common but differentiated responsibilities, with actions at all levels to:
(a) Strengthen capacities of developing countries and countries with economies in
transition to measure, reduce and assess the impacts of air pollution, including health
impacts, and provide financial and technical support for these activities;
(b) Facilitate implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer by ensuring adequate replenishment of its fund by 2005;
(c) Further support the effective regime for the protection of the ozone layer established
in the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal
Protocol, including its compliance mechanism;
(d) Improve access by developing countries to affordable, accessible, cost-effective, safe
and environmentally sound alternatives to ozone-depleting substances by 2010, and
assist them in complying with the phase-out schedule under the Montreal Protocol,
bearing in mind that ozone depletion and climate change are scientifically and
technically interrelated;
(e) Take measures to address illegal traffic in ozone-depleting substances.
*   *   *
40. Agriculture plays a crucial role in addressing the needs of a growing global population and is
inextricably linked to poverty eradication, especially in developing countries. Enhancing the role ofwomen at all levels and in all aspects of rural development, agriculture, nutrition and food security is
imperative. Sustainable agriculture and rural development are essential to the implementation of an
integrated approach to increasing food production and enhancing food security and food safety in an
environmentally sustainable way. This would include actions at all levels to:WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(a) Achieve the Millennium Declaration target to halve by 2015 the proportion of the
world’s people who suffer from hunger and realize the right to a standard of living
adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and their families, including
food, including by promoting food security and fighting hunger in combination withmeasures which address poverty, consistent with the outcome of the World Food
Summit and, for States Parties, with their obligations under article 11 of the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
30
(b) Develop and implement integrated land management and water-use plans that are
based on sustainable use of renewable resources and on integrated assessments of
socio-economic and environmental potentials and strengthen the capacity of
Governments, local authorities and communities to monitor and manage the quantityand quality of land and water resources;
(c) Increase understanding of the sustainable use, protection and management of water
resources to advance long-term sustainability of freshwater, coastal and marine
environments;
(d) Promote programmes to enhance in a sustainable manner the productivity of land and
the efficient use of water resources in agriculture, forestry, wetlands, artisanal
fisheries and aquaculture, especially through indigenous and local community-based
approaches;
(e) Support the efforts of developing countries to protect oases from silt, land
degradation and increasing salinity by providing appropriate technical and financialassistance;
(f) Enhance the participation of women in all aspects and at all levels relating to
sustainable agriculture and food security;
(g) Integrate existing information systems on land-use practices by strengthening national
research and extension services and farmer organizations to trigger farmer-to-farmerexchange on good practices, such as those related to environmentally sound, low-cost
technologies, with the assistance of relevant international organizations;
(h) Enact, as appropriate, measures that protect indigenous resource management systems
and support the contribution of all appropriate stakeholders, men and women alike, in
rural planning and development;
(i) Adopt policies and implement laws that guarantee well defined and enforceable land
and water use rights and promote legal security of tenure, recognizing the existenceof different national laws and/or systems of land access and tenure, and provide
technical and financial assistance to developing countries as well as countries with
economies in transition that are undertaking land tenure reform in order to enhance
sustainable livelihoods;
(j) Reverse the declining trend in public sector finance for sustainable agriculture,
provide appropriate technical and financial assistance, and promote private sector
investment and support efforts in developing countries and countries with economies
                                                     
30 See General Assembly resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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in transition to strengthen agricultural research and natural resource management
capacity and dissemination of research results to the farming communities;
(k) Employ market-based incentives for agricultural enterprises and farmers to monitor
and manage water use and quality, inter alia, by applying such methods as small-scaleirrigation and wastewater recycling and reuse;
(l) Enhance access to existing markets and develop new markets for value-added
agricultural products;
(m) Increase brown-field redevelopment in developed countries and countries with
economies in transition, with appropriate technical assistance where contamination is
a serious problem;
(n) Enhance international cooperation to combat the illicit cultivation of narcotic plants,
taking into account their negative social, economic and environmental impacts;
(o) Promote programmes for the environmentally sound, effective and efficient use of
soil fertility improvement practices and agricultural pest control;
(p) Strengthen and improve coordination of existing initiatives to enhance sustainable
agricultural production and food security;
(q) Invite countries that have not done so to ratify the International Treaty on Plant
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture;
31
(r) Promote the conservation, and sustainable use and management of traditional and
indigenous agricultural systems and strengthen indigenous models of agricultural
production.
*   *   *
41. Strengthen the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa,7 to
address causes of desertification and land degradation in order to maintain and restore land, and toaddress poverty resulting from land degradation. This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Mobilize adequate and predictable financial resources, transfer of technologies and
capacity-building at all levels;
(b) Formulate national action programmes to ensure timely and effective implementation
of the Convention and its related projects, with the support of the international
community, including through decentralized projects at the local level;
(c) Encourage the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the
Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention to Combat Desertification to
continue exploring and enhancing synergies, with due regard to their respective
mandates, in the elaboration and implementation of plans and strategies under the
respective Conventions;
                                                     
31 Report of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Thirty-
first Session, Rome, 2-13 November 2001 (C2001/REP), appendix D.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(d) Integrate measures to prevent and combat desertification as well as to mitigate the
effects of drought through relevant policies and programmes, such as land, water and
forest management, agriculture, rural development, early warning systems,
environment, energy, natural resources, health and education, and poverty eradicationand sustainable development strategies;
(e) Provide affordable local access to information to improve monitoring and early
warning related to desertification and drought;
(f) Call on the Second Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to take
action on the recommendations of the GEF Council concerning the designation of
land degradation (desertification and deforestation) as a focal area of GEF as a means
of GEF support for the successful implementation of the Convention to CombatDesertification; and consequently, consider making GEF a financial mechanism of
the Convention, taking into account the prerogatives and decisions of the Conference
of the Parties to the Convention, while recognizing the complementary roles of GEF
and the global mechanism of the Convention in providing and mobilizing resources
for the elaboration and implementation of action programmes;
(g) Improve the sustainability of grassland resources through strengthening management
and law enforcement and providing financial and technical support by the
international community to developing countries.
*   *   *
42. Mountain ecosystems support particular livelihoods and include significant watershed
resources, biological diversity and unique flora and fauna. Many are particularly fragile and
vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and need specific protection. Actions at all levels
are required to:
(a) Develop and promote programmes, policies and approaches that integrate
environmental, economic and social components of sustainable mountain
development and strengthen international cooperation for its positive impacts on
poverty eradication programmes, especially in developing countries;
(b) Implement programmes to address, where appropriate, deforestation, erosion, land
degradation, loss of biodiversity, disruption of water flows and retreat of glaciers;
(c) Develop and implement, where appropriate, gender-sensitive policies and
programmes, including public and private investments that help eliminate inequitiesfacing mountain communities;
(d) Implement programmes to promote diversification and traditional mountain
economies, sustainable livelihoods and small-scale production systems, including
specific training programmes and better access to national and international markets,
communications and transport planning, taking into account the particular sensitivityof mountains;
(e) Promote full participation and involvement of mountain communities in decisions
that affect them and integrate indigenous knowledge, heritage and values in all
development initiatives;WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(f) Mobilize national and international support for applied research and capacity-
building, provide financial and technical assistance for the effective implementation
of sustainable development of mountain ecosystems in developing countries and
countries with economies in transition, and address the poverty among people livingin mountains through concrete plans, projects and programmes, with sufficient
support from all stakeholders, taking into account the spirit of the International Year
of Mountains, 2002.
*   *   *
43. Promote sustainable tourism development, including non-consumptive and eco-tourism,
taking into account the spirit of the International Year of Eco-tourism 2002, the United Nations Yearfor Cultural Heritage in 2002, the World Eco-tourism Summit 2002 and its Quebec Declaration, and
the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism as adopted by the World Tourism Organization in order to
increase the benefits from tourism resources for the population in host communities while maintaining
the cultural and environmental integrity of the host communities and enhancing the protection of
ecologically sensitive areas and natural heritages. Promote sustainable tourism development andcapacity-building in order to contribute to the strengthening of rural and local communities. This
would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Enhance international cooperation, foreign direct investment and partnerships with
both private and public sectors, at all levels;
(b) Develop programmes, including education an d training programmes, that encourage
people to participate in eco-tourism, enable indigenous and local communities to
develop and benefit from eco-tourism, and enhance stakeholder cooperation in
tourism development and heritage preservation, in order to improve the protection of
the environment, natural resources and cultural heritage;
(c) Provide technical assistance to developing countries and countries with economies in
transition to support sustainable tourism business development and investment and
tourism awareness programmes, to improve domestic tourism, and to stimulate
entrepreneurial development;
(d) Assist host communities in managing visits to their tourism attractions for their
maximum benefit, while ensuring the least negative impacts on and risks for their
traditions, culture and environment, with the support of the World Tourism
Organization and other relevant organizations;
(e) Promote the diversification of economic activities, including through the facilitation
of access to markets and commercial information, and participation of emerging local
enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.
*   *   *
44. Biodiversity, which plays a critical role in overall sustainable development and poverty
eradication, is essential to our planet, human well-being and to the livelihood and cultural integrity of
people. However, biodiversity is currently being lost at unprecedented rates due to human activities;
this trend can only be reversed if the local people benefit from the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity, in particular in countries of origin of genetic resources, in accordance with article15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Convention is the key instrument for the
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits
arising from use of genetic resources. A more efficient and coherent implementation of the threeWT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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objectives of the Convention and the achievement by 2010 of a significant reduction in the current
rate of loss of biological diversity will require the provision of new and additional financial and
technical resources to developing countries, and includes actions at all levels to:
(a) Integrate the objectives of the Convention into global, regional and national sectoral
and cross-sectoral programmes and policies, in particular in the programmes and
policies of the economic sectors of countries and international financial institutions;
(b) Promote the ongoing work under the Convention on the sustainable use on biological
diversity, including on sustainable tourism, as a cross-cutting issue relevant to
different ecosystems, sectors and thematic areas;
(c) Encourage effective synergies between the Convention and other multilateral
environmental agreements, inter alia, through the development of joint plans andprogrammes, with due regard to their respective mandates, regarding common
responsibilities and concerns;
(d) Implement the Convention and its provisions, including active follow-up of its work
programmes and decisions through national, regional and global action programmes,
in particular the national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and strengthen theirintegration into relevant cross-sectoral stra tegies, programmes and policies, as well as
those related to sustainable development and poverty eradication, including initiatives
which promote community-based sustainable use of biological diversity;
(e) Promote the wide implementation and further development of the ecosystem
approach, as being elaborated in the ongoing work of the Convention;
(f) Promote concrete international support and partnership for the conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity, including in ecosystems, at World Heritage sites and
for the protection of endangered species, in particular through the appropriate
channelling of financial resources and technology to developing countries and
countries with economies in transition;
(g) To effectively conserve and sustainably use biodiversity, promote and support
initiatives for hot spot areas and other areas essential for biodiversity and promote the
development of national and regional ecological networks and corridors;
(h) Provide financial and technical support to developing countries, including capacity-
building, in order to enhance indigenous and community-based biodiversity
conservation efforts;
(i) Strengthen national, regional and international efforts to control invasive alien
species, which are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, and encourage the
development of effective work programme on invasive alien species at all levels;
(j) Subject to national legislation, recognize the rights of local and indigenous
communities who are holders of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices,
and, with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge,innovations and practices, develop and implement benefit-sharing mechanisms on
mutually agreed terms for their use;
(k) Encourage and enable all stakeholders to contribute to the implementation of the
objectives of the Convention and, in particular, recognize the specific role of youth,WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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women and indigenous and local communities in conserving and using biodiversity in
a sustainable way;
(l) Promote the effective participation of indigenous and local communities in decision
and policy-making concerning the use of their traditional knowledge;
(m) Encourage technical and financial support to developing countries and countries with
economies in transition in their efforts to develop and implement, as appropriate, inter
alia, national sui generis systems and traditional systems according to national
priorities and legislation, with a view to conserving and the sustainable use of
biodiversity;
(n) Promote the wide implementation of and continued work by the Parties to the
Convention on the Bonn Guidelines on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair andEquitable Sharing of Benefits arising out of their Utilization, as an input to assist the
Parties when developing and drafting legislative, administrative or policy measures
on access and benefit-sharing as well as contract and other arrangements under
mutually agreed terms for access and benefit-sharing;
(o) Negotiate within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, bearing in
mind the Bonn Guidelines, an international regime to promote and safeguard the fair
and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources;
(p) Encourage successful conclusion of existing processes under consideration by the
Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources,
Traditional Knowledge and Folklore of the World Intellectual Property Organization,and in the ad hoc open-ended working group on article 8 (j) and related provisions of
the Convention;
(q) Promote practicable measures for access to the results and benefits arising from
biotechnologies based upon genetic resources, in accordance with articles 15 and 19
of the Convention, including through enhanced scientific and technical cooperationon biotechnology and biosafety, including the exchange of experts, training human
resources and developing research-oriented institutional capacities;
(r) With a view to enhancing synergy and mutual  supportiveness, taking into account the
decisions under the relevant agreements, pr omote the discussions, without prejudging
their outcome, with regard to the relationships between the Convention and
agreements related to international trade and intellectual property rights, as outlined
in the Doha Ministerial Declaration;
32
(s) Promote the implementation of the prog ramme of work of the Global Taxonomy
Initiative;
(t) Invite all States that have not already done so to ratify the Convention, the Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention33 and other biodiversity-related agreements,
and invite those that have done so to promote their effective implementation at thenational, regional and international levels and to support developing countries and
countries with economies in transition technically and financially in this regard.
                                                     
32 See A/C.2/56/7, annex.
33 Http://www.biodiv.org/biosafety/protocol.asp.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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45. Forests and trees cover nearly one third of the Earth’s surface. Sustainable forest management
of both natural and planted forests and for timber and non-timber products is essential to achieving
sustainable development as well as a critical means to eradicate poverty, significantly reduce
deforestation, halt the loss of forest biodiversity and land and resource degradation and improve foodsecurity and access to safe drinking water and affordable energy; in addition, it highlights the multiple
benefits of both natural and planted forests and trees and contributes to the well-being of the planet
and humanity. The achievement of sustainable forest management, nationally and globally, including
through partnerships among interested Governments and stakeholders, including the private sector,
indigenous and local communities and non-governmental organizations, is an essential goal of
sustainable development. This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Enhance political commitment to achieve sustainable forest management by
endorsing it as a priority on the international political agenda, taking full account of
the linkages between the forest sector and other sectors through integrated
approaches;
(b) Support the United Nations Forum on Forests, with the assistance of the
Collaborative Partnership on Forests, as key intergovernmental mechanisms tofacilitate and coordinate the implementation of sustainable forest management at the
national, regional and global levels, thus contributing, inter alia, to the conservation
and sustainable use of forest biodiversity;
(c) Take immediate action on domestic forest law enforcement and illegal international
trade in forest products, including in forest biological resources, with the support ofthe international community, and provide human and institutional capacity-building
related to the enforcement of national legislation in those areas;
(d) Take immediate action at the national and international levels to promote and
facilitate the means to achieve sustainable timber harvesting and to facilitate the
provision of financial resources and the transfer and development of environmentallysound technologies, and thereby address unsustainable timber-harvesting practices;
(e) Develop and implement initiatives to address the needs of those parts of the world
that currently suffer from poverty and the highest rates of deforestation and where
international cooperation would be welcomed by affected Governments;
(f) Create and strengthen partnerships and international cooperation to facilitate the
provision of increased financial resources, the transfer of environmentally sound
technologies, trade, capacity-building, fore st law enforcement and governance at all
levels and integrated land and resource management to implement sustainable forest
management, including the proposal for action of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Forests/Intergovernmental Forum on Forests;
(g) Accelerate implementation of the proposals for action of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Forests/Intergovernmental Forum on Forests by countries and by the CollaborativePartnership on Forests and intensify efforts on reporting to the United Nations Forum
on Forests to contribute to an assessment of progress in 2005;
(h) Recognize and support indigenous and community-based forest management systems
to ensure their full and effective participation in sustainable forest management;
(i) Implement the expanded action-oriented work programme of the Convention on
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with the Forum, Partnership members and other forest-related processes and
conventions, with the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.
46. Mining, minerals and metals are important to the economic and social development of many
countries. Minerals are essential for modern living. Enhancing the contribution of mining, mineralsand metals to sustainable development includes actions at all levels to:
(a) Support efforts to address the environmental, economic, health and social impacts and
benefits of mining, minerals and metals throughout their life cycle, including
workers’ health and safety, and use a range of partnerships, furthering existing
activities at the national and international levels among interested Governments,
intergovernmental organizations, mining companies and workers and other
stakeholders to promote transparency and accountability for sustainable mining andminerals development;
(b) Enhance the participation of stakeholders, including local and indigenous
communities and women, to play an active role in minerals, metals and mining
development throughout the life cycles of mining operations, including after closure
for rehabilitation purposes, in accordance with national regulations and taking intoaccount significant transboundary impacts;
(c) Foster sustainable mining practices through the provision of financial, technical and
capacity-building support to developing countries and countries with economies in
transition for the mining and processing of minerals, including small-scale mining,
and, where possible and appropriate, improve value-added processing, upgradescientific and technological information and reclaim and rehabilitate degraded sites.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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V. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD
47. Globalization offers opportunities and challenges for sustainable development. We recognize
that globalization and interdependence are offering new opportunities for trade, investment and capital
flows and advances in technology, including info rmation technology, for the growth of the world
economy, development and the improvement of living standards around the world. At the same time,
there remain serious challenges, including serious financial crises, insecurity, poverty, exclusion and
inequality within and among societies. The developing countries and countries with economies in
transition face special difficulties in responding to those challenges and opportunities. Globalization
should be fully inclusive and equitable. There is a strong need for policies and measures at the
national and international levels, formulated and impl emented with the full and effective participation
of developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to help them to respondeffectively to those challenges and opportunities. This will require urgent action at all levels to:
(a) Continue to promote open, equitable, rules-based, predictable and non-discriminatory
multilateral trading and financial systems that benefit all countries in the pursuit of
sustainable development. Support the successful completion of the work programme
contained in the Doha Ministerial Declaration and the implementation of theMonterrey Consensus. Welcome the decision contained in the Doha Ministerial
Declaration to place the needs and interests of developing countries at the heart of the
work programme of the Declaration, including through enhanced market access for
products of interest to developing countries;
(b) Encourage ongoing efforts by international financial and trade institutions to ensure
that decision-making processes and institutional structures are open and transparent;
(c) Enhance the capacities of developing countries, including the least developed
countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, to
benefit from liberalized trade opportunities through international cooperation and
measures aimed at improving productivity, commodity diversification andcompetitiveness, community-based entrepre neurial capacity and transportation and
communication infrastructure development;
(d) Support the International Labour Organization and encourage its ongoing work on the
social dimension of globalization, as st ated in paragraph 64 of the Monterrey
Consensus;
(e) Enhance the delivery of coordinated, effective and targeted trade-related technical
assistance and capacity-building programmes, including taking advantage of existingand future market access opportunities, an d examining the relationship between trade,
environment and development.
48. Implement the outcomes of the Doha Ministerial Conference by the members of the World
Trade Organization, further strengthen trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building and
ensure the meaningful, effective and full participation of developing countries in multilateral tradenegotiations by placing their needs and interests at the heart of the work programme of the World
Trade Organization.
49. Actively promote corporate responsibility and accountability, based on the Rio principles,
including through the full development and effective implementation of intergovernmental
agreements and measures, international initiatives and public-private partnerships and appropriatenational regulations, and support continuous improvement in corporate practices in all countries.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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50. Strengthen the capacities of developing countries to encourage public/private initiatives that
enhance the ease of access, accuracy, timeliness and coverage of information on countries and
financial markets. Multilateral and regional financial institutions could provide further assistance for
these purposes.
51. Strengthen regional trade and cooperation agreements, consistent with the multilateral trading
system, among developed and developing countries and countries with economies in transition, as
well as among developing countries, with the support of international finance institutions and regional
development banks, as appropriate, with a view to achieving the objectives of sustainable
development.
52. Assist developing countries and countries w ith economies in transition in narrowing the
digital divide, creating digital opportunities and harnessing the potential of information andcommunication technologies for development through technology transfer on mutually agreed terms
and the provision of financial and technical support and, in this context, support the World Summit on
the Information Society.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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VI. HEALTH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
53. The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development states that human beings are at the
centre of concerns for sustainable development, and that they are entitled to a healthy and productive
life, in harmony with nature.  The goals of sustainable development can only be achieved in theabsence of a high prevalence of debilitating diseases, while obtaining health gains for the whole
population requires poverty eradication.  There is an urgent need to address the causes of ill health,
including environmental causes, and their impact on development, with particular emphasis on
women and children, as well as vulnerable groups of society, such as people with disabilities, elderly
persons and indigenous people.
*   *   *
54. Strengthen the capacity of health-care systems to deliver basic health services to all in an
efficient, accessible and affordable manner aimed at preventing, controlling and treating diseases, and
to reduce environmental health threats, in confor mity with human rights and fundamental freedoms
and consistent with national laws and cultural and religious values, and taking into account the reports
of relevant United Nations conferences and summits and of special sessions of the General Assembly.This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Integrate the health concerns, including those of the most vulnerable populations, into
strategies, policies and programmes for poverty eradication and sustainable
development;
(b) Promote equitable and improved access to affordable and efficient health-care
services, including prevention, at all levels of the health system, essential and safe
drugs at affordable prices, immunization services and safe vaccines and medical
technology;
(c) Provide technical and financial assistance to developing countries and countries with
economies in transition to implement the Health for All Strategy, including healthinformation systems and integrated databases on development hazards;
(d) Improve the development and management of human resources in health-care
services;
(e) Promote and develop partnerships to enhance health education with the objective of
achieving improved health literacy on a global basis by 2010, with the involvement of
United Nations agencies, as appropriate;
(f) Develop programmes and initiatives to reduce, by 2015, mortality rates for infants
and children under 5 by two thirds, and maternal mortality rates by three quarters, of
the prevailing rate in 2000, and reduce disparities between and within developed and
developing countries as quickly as possible, with particular attention to eliminating
the pattern of disproportionate and preventable mortality among girl infants and
children;
(g) Target research efforts and apply research results to priority public health issues, in
particular those affecting susceptible and vulnerable populations, through the
development of new vaccines, reducing exposures to health risks, building on equal
access to health-care services, education, training and medical treatment and
technology and addressing the secondary effects of poor health;WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(h) Promote the preservation, development and use of effective traditional medicine
knowledge and practices, where appropriate, in combination with modern medicine,
recognizing indigenous and local communities as custodians of traditional knowledge
and practices, while promoting effective protection of traditional knowledge, asappropriate, consistent with international law;
(i) Ensure equal access of women to health-care services, giving particular attention to
maternal and emergency obstetric care;
(j) Address effectively, for all individuals of appropriate age, the promotion of healthy
living, including their reproductive and sexual health, consistent with the
commitments and outcomes of recent United Nations conferences and summits,
including the World Summit for Children, the United Nations Conference onEnvironment and Development, the International Conference on Population and
Development, the World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth World
Conference on Women, and their respective reviews and reports;
(k) Launch international capacity-building initiatives, as appropriate, that assess health
and environment linkages and use the knowledge gained to create more effectivenational and regional policy responses to environmental threats to human health;
(l) Transfer and disseminate, on mutually agreed terms, including through public-private
multisector partnerships, with international financial support, technologies for safe
water, sanitation and waste management for rural and urban areas in developing
countries and countries with economies in transition, taking into account country-specific conditions and gender equality, including specific technology needs of
women;
(m) Strengthen and promote programmes of the International Labour Organization and
World Health Organization to reduce occupational deaths, injuries and illnesses, and
link occupational health with public health promotion as a means of promoting publichealth and education;
(n) Improve availability and access for all to sufficient, safe, culturally acceptable and
nutritionally adequate food, increase consumer health protection, address issues of
micronutrient deficiency and implement existing internationally agreed commitments
and relevant standards and guidelines;
(o) Develop or strengthen, where applicable, preventive, promotive and curative
programmes to address non-communicable diseases and conditions, such ascardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, injuries,
violence and mental health disorders and associated risk factors, including alcohol,
tobacco, unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity.
55. Implement, within the agreed time frames, all commitments agreed in the Declaration of
Commitment on HIV/AIDS
34 adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-sixth special session,
emphasizing in particular the reduction of HI V prevalence among young men and women aged 15 to
24 by 25 per cent in the most affected countries by 2005, and globally by 2010, as well as combat
malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases by, inter alia:
                                                     
34 General Assembly resolution S-26/2, annex.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(a) Implementing national preventive and treatment strategies, regional and international
cooperation measures and the development of international initiatives to provide
special assistance to children orphaned by HIV/AIDS;
(b) Fulfilling commitments for the provision of sufficient resources to support the Global
Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, while promoting access to the Fund
by countries most in need;
(c) Protecting the health of workers and promoting occupational safety, by, inter alia,
taking into account, as appropriate, the voluntary Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and
the World of Work of the International Labour Organization, to improve conditions
of the workplace;
(d) Mobilizing adequate public, and encouraging private, financial resources for research
and development on diseases of the poor, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and
tuberculosis, directed at biomedical and health research, as well as new vaccine and
drug development.
56. Reduce respiratory diseases and other health impacts resulting from air pollution, with
particular attention to women and children, by:
(a) Strengthening regional and national programmes, including through public-private
partnerships, with technical and financial assistance to developing countries;
(b) Supporting the phasing out of lead in gasoline;
(c) Strengthening and supporting efforts for the reduction of emissions through the use of
cleaner fuels and modern pollution control techniques;
(d) Assisting developing countries in provid ing affordable energy to rural communities,
particularly to reduce dependence on traditional fuel sources for cooking and heating,
the use of which affect the health of women and children.
57. Phase out lead in lead-based paints and in other sources of human exposure, work to prevent,
in particular, children’s exposure to lead and strengthen monitoring and surveillance efforts and thetreatment of lead poisoning.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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VII. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES
58. Small island developing States are a special case both for environment and development.
Although they continue to take the lead in th e path towards sustainable development in their
countries, they are increasingly constrained by the interplay of adverse factors clearly underlined inAgenda 21, the Programme of Action for the Sust ainable Development of Small Island Developing
States
35 and the decisions adopted at the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly. This
would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Accelerate national and regional implementation of the Programme of Action, with
adequate financial resources, including through Global Environment Facility focal
areas, transfer of environmentally sound technologies and assistance for capacity-
building from the international community;
(b) Implement further sustainable fisheries management and improve financial returns
from fisheries by supporting and strengthening relevant regional fisheries
management organizations, as appropriate, such as the recently established Caribbean
Regional Fisheries Mechanism and such agreements as the Convention on the
Conservation and Management of Highly Mi gratory Fish Stocks in the Western and
Central Pacific Ocean;
(c) Assist small island developing States, including through the elaboration of specific
initiatives, in delimiting and managing in a sustainable manner their coastal areas and
exclusive economic zones and the continental shelf, including, where appropriate, the
continental shelf areas beyond 200 miles from coastal baselines, as well as relevantregional management initiatives within the context of the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea and the regional seas programmes of the United Nations
Environment Programme;
(d) Provide support, including for capacity-building, for the development and further
implementation of:
(i) Small island developing States-specific components within programmes of
work on marine and coastal biological diversity;
(ii) Freshwater programmes for small island developing States, including through
the Global Environment Facility focal areas;
(e) Effectively reduce, prevent and control waste and pollution and their health-related
impacts by undertaking initiatives by 2004 aimed at implementing the Global
Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-basedActivities in small island developing States;
(f) Work to ensure that, in the ongoing negotiations and elaboration of the World Trade
Organization work programme on trade in small economies, due account is taken of
small island developing States, which have severe structural handicaps in integrating
into the global economy, within the context of the Doha development agenda;
                                                     
35 Report of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States,
Bridgetown, Barbados, 25 April-6 May 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.94.I.18 and corrigenda),
chap. I, resolution 1, annex II.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(g) Develop community-based initiatives on sustainable tourism by 2004 and build the
capacities necessary to diversify tourism products, while protecting culture and
traditions and effectively conserving and managing natural resources;
(h) Extend assistance to small island developing States in support of local communities
and appropriate national and regional organi zations of small island developing States
for comprehensive hazard and risk management, disaster prevention, mitigation and
preparedness, and help relieve the consequences of disasters, extreme weather events
and other emergencies;
(i) Support the finalization and subsequent early operationalization, on agreed terms, of
economic, social and environmental vulnerability indices and related indicators as
tools for the achievement of the sustainable development of the small islanddeveloping States;
(j) Assist small island developing States in mobilizing adequate resources and
partnerships for their adaptation needs relating to the adverse effects of climate
change, sea level rise and climate variability, consistent with commitments under the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, where applicable;
(k) Support efforts by small island developing States to build capacities and institutional
arrangements to implement intellectual property regimes.
*   *   *
59. Support the availability of adequate, affordable and environmentally sound energy services
for the sustainable development of small island developing States by, inter alia:
(a) Strengthening ongoing and supporting new efforts on energy supply and services, by
2004, including through the United Nations system and partnership initiatives;
(b) Developing and promoting efficient use of  sources of energy, including indigenous
sources and renewable energy, and building the capacities of small island developingStates for training, technical know-how and strengthening national institutions in the
area of energy management.
60. Provide support to small island developing States to develop capacity and strengthen:
(a) Health-care services for promoting equitable access to health care;
(b) Health systems for making available necessary drugs and technology in a sustainable
and affordable manner to fight and control communicable and non-communicable
diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, tubercul osis, diabetes, malaria and dengue fever;
(c) Efforts to reduce and manage waste and pollution and building capacity for
maintaining and managing systems to deliver water and sanitation services, in both
rural and urban areas;
(d) Efforts to implement initiatives aimed at poverty eradication, which have been
outlined in section II of the present document.
61. Undertake a full and comprehensive review of the implementation of the Barbados
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accordance with the provisions set forth in General Assembly resolution S-22/2, and in this context
requests the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session to consider convening an international
meeting for the sustainable development of small island developing States.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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VIII.  SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR AFRICA
62. Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, sustainable
development has remained elusive for many African countries. Poverty remains a major challenge and
most countries on the continent have not benefited fully from the opportunities of globalization,further exacerbating the continent’s marginalization. Africa’s efforts to achieve sustainable
development have been hindered by conflicts, insufficient investment, limited market access
opportunities and supply side constraints, unsustainable debt burdens, historically declining levels of
official development assistance and the impact  of HIV/AIDS. The World Summit on Sustainable
Development should reinvigorate the commitment of  the international comm unity to address these
special challenges and give effect to a new vision based on concrete actions for the implementation of
Agenda 21 in Africa. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a commitment byAfrican leaders to the people of Africa. It recognizes that partnerships among African countries
themselves and between them and with the international community are key elements of a shared and
common vision to eradicate poverty, and furthermore it aims to place their countries, both
individually and collectively, on a path of sustained economic growth and sustainable development,
while participating actively in the world economy and body politic. It provides a framework forsustainable development on the continent to be shared by all Africa’s people. The international
community welcomes NEPAD and pledges its support to the implementation of this vision, including
through utilization of the benefits of South-South cooperation supported, inter alia, by the Tokyo
International Conference on African Development. It also pledges support for other existing
development frameworks that are owned and driven nationally by African countries and that embodypoverty reduction strategies, including poverty reduction strategy papers. Achieving sustainable
development includes actions at all levels to:
(a) Create an enabling environment at the regional, subregional, national and local levels
in order to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development and
support African efforts for peace, stability and security, the resolution and preventionof conflicts, democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms, including the right to development and gender equality;
(b) Support the implementation of the vision of NEPAD and other established regional
and subregional efforts, including through financing, technical cooperation and
institutional cooperation and human and institutional capacity-building at the
regional, subregional and national levels, consistent with national policies,
programmes and nationally owned and led strategies for poverty reduction andsustainable development, such as, where applicable, poverty reduction strategy
papers;
(c) Promote technology development, transfer and diffusion to Africa and further
develop technology and knowledge available in African centres of excellence;
(d) Support African countries in developing effective science and technology institutions
and research activities capable of developing and adapting to world class
technologies;
(e) Support the development of national programmes and strategies to promote education
within the context of nationally owned and led strategies for poverty reduction and
strengthen research institutions in education in order to increase the capacity to fullysupport the achievement of internationally agreed development goals related to
education, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration on ensuring that,
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course of primary schooling and that girls and boys will have equal access to all
levels of education relevant to national needs;
(f) Enhance the industrial productivity, diversity and competitiveness of African
countries through a combination of financial and technological support for thedevelopment of key infrastructure, access to technology, networking of research
centres, adding value to export products, skills development and enhancing market
access in support of sustainable development;
(g) Enhance the contribution of the industrial sector, in particular mining, minerals and
metals, to the sustainable development of Africa by supporting the development of
effective and transparent regulatory and management frameworks and value addition,
broad-based participation, social and environmental responsibility and increasedmarket access in order to create an attractive and conducive environment for
investment;
(h) Provide financial and technical support to strengthen the capacity of African countries
to undertake environmental legislative policy and institutional reform for sustainable
development and to undertake environmental impact assessments and, as appropriate,to negotiate and implement multilateral environment agreements;
(i) Develop projects, programmes and partnerships with relevant stakeholders and
mobilize resources for the effective implementation of the outcome of the African
Process for the Protection and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment;
(j) Deal effectively with energy problems in Africa, including through initiatives to:
(i) Establish and promote programmes, partnerships and initiatives to support
Africa’s efforts to implement NEPAD objectives on energy, which seek to
secure access for at least 35 per cent of the African population within 20
years, especially in rural areas;
(ii) Provide support to implement other initiatives on energy, including the
promotion of cleaner and more efficient use of natural gas and increased use
of renewable energy, and to improve energy efficiency and access to
advanced energy technologies, including cleaner fossil fuel technologies,
particularly in rural and peri-urban areas;
(k) Assist African countries in mobilizing ade quate resources for their adaptation needs
relating to the adverse effects of climate change, extreme weather events, sea level
rise and climate variability, and assist in developing national climate changestrategies and mitigation programmes, and continue to take actions to mitigate the
adverse effects on climate change in Africa, consistent with the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change;
(l) Support African efforts to develop affordable transport systems and infrastructure that
promote sustainable development and connectivity in Africa;
(m) Further to paragraph 42 above, address the poverty affecting mountain communities
in Africa;
(n) Provide financial and technical support for afforestation and reforestation in Africa
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deforestation and measures to improve the policy and legal framework of the forest
sector.
*   *   *
63. Provide financial and technical support for Africa’s efforts to implement the Convention to
Combat Desertification at the national level and integrate indigenous knowledge systems into land
and natural resources management practices, as appropriate, and improve extension services to rural
communities and promote better land and watershed management practices, including through
improved agricultural practices that address land degradation, in order to develop capacity for the
implementation of national programmes.
64. Mobilize financial and other support to develop and strengthen health systems that aim to:
(a) Promote equitable access to health-care services;
(b) Make available necessary drugs and technology in a sustainable and affordable
manner to fight and control communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS, malaria
and tuberculosis, and trypanosomiasis, as well as non-communicable diseases,
including those caused by poverty;
(c) Build capacity of medical and paramedical personnel;
(d) Promote indigenous medical knowledge, as appropriate, including traditional
medicine;
(e) Research and control Ebola disease.
65. Deal effectively with natural disasters and conflicts, including their humanitarian and
environmental impacts, recognizing that conflicts in Africa have hindered, and in many cases
obliterated, both the gains and efforts aimed at sustainable development, with the most vulnerable
members of society, particularly women and children, being the most impacted victims, through
efforts and initiatives, at all levels, to:
(a) Provide financial and technical assistance to strengthen the capacities of African
countries, including institutional and human capacity, including at the local level, for
effective disaster management, including observation and early warning systems,
assessments, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery;
(b) Provide support to African countries to enable them to better deal with the
displacement of people as a result of natural disasters and conflicts and put in place
rapid response mechanisms;
(c) Support Africa’s efforts for the prevention and resolution, management and
mitigation of conflicts and its early response to emerging conflict situations to avert
tragic humanitarian consequences;
(d) Provide support to refugee host countries in rehabilitating infrastructure and
environment, including ecosystems and habitats, that were damaged in the process of
receiving and settling refugees.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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66. Promote integrated water resources development and optimize the upstream and downstream
benefits therefrom, the development and effective management of water resources across all uses and
the protection of water quality and aquatic ecosystems, including through initiatives at all levels, to:
(a) Provide access to potable domestic water, hygiene education and improved sanitation
and waste management at the household level through initiatives to encourage public
and private investment in water supply and sanitation that give priority to the needs of
the poor within stable and transparent national regulatory frameworks provided by
Governments, while respecting local conditions involving all concerned stakeholders
and monitoring the performance and improving the accountability of public
institutions and private companies; and develop critical water supply, reticulation and
treatment infrastructure, and build capacity to maintain and manage systems todeliver water and sanitation services in both rural and urban areas;
(b) Develop and implement integrated river basin and watershed management strategies
and plans for all major water bodies, consistent with paragraph 25 above;
(c) Strengthen regional, subregional and national capacities for data collection and
processing and for planning, research, monitoring, assessment and enforcement, aswell as arrangements for water resource management;
(d) Protect water resources, groundwater and wetland ecosystems against pollution, and,
in cases of the most acute water scarcity, support efforts for developing non-
conventional water resources, including the energy-efficient, cost-effective and
sustainable desalination of seawater, rainwater harvesting and recycling of water.
67. Achieve significantly improved sustainable agricultural productivity and food security in
furtherance of the agreed Millennium development goals, including those contained in the Millennium
Declaration, in particular to halve by 2015 the proportion of people who suffer from hunger, including
through initiatives at all levels to:
(a) Support the development and implementation of national policies and programmes,
including research programmes and development plans of African countries to
regenerate their agricultural sector and sustainably develop their fisheries, and
increase investment in infrastructure, technology and extension services, according to
country needs. African countries should be in the process of developing and
implementing food security strategies, within the context of national poverty
eradication programmes, by 2005;
(b) Promote and support efforts and initiatives to secure equitable access to land tenure,
clarify resource rights and responsibilities, through land and tenure reform processes
that respect the rule of law and are enshrined in national law, and provide access to
credit for all, especially women, and that enable economic and social empowerment,
poverty eradication and efficient and ecol ogically sound utilizatio n of land and that
enable women producers to become decision makers and owners in the sector,including the right to inherit land;
(c) Improve market access for goods, including goods originating from African
countries, in particular least developed countries, within the framework of the Doha
Ministerial Declaration, without prejudging the outcome of the World Trade
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(d) Provide support for African countries to improve regional trade and economic
integration between African countries. Attract and increase investment in regional
market infrastructure;
(e) Support livestock development programmes aimed at progressive and effective
control of animal diseases.
68. Achieve sound management of chemicals, with particular focus on hazardous chemicals and
wastes, inter alia, through initiatives to assist African countries in elaborating national chemical
profiles and regional and national frameworks and strategies for chemical management and
establishing chemical focal points.
69. Bridge the digital divide and create digital opportunity in terms of access infrastructure and
technology transfer and application through integrated initiatives for Africa. Create an enablingenvironment to attract investment, accelerate existing and new programmes and projects, connect
essential institutions and stimulate the adoption of information communication technologies in
government and commerce programmes and other aspects of national economic and social life.
70. Support Africa’s efforts to attain sustainable tourism that contributes to social, economic and
infrastructure development through the following measures:
(a) Implementing projects at the local, national and subregional levels, with specific
emphasis on marketing African tourism products, such as adventure tourism,
ecotourism and cultural tourism;
(b) Establishing and supporting national and cross-border conservation areas to promote
ecosystem conservation according to the ecosystem approach, and to promotesustainable tourism;
(c) Respecting local traditions and cultures and promoting the use of indigenous
knowledge in natural resource management and ecotourism;
(d) Assisting host communities in managing their tourism projects for maximum benefit,
while limiting negative impact on their traditions, culture and environment;
(e) Support the conservation of Africa’s biological diversity, the sustainable use of its
components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the
utilization of genetic resources, in accordance with commitments that countries have
under biodiversity-related agreements to which they are parties, including such
agreements as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, as well as
regional biodiversity agreements.
71. Support African countries in their efforts to implement the Habitat Agenda and the Istanbul
Declaration through initiatives to strengthen national and local institutional capacities in the areas of
sustainable urbanization and human settlements, provide support for adequate shelter and basic
services and the development of efficient and effective governance systems in cities and other human
settlements and strengthen, inter alia, the joint programme on managing water for African cities of theUnited Nations Human Settlements Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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IX. OTHER REGIONAL INITIATIVES
72. Important initiatives have been developed within other United Nations regions and regional,
subregional and transregional forums to promote sustainable development. The international
community welcomes these efforts and the results already achieved, calls for action at all levels fortheir further development, while encouraging in terregional, intraregional and international
cooperation in this respect, and expresses its support for their further development and
implementation by the countries of the regions.
A. S
USTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
73. The Initiative of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development is an
undertaking by the leaders of that region that, building on the Platform for Action on the Road to
Johannesburg, 2002,36 which was approved in Rio de Janeiro in October 2001, recognizes the
importance of regional actions towards sustainable development and takes into account the region’s
singularities, shared visions and cultural diversity. It is targeted towards the adoption of concrete
actions in different areas of sustainable development, such as biodiversity, water resources,
vulnerabilities and sustainable cities, social aspects, including health and poverty, economic aspects,
including energy, and institutional arrangements , including capacity-building, indicators and
participation of civil society, taking into account ethics for sustainable development.
74. The Initiative envisages the development of actions among countries in the region that may
foster South-South cooperation and may count with the support of groups of countries, as well as
multilateral and regional organizations, including financial institutions. As a framework for
cooperation, the Initiative is open to partnerships with governments and all major groups.
B. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
75. Bearing in mind the target of halving the number of people who live in poverty by 2015, as
provided in the Millennium Declaration, the Phnom Penh Regional Platform on Sustainable
Development for Asia and the Pacific37 recognized that the region contains over half of the world’s
population and the largest number of the world’s people living in poverty. Hence, sustainabledevelopment in the region is critical to achieving sustainable development at the global level.
76. The Regional Platform identified seven initiative s for follow-up action: capacity-building for
sustainable development; poverty reduction for sustainable development; cleaner production and
sustainable energy; land management and biodiver sity conservation; protection and management of
and access to freshwater resources; oceans, coastal and marine resources and sustainable development
of small island developing States; and action on atmosphere and climate change. Follow-up actions of
these initiatives will be taken through national strategies and relevant regional and subregionalinitiatives, such as the Regional Action Programme for Environmentally Sound and Sustainable
Development and the Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment, adopted at the Fourth
Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific organized by the
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
C. S
USTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WEST ASIA REGION
77. The West Asia region is known for its scarce water and limited fertile land resources. The
region has made progress to a more knowledge-based production of higher value-added commodities.
                                                     
36 E/CN.17/2002/PC.2/5/Add.2.
37 E/CN.17/2002/PC.2/8.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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78. The regional preparatory meeting endorsed the following priorities: poverty alleviation, relief
of debt burden; and sustainable management of natural resources, including integrated water resources
management, implementation of programmes to combat desertification, integrated coastal zone
management and land and water pollution control.
D. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE REGION
79. The Economic Commission for Europe regional ministerial meeting for the World Summit on
Sustainable Development recognized that the region has a major role to play and responsibilities in
global efforts to achieve sustainable development by concrete actions. The region recognized that
different levels of economic development in countries of the region may require the application of
different approaches and mechanisms to implement Agenda 21. In order to address the three pillars of
sustainable development in a mutually reinforcing wa y, the region identified its priority actions for
sustainable development for the Economic Commission for Europe region in its Ministerial Statement
to the Summit.38
80. In furtherance of the region’s commitment to sustainable development, there are ongoing
efforts at the regional, subregional and transregional levels, including the Environment for Europe
process; the fifth Economic Commission for Europe ministerial conference, to be held in Kiev in May2003; the development of an environmental strategy for the 12 countries of Eastern Europe; the
Caucasus and Central Asia; the  Central Asian Agenda 21; work of the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development on sustainable development, the European Union sustainable
development strategy; and regional and subregional conventions and processes relevant to sustainable
development, including the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Ma tters (Aarhus Convention), the Alpine Convention,
the North American Commission for Environmenta l Cooperation, the International Boundary Waters
Treaty Act, the Iqaluit Declaration of the Arctic Council, the Baltic Agenda 21 and the Mediterranean
Agenda 21.
                                                     
38 ECE/ACC.22/2001/2, annex I.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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X. MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATION
81. The implementation of Agenda 21 and the achievement of the internationally agreed
development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration as well as in the present
plan of action, require a substantially increased effort, both by countries themselves and by the rest ofthe international community, based on the recognition that each country has primary responsibility for
its own development and that the role of national policies and development strategies cannot be
overemphasized, taking fully into account the Rio principles, including, in particular, the principle of
common but differentiated responsibilities, which states:
“States shall cooperate in a spirit of global partnership to conserve, protect and
restore the health and integrity of the Earth’s ecosystem. In view of the different
contributions to global environmental degradation, States have common butdifferentiated responsibilities. The developed countries acknowledge the
responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit of sustainable development in
view of the pressures their societies place on the global environment and of the
technologies and financial resources they command.”
The internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the Millennium
Declaration and Agenda 21, as well as in the present plan of action, will require significant increases
in the flow of financial resources as elaborated in the Monterrey Consensus, including through new
and additional financial resources, in particular to developing countries, to support the implementation
of national policies and programmes developed by them, improved trade opportunities, access to and
transfer of environmentally sound technologies on a concessional or preferential basis, as mutuallyagreed, education and awareness-raising, capacity -building and information for decision-making and
scientific capabilities within the agreed time frame required to meet these goals and initiatives.
Progress to this end will require that the intern ational community implement the outcomes of major
United Nations conferences, such as the programmes of action adopted at the Third United Nations
Conference on the Least Developed Countries
39 and the Global Conference on the Sustainable
Development of Small Island Developing States, and relevant international agreements since 1992,
particularly those of the International Conference on Financing for Development and the Fourth
Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, including building on them as part of a
process of achieving sustainable development.
82. Mobilizing and increasing the effective use of financial resources and achieving the national
and international economic conditions needed to fulfil internationally agreed development goals,
including those contained in the Millennium Declaration, to eliminate poverty, improve socialconditions and raise living standards and protect our environment, will be our first step to ensuring
that the twenty-first century becomes the century of sustainable development for all.
83. In our common pursuit of growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development, a critical
challenge is to ensure the necessary internal conditions for mobilizing domestic savings, both public
and private, sustaining adequate levels of productive investment and increasing human capacity. Acrucial task is to enhance the efficacy, coherence and consistency of macroeconomic policies. An
enabling domestic environment is vital for mobilizing domestic resources, increasing productivity,
reducing capital flight, encouraging the private sector and attracting and making effective use of
international investment and assistance. Efforts to create such an environment should be supported by
the international community.
*   *   *
                                                     
39 A/CONF.192/13.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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84. Facilitate greater flows of foreign direct in vestment so as to support the sustainable
development activities, including the development of infrastructure, of developing countries, and
enhance the benefits that developing countries can draw from foreign direct investment, withparticular actions to:
(a) Create the necessary domestic and international conditions to facilitate significant
increases in the flow of foreign direct investment to developing countries, in
particular the least developed countries, which is critical to sustainable development,
particularly foreign direct investment flows for infrastructure development and other
priority areas in developing countries to supplement the domestic resources mobilized
by them;
(b) Encourage foreign direct investment in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition through export credits that could be instrumental to
sustainable development;
85. Recognize that a substantial increase in official development assistance and other resources
will be required if developing countries are to achieve the internationally agreed development goalsand objectives, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration. To build support for official
development assistance, we will cooperate to further improve policies and development strategies,
both nationally and internationally, to enhance aid effectiveness, with actions to:
(a) Make available the increased commitments in official development assistance
announced by several developed countries at the International Conference onFinancing for Development. Urge the developed countries that have not done so to
make concrete efforts towards the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product as
official development assistance to developing countries and effectively implement
their commitment on such assistance to the least developed countries as contained in
paragraph 83 of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for theDecade 2001-2010,
40 which was adopted in Brussels on 20 May 2001. We also
encourage developing countries to build on progress achieved in ensuring that official
development assistance is used effectively to help achieve development goals and
targets in accordance with the outcome of the International Conference on Financing
for Development. We acknowledge the efforts of all donors, commend those donors
whose contributions exceed, reach or are increasing towards the targets, and underline
the importance of undertaking to examine the means and time frames for achievingthe targets and goals;
(b) Encourage recipient and donor countries, as well as international institutions, to make
official development assistance more efficient and effective for poverty eradication,
sustained economic growth and sustainable development. In this regard, intensify
efforts by the multilateral and bilateral financial and development institutions, inaccordance with paragraph 43 of the Monterrey Consensus, in particular to harmonize
their operational procedures at the highest standards, so as to reduce transaction costs
and make disbursement and delivery of official development assistance more flexible
and more responsive to the needs of developing countries, taking into account
national development needs and objectives under the ownership of recipientcountries, and to use development frameworks that are owned and driven by
                                                     
40 A/CONF.191/11.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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developing countries and that embody poverty reduction strategies, including poverty
reduction strategy papers, as vehicles for aid delivery, upon request.
86. Make full and effective use of existing financial mechanisms and institutions, including
through actions at all levels to:
(a) Strengthen ongoing efforts to reform the existing international financial architecture
to foster a transparent, equitable and inclus ive system that is able to provide for the
effective participation of developing countries in the international economic decision-
making processes and institutions, as well as for their effective and equitable
participation in the formulation of financial standards and codes;
(b) Promote, inter alia, measures in source and destination countries to improve
transparency and information about financial flows to contribute to stability in theinternational financial environment. Measures that mitigate the impact of excessive
volatility of short-term capital flows are important and must be considered;
(c) Work to ensure that the funds are made available on a timely, more assured and
predictable basis to international organizations and agencies, where appropriate, for
their sustainable development activities, programmes and projects;
(d) Encourage the private sector, including transnational corporations, private
foundations and civil society institutions, to provide financial and technical assistance
to developing countries;
(e) Support new and existing public/private sector financing mechanisms for developing
countries and countries with economies in transition, to benefit in particular smallentrepreneurs and small, medium-sized and community-based enterprises and to
improve their infrastructure, while ensuring the transparency and accountability of
such mechanisms.
87. Welcome the successful and substantial third replenishment of the Global Environment
Facility, which will enable it to address the funding requirements of new focal areas and existing onesand continue to be responsive to the needs and concerns of its recipient countries, in particular
developing countries, and further encourage the Global Environment Facility to leverage additional
funds from key public and private organizations, improve the management of funds through more
speedy and streamlined procedures and simplify its project cycle.
88. Explore ways of generating new public and private innovative sources of finance for
development purposes, provided that those sources do not unduly burden developing countries, noting
the proposal to use special drawing rights allo cations for development purposes, as set forth in
paragraph 44 of the Monterrey Consensus.
89. Reduce unsustainable debt burden through such actions as debt relief and, as appropriate, debt
cancellation and other innovative mechanisms geared to comprehensively address the debt problems
of developing countries, in particular the poorest and most heavily indebted ones. Therefore, debt
relief measures should, where appropriate, be pursued vigorously and expeditiously, including withinthe Paris and London Clubs and other relevant forums, in order to contribute to debt sustainability and
facilitate sustainable development, while recognizing that debtors and creditors must share
responsibility for preventing and resolving unsustainable debt situations, and that external debt relief
can play a key role in liberating resources that can then be directed towards activities consistent with
attaining sustainable growth and development. Therefore, we support paragraphs 47 to 51 of theMonterrey Consensus dealing with external debt. Debt relief arrangements should seek to avoidWT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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imposing any unfair burdens on other developing countries. There should be an increase in the use of
grants for the poorest, debt-vulnerable countries. Countries are encouraged to develop national
comprehensive strategies to monitor and manage external liabilities as a key element in reducing
national vulnerabilities. In this regard, actions are required to:
(a) Implement speedily, effectively and fully the enhanced heavily indebted poor
countries (HIPC) initiative, which should be fully financed through additional
resources, taking into consideration, as appropriate, measures to address any
fundamental changes in the economic circumstances of those developing countries
with unsustainable debt burden caused by natural catastrophes, severe terms-of-trade
shocks or affected by conflict, taking into account initiatives which have been
undertaken to reduce outstanding indebtedness;
(b) Encourage participation in the HIPC initiative of all creditors that have not yet done
so;
(c) Bring international debtors and creditors toge ther in relevant international forums to
restructure unsustainable debt in a timely and efficient manner, taking into account
the need to involve the private sector in the resolution of crises due to indebtedness,where appropriate;
(d) Acknowledge the problems of the debt sustainability of some non-HIPC low-income
countries, in particular those facing exceptional circumstances;
(e) Encourage exploring innovative mechanisms to comprehensively address the debt
problems of developing countries, including middle-income countries and countrieswith economies in transition. Such mechanisms may include debt-for-sustainable-
development swaps;
(f) Encourage donor countries to take steps to ensure that resources provided for debt
relief do not detract from official development assistance resources intended for
developing countries.
*   *   *
90. Recognizing the major role that trade can play  in achieving sustainable development and in
eradicating poverty, we encourage members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to pursue the
work programme agreed at their Fourth Ministerial Conference. In order for developing countries,
especially the least developed among them, to secure their share in the growth of world trade
commensurate with the needs of their economic development, we urge WTO members to take thefollowing actions:
(a) Facilitate the accession of all developing countries, particularly the least developed
countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, that apply for
membership in WTO, in accordance with the Monterrey Consensus;
(b) Support the work programme adopted at the Doha Ministerial Conference as an
important commitment on the part of developed and developing countries to
mainstream appropriate trade policies in their respective development policies and
programmes;
(c) Implement substantial trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building
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after the Doha Ministerial Conference, as an important step forward in ensuring a
sound and predictable basis for WTO-related technical assistance and capacity-
building;
(d) Implement the New Strategy for Technical Cooperation for Capacity-Building,
Growth and Integration endorsed in the Doha Declaration;
(e) Fully support the implementation of the Integrated Framework for Trade-Related
Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries and urge development partners to
significantly increase contributions to the Trust Fund for the Framework, in
accordance with the Doha Ministerial Declaration.
91. In accordance with the Doha Declaration as well as with relevant decisions taken at Doha, we
are determined to take concrete action to address issues and concerns raised by developing countriesregarding the implementation of some WTO agreements and decisions, including the difficulties and
resource constraints faced by them in fulfilling those agreements.
*   *   *
92. Call upon members of the World Trade Organization to fulfil the commitments made in the
Doha Ministerial Declaration, notably in terms of market access, in particular for products of export
interest to developing countries, especially least developed countries, by implementing the following
actions, taking into account paragraph 45 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration:
(a) Review all special and differential treatment provisions with a view to strengthening
them and making them more precise, effective and operational, in accordance withparagraph 44 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration;
(b) Aim to reduce or, as appropriate, eliminate tariffs on non-agricultural products,
including the reduction or elimination of tariff peaks, high tariffs and tariff escalation,
as well as non-tariff barriers, in particular on products of export interest to developing
countries. Product coverage should be comprehensive and without a priori exclusions.The negotiations shall take fully into account the special needs and interests of
developing and least developed countries, including through less than full reciprocity
in reduction commitments, in accordance with the Doha Ministerial Declaration;
(c) Fulfil, without prejudging the outcome of the negotiations, the commitment for
comprehensive negotiations initiated under article 20 of the Agreement on
Agriculture, as referred to in the Doha Ministerial Declaration,
41 aiming at substantial
improvements in market access, reductions of with a view to phasing out all forms ofexport subsidies, and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support,
while agreeing that the provisions for special and differential treatment for
developing countries shall be an integral part of all elements of the negotiations and
shall be embodied in the schedules of concession and commitments and, as
appropriate, in the rules and disciplines to be negotiated, so as to be operationallyeffective and to enable developing countries to effectively take account of their
development needs, including food security and rural development. Take note of the
non-trade concerns reflected in the negotiating proposals submitted by members of
the World Trade Organization and confirm that non-trade concerns will be taken into
                                                     
41 A/C.2/56/2, annex, paras. 13 and 14.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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account in the negotiations as provided for in the Agreement on Agriculture, in
accordance with the Doha Ministerial Declaration.
93. Call on developed countries that have not already done so to work towards the objective of
duty-free and quota-free access for all least developed countries’ exports, as envisaged in theProgramme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010.
94. Commit to actively pursue the work programme of the World Trade Organization to address
the trade-related issues and concerns affecting the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies
into the multilateral trading system in a manner co mmensurate with their special circumstances and in
support of their efforts towards sustainable development, in accordance with paragraph 35 of the
Doha Declaration.
95. Build the capacity of commodity-dependent countries to diversify exports through, inter alia,
financial and technical assistance, international assistance for economic diversification and
sustainable resource management and address the instability of commodity prices and declining terms
of trade, as well as strengthen the activities covered by the second account of the Common Fund for
Commodities to support sustainable development.
96. Enhance the benefits for developing countries, as well as countries with economies in
transition, from trade liberalization, including through public-private partnerships, through, inter alia,
action at all levels, including through financial support for technical assistance, the development of
technology and capacity-building to developing countries to:
(a) Enhance trade infrastructure and strengthen institutions;
(b) Increase developing country capacity to diversify and increase exports to cope with
the instability of commodity prices and declining terms of trade;
(c) Increase the value added of developing country exports.
97. Continue to enhance the mutual supportiveness of trade, environment and development with a
view to achieving sustainable development through actions at all levels to:
(a) Encourage the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment and the WTO Committee
on Trade and Development, within their respective mandates, to each act as a forum
to identify and debate developmental and environmental aspects of the negotiations,
in order to help achieve an outcome which benefits sustainable development in
accordance with the commitments made under the Doha Ministerial Declaration;
(b) Support the completion of the work programme of the Doha Ministerial Declaration
on subsidies so as to promote sustainable development and enhance the environment,
and encourage reform of subsidies that have considerable negative effects on theenvironment and are incompatible with sustainable development;
(c) Encourage efforts to promote cooperation on trade, environment and development,
including in the field of providing technical assistance to developing countries,
between the secretariats of WTO, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNEP, and other relevant
international environmental and development and regional organizations;
(d) Encourage the voluntary use of environmental impact assessments as an important
national-level tool to better identify trade, environment and development
interlinkages. Further encourage countries and international organizations withWT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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experience in this field to provide technical assistance to developing countries for
these purposes.
98. Promote mutual supportiveness between the multilateral trading system and the multilateral
environmental agreements, consistent with sustainable development goals, in support of the workprogramme agreed through WTO, while recognizin g the importance of maintaining the integrity of
both sets of instruments.
99. Complement and support the Doha Ministerial Declaration and the Monterrey Consensus by
undertaking further action at the national, regional and international levels, including through
public/private partnerships, to enhance the benefits, in particular for developing countries as well as
for countries with economies in transition, of trade liberalization, through, inter alia, actions at all
levels to:
(a) Establish and strengthen existing trade and cooperation agreements, consistent with
the multilateral trading system, with a view to achieving sustainable development;
(b) Support voluntary WTO-compatible market-based initiatives for the creation and
expansion of domestic and international markets for environmentally friendly goods
and services, including organic products, which maximize environmental anddevelopmental benefits through, inter alia, capacity-building and technical assistance
to developing countries;
(c) Support measures to simplify and make more transparent domestic regulations and
procedures that affect trade so as to assist exporters, particularly those from
developing countries.
100. Address the public health problems affecting many developing and least developed countries,
especially those resulting from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other epidemics, while noting
the importance of the Doha Declaration on the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS Agr eement) and public health,
42 in which it was agreed that the TRIPS
Agreement does not and should not prevent WTO members from taking measures to protect publichealth. Accordingly, while reiterating our commitmen t to the TRIPS Agreement, we reaffirm that the
Agreement can and should be interpreted and implemented in a manner supportive of WTO members’
right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all.
*   *   *
101. States should cooperate to promote a supportive and open international economic system that
would lead to economic growth and sustainable deve lopment in all countries to better address the
problems of environmental degradation. Trade policy measures for environmental purposes should
not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustif iable discrimination or a disguised restriction on
international trade. Unilateral actions to deal with  environmental challenges outside the jurisdiction of
the importing country should be avoided. Environmental measures addressing transboundary or global
environmental problems should, as far as possible, be based on an international consensus.
*   *   *
102. Take steps with a view to the avoidance of, and refrain from, any unilateral measure not in
accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations that impedes the full
                                                     
42 Ibid., paras. 17-19.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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achievement of economic and social development by the population of the affected countries, in
particular women and children, that hinders their well-being or that creates obstacles to the full
enjoyment of their human rights, including the right of everyone to a standard of living adequate for
their health and well-being and their right to food, medical care and the necessary social services.Ensure that food and medicine are not used as tools for political pressure.
103. Take further effective measures to remove obstacles to the realization of the right of peoples
to self-determination, in particular peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, which
continue to adversely affect their economic and social development and are incompatible with the
dignity and worth of the human person and must be combated and eliminated. People under foreign
occupation must be protected in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law.
*   *   *
104. In accordance with the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly
Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,
43 this
shall not be construed as authorizing or encouraging any action which would dismember or impair,
totally or in part, the territorial integrity or political unity of sovereign and independent Statesconducting themselves in compliance with the principle of equal rights and self-determination of
peoples and thus possessed of a Government representing the whole people belonging to the territory
without distinction of any kind.
*   *   *
105. Promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate, access to and the development, transfer and
diffusion of environmentally sound technologies and corresponding know-how, in particular to
developing countries and countries with economies in transition on favourable terms, including on
concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed, as set out in chapter 34 of Agenda 21,
including through urgent actions at all levels to:
(a) Provide information more effectively;
(b) Enhance existing national institutional capacity in developing countries to improve
access to and the development, transfer and diffusion of environmentally sound
technologies and corresponding know-how;
(c) Facilitate country-driven technology needs assessments;
(d) Establish legal and regulatory frameworks in both supplier and recipient countries
that expedite the transfer of environmentally sound technologies in a cost-effectivemanner by both public and private sectors and support their implementation;
(e) Promote the access and transfer of technology related to early warning systems and to
mitigation programmes to developing countries affected by natural disasters.
106. Improve the transfer of technologies to developing countries, in particular at the bilateral and
regional levels, including through urgent actions at all levels to:
                                                     
43 General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV), annex.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(a) Improve interaction and collaboration, stakeholder relationships and networks
between and among universities, research institutions, government agencies and the
private sector;
(b) Develop and strengthen networking of related institutional support structures, such as
technology and productivity centres, research, training and development institutions,
and national and regional cleaner production centres;
(c) Create partnerships conducive to investment and technology transfer, development
and diffusion, to assist developing countries, as well as countries with economies in
transition, in sharing best practices and promoting programmes of assistance, and
encourage collaboration between corporations and research institutes to enhance
industrial efficiency, agricultural productivity, environmental management andcompetitiveness;
(d) Provide assistance to developing countries, as well as countries with economies in
transition, in accessing environmentally sound technologies that are publicly owned
or in the public domain, as well as available knowledge in the public domain on
science and technology, and in accessing the know-how and expertise required inorder for them to make independent use of this knowledge in pursuing their
development goals;
(e) Support existing mechanisms and, where appropriate, establish new mechanisms for
the development, transfer and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to
developing countries and economies in transition.
107. Assist developing countries in building capacity to access a larger share of multilateral and
global research and development programmes. In this regard, strengthen and, where appropriate,
create centres for sustainable development in developing countries.
108. Build greater capacity in science and technolo gy for sustainable development, with action to
improve collaboration and partnerships on research and development and their widespread applicationamong research institutions, universities, the private sector, governments, non-governmental
organizations and networks, as well as between and among scientists and academics of developing
and developed countries, and in this regard en courage networking with and between centres of
scientific excellence in developing countries.
109. Improve policy and decision-making at all levels through, inter alia, improved collaboration
between natural and social scientists, and between scientists and policy makers, including through
urgent actions at all levels to:
(a) Increase the use of scientific knowledge and technology and increase the beneficial
use of local and indigenous knowledge in a manner respectful of the holders of that
knowledge and consistent with national law;
(b) Make greater use of integrated scientific assessments, risk assessments and
interdisciplinary and intersectoral approaches;
(c) Continue to support and collaborate with international scientific assessments
supporting decision-making, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, with the broad participation of developing country experts;WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(d) Assist developing countries in developing and implementing science and technology
policies;
(e) Establish partnerships between scientific, public and private institutions, including by
integrating the advice of scientists into decision-making bodies to ensure a greaterrole for science, technology development and engineering sectors;
(f) Promote and improve science-based decision-making and reaffirm the precautionary
approach as set out in principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development, which states:
“In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach
shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities.
Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of fullscientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-
effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.”
110. Assist developing countries, through international cooperation, in enhancing their capacity in
their efforts to address issues pertaining to environmental protection, including in their formulation
and implementation of policies for environmental management and protection, including throughurgent actions at all levels to:
(a) Improve their use of science and technology for environmental monitoring,
assessment models, accurate databases and integrated information systems;
(b) Promote and, where appropriate, improve their use of satellite technologies for
quality data collection, verification, updating and further improvement of aerial andground-based observations, in support of their efforts to collect quality, accurate,
long-term, consistent and reliable data;
(c) Set up and, where appropriate, further develop national statistical services capable of
providing sound data on science education and research and development activities
that are necessary for effective science and technology policy-making.
111. Establish regular channels between policy makers and the scientific community to request and
receive science and technology advice for the implementation of Agenda 21 and create and strengthen
networks for science and education for sustainable development, at all levels, with the aim of sharing
knowledge, experience and best practices and building scientific capacities, particularly in developing
countries.
112. Use information and communication technologies, where appropriate, as tools to increase the
frequency of communication and the sharing of experience and knowledge and to improve the qualityof and access to information and communications technology in all countries, building on the work
facilitated by the United Nations Information and Communications Technology Task Force and the
efforts of other relevant international and regional forums.
113. Support publicly funded research and development entities to engage in strategic alliances for
the purpose of enhancing research and development to achieve cleaner production and producttechnologies, through, inter alia, the mobilization from all sources of adequate financial and technical
resources, including new and additional resources, and encourage the transfer and diffusion of those
technologies, in particular to developing countries.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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114. Examine issues of global public interest through open, transparent and inclusive workshops to
promote a better public understanding of such questions.
115. Further resolve to take concerted action against international terrorism, which causes serious
obstacles to sustainable development.
*   *   *
116. Education is critical for promoting sustainable development. It is therefore essential to
mobilize necessary resources, including financial resources at all levels, by bilateral and multilateral
donors, including the World Bank and the regional development banks, by civil society and by
foundations, to complement the efforts by national governments to pursue the following goals and
actions:
(a) Meet the Millennium development goal of achieving universal primary education,
ensuring that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to
complete a full course of primary schooling;
(b) Provide all children, particularly those living in rural areas and those living in
poverty, especially girls, with the access and opportunity to complete a full course ofprimary education.
*   *   *
117. Provide financial assistance and support to education, research, public awareness programmes
and developmental institutions in developing countries and countries with economies in transition inorder to:
(a) Sustain their educational infrastructures and programmes, including those related to
environment and public health education;
(b) Consider means of avoiding the frequent, serious financial constraints faced by many
institutions of higher learning, including universities around the world, particularly indeveloping countries and countries in transition.
118. Address the impact of HIV/AIDS on the educational system in those countries seriously
affected by the pandemic.
119. Allocate national and international resources for basic education as proposed by the Dakar
Framework for Action on Education for All and for improved integration of sustainable development
into education and in bilateral and multilateral development programmes, and improve integration
between publicly funded research and development and development programmes.
120. Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005, as provided in the
Dakar Framework for Action on Education for All, and at all levels of education no later than 2015, to
meet the development goals contained in the Millennium Declaration, with action to ensure, inter alia,
equal access to all levels and forms of education, training and capacity-building by gender
mainstreaming, and by creating a gender-sensitive educational system.
121. Integrate sustainable development into education systems at all levels of education in order to
promote education as a key agent for change.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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122. Develop, implement, monitor and review education action plans and programmes at the
national, subnational and local levels, as appropriate, that reflect the Dakar Framework for Action on
Education for All and that are relevant to local conditions and needs leading to the achievement of
community development and make education for sustainable development a part of those plans.
123. Provide all community members with a wide range of formal and non-formal continuing
educational opportunities, including volunteer community service programmes, in order to end
illiteracy and emphasize the importance of lifel ong learning and promote sustainable development.
124. Support the use of education to promote sustai nable development, including through urgent
actions at all levels to:
(a) Integrate information and communications technology in school curriculum
development to ensure its access by both rural and urban communities and provideassistance, particularly to developing countries, inter alia, for the establishment of an
appropriate enabling environment required for such technology;
(b) Promote, as appropriate, affordable and increased access to programmes for students,
researchers and engineers from developing countries in the universities and research
institutions of developed countries in order to promote the exchange of experienceand capacity that will benefit all partners;
(c) Continue to implement the work programme of the Commission on Sustainable
Development on education for sustainable development;
(d) Recommend to the United Nations General Assembly that it consider adopting a
decade of education for sustainable development, starting in 2005.
125. Enhance and accelerate human, institutional and infrastructure capacity-building initiatives
and promote partnerships in that regard that respond to the specific needs of developing countries in
the context of sustainable development.
126. Support local, national, subregional and regional initiatives with action to develop, use and
adapt knowledge and techniques and to enhance loca l, national, subregional and regional centres of
excellence for education, research and training in order to strengthen the knowledge capacity of
developing countries and countries with economies in transition through, inter alia, the mobilization
from all sources of adequate financial and other resources, including new and additional resources.
127. Provide technical and financial assistance to developing countries, including through the
strengthening of capacity-building efforts, su ch as the United Nations Development Programme
Capacity 21 programme, to:
(a) Assess their own capacity development n eeds and opportunities at the individual,
institutional and societal levels;
(b) Design programmes for capacity-building and support for local, national and
community-level programmes that focus on meeting the challenges of globalization
more effectively and attaining the internationally agreed development goals,
including those contained in the Millennium Declaration;
(c) Develop the capacity of civil society, including youth, to participate, as appropriate,
in designing, implementing and reviewing sustainable development policies and
strategies at all levels;WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(d) Build and, where appropriate, strengthen national capacities for carrying out effective
implementation of Agenda 21.
128. Ensure access, at the national level, to environmental information and judicial and
administrative proceedings in environmental matters, as well as public participation in decision-making, so as to further principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, taking
into full account principles 5, 7 and 11 of the Declaration.
129. Strengthen national and regional information and statistical and analytical services relevant to
sustainable development policies and programmes, including data disaggregated by sex, age and other
factors, and encourage donors to provide financial and technical support to developing countries to
enhance their capacity to formulate policies and implement programmes for sustainable development.
130. Encourage further work on indicators for sustainable development by countries at the national
level, including integration of gender aspects, on a voluntary basis, in line with national conditions
and priorities.
131. Promote further work on indicators, in conform ity with paragraph 3 of decision 9/4 of the
Commission on Sustainable Development.
44
132. Promote the development and wider use of earth observation technologies, including satellite
remote sensing, global mapping and geographic information systems, to collect quality data on
environmental impacts, land use and land-use changes, including through urgent actions at all levels
to:
(a) Strengthen cooperation and coordination among global observing systems and
research programmes for integrated global observations, taking into account the needfor building capacity and sharing of data from ground-based observations, satellite
remote sensing and other sources among all countries;
(b) Develop information systems that make the sharing of valuable data possible,
including the active exchange of Earth observation data;
(c) Encourage initiatives and partnerships for global mapping.
133. Support countries, particularly developing countries, in their national efforts to:
(a) Collect data that are accurate, long-term, consistent and reliable;
(b) Use satellite and remote-sensing technologies for data collection and further
improvement of ground-based observations;
(c) Access, explore and use geographic information by utilizing the technologies of
satellite remote sensing, satellite global positioning, mapping and geographic
information systems.
134. Support efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, including through
urgent actions at all levels to:
                                                     
44 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2001, Supplement No. 9 (E/2001/29),
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(a) Provide affordable access to disaster-related information for early warning purposes;
(b) Translate available data, particularly from global meteorological observation systems,
into timely and useful products.
135. Develop and promote the wider application of environmental impact assessments, inter alia,
as a national instrument, as appropriate, to provide essential decision-support information on projects
that could cause significant adverse effects to the environment.
136. Promote and further develop methodologies at policy, strategy and project levels for
sustainable development decision-making at the local and national levels, and where relevant at the
regional level. In this regard, emphasize that the choice of the appropriate methodology to be used in
countries should be adequate to their country-specific conditions and circumstances, should be on a
voluntary basis and should conform to their development priority needs.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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XI. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
137. An effective institutional framework for sustainable development at all levels is key to the full
implementation of Agenda 21, the follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development and meeting emerging sustainable development challenges. Measures aimed atstrengthening such a framework should build on the provisions of Agenda 21, as well as the
Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 of 1997, and the principles of the Rio
Declaration on Environment and Development and should promote the achievement of the
internationally agreed development goals, includin g those contained in the Millennium Declaration,
taking into account the Monterrey Consensus and relevant outcomes of other major United Nations
conferences and international agreements since 1992. It should be responsive to the needs of all
countries, taking into account the specific needs of developing countries including the means ofimplementation. It should lead to the strengthening of international bodies and organizations dealing
with sustainable development, while respecting their existing mandates, as well as to the
strengthening of relevant regional, national and local institutions.
138. Good governance is essential for sustainable development. Sound economic policies, solid
democratic institutions responsive to the needs of the people and improved infrastructure are the basisfor sustained economic growth, poverty eradicat ion, and employment creation. Freedom, peace and
security, domestic stability, respect for human rights , including the right to development, and the rule
of law, gender equality, market-oriented policies, and an overall commitment to just and democratic
societies are also essential and mutually reinforcing.
A. O
BJECTIVES
139. Measures to strengthen institutional arrangements on sustainable development, at all levels,
should be taken within the framework of Agenda 21,45 build on developments since the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development and lead to the achievement of, inter alia, the
following objectives:
(a) Strengthening commitments to sustainable development;
(b) Integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable
development in a balanced manner;
(c) Strengthening of the implementation of Agenda 21, including through the
mobilization of financial and technological resources, as well as capacity-building
programmes, particularly for developing countries;
(d) Strengthening coherence, coordination and monitoring;
(e) Promoting the rule of law and strengthening of governmental institutions;
(f) Increasing effectiveness and efficiency through limiting overlap and duplication of
activities of international organizations, within and outside the United Nations
system, based on their mandates and comparative advantages;
                                                     
45 References in the present chapter to Agenda 21 are deemed to include Agenda 21, the Programme for
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(g) Enhancing participation and effective involvement of civil society and other relevant
stakeholders in the implementation of Agenda 21, as well as promoting transparency
and broad public participation;
(h) Strengthening capacities for sustainable development at all levels, including the local
level, in particular those of developing countries;
(i) Strengthening international cooperation aimed at reinforcing the implementation of
Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the Summit.
B. STRENGTHENING THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE
INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
140. The international community should:
(a) Enhance the integration of sustainable development goals as reflected in Agenda 21
and support for implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the Summit into
the policies, work programmes and operational guidelines of relevant United Nations
agencies, programmes and funds, the Global Environment Facility and international
financial and trade institutions, within their mandates, while stressing that their
activities should take full account of national programmes and priorities, particularlythose of developing countries, as well as, where appropriate, countries with
economies in transition, to achieve sustainable development;
(b) Strengthen collaboration within and between the United Nations system, international
financial institutions, the Global Environment Facility and the World Trade
Organization, utilizing the United Nations System Chief Executives Board forCoordination, the United Nations Development Group, the Environment Management
Group and other inter-agency coordinating bodies. Strengthened inter-agency
collaboration should be pursued in all relevant contexts, with special emphasis on the
operational level, involving partnership arrangements on specific issues to support, in
particular, the efforts of developing countries in implementing Agenda 21;
(c) Strengthen and better integrate the three dimensions of sustainable development
policies and programmes and promote the full integration of sustainable development
objectives into programmes and policies of bodies that have a primary focus on social
issues. In particular, the social dimension of sustainable development should be
strengthened, inter alia, by emphasizing follow-up to the outcomes of the World
Summit for Social Development and its five-year review, and taking into account
their reports, and by support to social protection systems;
(d) Fully implement the outcomes of the decision on international environmental
governance adopted by the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment
Programme at its seventh special session
46 and invite the General Assembly at its
fifty-seventh session to consider the important but complex issue of establishing
universal membership for the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment
Forum;
                                                     
46 UNEP/GCSS.VII/6, annex I.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(e) Engage actively and constructively in ensuring the timely completion of the
negotiations on a comprehensive United Nations convention against corruption,
including the question of repatriation of funds illicitly acquired to countries of origin;
(f) Promote corporate responsibility and accountability and the exchange of best
practices in the context of sustainable development, including, as appropriate, through
multi-stakeholder dialogue, such as through the Commission on Sustainable
Development, and other initiatives;
(g) Take concrete action to implement the Monterrey Consensus at all levels.
141. Good governance at the international level is fundamental for achieving sustainable
development. In order to ensure a dynamic and enabling international economic environment, it is
important to promote global economic governance through addressing the international finance, trade,technology and investment patterns that have an impact on the development prospects of developing
countries. To this effect, the international community should take all necessary and appropriate
measures, including ensuring support for structural and macroeconomic reform, a comprehensive
solution to the external debt problem and increasing market access for developing countries. Efforts to
reform the international financial architecture need to be sustained with greater transparency and theeffective participation of developing countries in decision-making processes. A universal, rules-based,
open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system, as well as meaningful trade
liberalization, can substantially stimulate development worldwide, benefiting countries at all stages of
development.
142. A vibrant and effective United Nations system is fundamental to the promotion of
international cooperation for sustainable developmen t and to a global economic system that works for
all. To this effect, a firm commitment to the ideals of the United Nations, the principles of
international law and those enshrined in the Charter of  the United Nations, as well as to strengthening
the United Nations system and other multilateral institutions and promoting the improvement of their
operations, is essential. States should also fulfil their commitment to negotiate and finalize as soon aspossible a United Nations convention against corruption in all its aspects, including the question of
repatriation of funds illicitly acquired to countries of origin and also to promoting stronger
cooperation to eliminate money laundering.
C. R
OLE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
143. The General Assembly of the United Nations should adopt sustainable development as a key
element of the overarching framework for United Nations activities, particularly for achieving the
internationally agreed development goals, includin g those contained in the Millennium Declaration,
and should give overall political direction to the implementation of Agenda 21 and its review.
D. ROLE OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
144. Pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the provisions of
Agenda 21 regarding the Economic and Social Council and General Assembly resolutions 48/162 and
50/227, which reaffirmed the Council as the centr al mechanism for the coordination of the United
Nations system and its specialized agencies and supervision of subsidiary bodies, in particular its
functional commissions, and to promote the implementation of Agenda 21 by strengthening system-
wide coordination, the Council should:
(a) Increase its role in overseeing system-wide coordination and the balanced integration
of economic, social and environmental aspects of United Nations policies andprogrammes aimed at promoting sustainable development;WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(b) Organize periodic consideration of sustaina ble development themes in regard to the
implementation of Agenda 21, including the means of implementation.
Recommendations in regard to such themes could be made by the Commission on
Sustainable Development;
(c) Make full use of its high-level, coordination, operational activities and the general
segments to effectively take into account all relevant aspects of the work of the
United Nations on sustainable development. In this context, the Council should
encourage the active participation of major groups in its high-level segment and the
work of its relevant functional commissions, in accordance with the respective rules
of procedure;
(d) Promote greater coordination, complementarity, effectiveness and efficiency of
activities of its functional commissions and other subsidiary bodies that are relevant
to the implementation of Agenda 21;
(e) Terminate the work of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for
Development and transfer its work to th e Commission on Sustainable Development;
(f) Ensure that there is a close link between the role of the Counc il in the follow-up to
the Summit and its role in the follow-up to the Monterrey Consensus, in a sustained
and coordinated manner. To that end, the Council should explore ways to develop
arrangements relating to its meetings with the Bretton Woods institutions and the
World Trade Organization, as set out in the Monterrey Consensus;
(g) Intensify its efforts to ensure that gender mainstreaming is an integral part of its
activities concerning the coordinated implementation of Agenda 21.
E. ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
145. The Commission on Sustainable Development should continue to be the high-level
commission on sustainable development within the United Nations system and serve as a forum for
consideration of issues related to integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development.Although the role, functions and mandate of the Commission as set out in relevant parts of Agenda 21
and adopted in General Assembly resolution 47/191 continue to be relevant, the Commission needs to
be strengthened, taking into account the role of relevant institutions and organizations. An enhanced
role of the Commission should include reviewing a nd monitoring progress in the implementation of
Agenda 21 and fostering coherence of implementation, initiatives and partnerships.
146. Within that context, the Commission should place more emphasis on actions that enable
implementation at all levels, including promoting and facilitating partnerships involvingGovernments, international organizations and relevant stakeholders for the implementation of
Agenda 21.
147. The Commission should:
(a) Review and evaluate progress and promote further implementation of Agenda 21;
(b) Focus on the cross-sectoral aspects of specific sectoral issues and provide a forum for
better integration of policies, including through interaction among Ministers dealing
with the various dimensions and sectors of sustainable development through the high-
level segments;WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(c) Address new challenges and opportunities related to the implementation of Agenda
21;
(d) Focus on actions related to implementation of Agenda 21, limiting negotiations in the
sessions of the Commission to every two years;
(e) Limit the number of themes addressed in each session.
148. In relation to its role in facilitating implementation, the Commission should emphasize the
following:
(a) Review progress and promote the further implementation of Agenda 21. In this
context, the Commission should identify constraints on implementation and make
recommendations to overcome those constraints;
(b) Serve as a focal point for the discussion of partnerships that promote sustainable
development, including sharing lessons learned, progress made and best practices;
(c) Review issues related to financial assistance and transfer of technology for
sustainable development, as well as capacity-building, while making full use of
existing information. In this regard, the Commission on Sustainable Development
could give consideration to more effective use of national reports and regionalexperience and to this end make appropriate recommendations;
(d) Provide a forum for analysis and exchange of experience on measures that assist
sustainable development planning, decision-making and the implementation of
sustainable development strategies. In this regard, the Commission could give
consideration to more effective use of national and regional reports;
(e) Take into account significant legal developments in the field of sustainable
development, with due regard to the role of relevant intergovernmental bodies in
promoting the implementation of Agenda 21 relating to international legal
instruments and mechanisms.
149. With regard to the practical modalities and programme of work of the Commission, specific
decisions on those issues should be taken by the Commission at its next session, when the
Commission’s thematic work programme will be elaborated. In particular, the following issues should
be considered:
(a) Giving a balanced consideration to implementation of all of the mandates of the
Commission contained in General Assembly resolution 47/191;
(b) Continuing to provide for more direct and substantive involvement of international
organizations and major groups in the work of the Commission;
(c) Give greater consideration to the scientific contributions to sustainable development
through, for example, drawing on the scientific community and encouraging national,
regional and international scientific networks to be involved in the Commission;
(d) Furthering the contribution of educators to sustainable development, including, where
appropriate, in the activities of the Commission;
(e) The scheduling and duration of intersessional meetings.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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150. Undertake further measures to promote best practices and lessons learned in sustainable
development, and in addition promote the use of  contemporary methods of data collection and
dissemination, including broader use of information technologies.
F. ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
151. Stress the need for international institutions  both within and outside the United Nations
system, including international financial institutions, the World Trade Organization and the Global
Environment Facility, to enhance, within their mandates, their cooperative efforts to:
(a) Promote effective and collective support to the implementation of Agenda 21 at all
levels;
(b) Enhance the effectiveness and coordination of international institutions to implement
Agenda 21, the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, relevantsustainable development aspects of the Millennium Declaration, the Monterrey
Consensus and the outcome of the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade
Organization, held in Doha in November 2001.
152. Request the Secretary-General of the United Nations, utilizing the United Nations System
Chief Executives Board for Coordination, including through informal collaborative efforts, to furtherpromote system-wide inter-agency cooperation and coordination on sustainable development, to take
appropriate measures to facilitate exchange of information, and to continue to keep the Economic and
Social Council and the Commission informed of actions being taken to implement Agenda 21.
153. Significantly strengthen support for the capacity-building programmes of the United Nations
Development Programme for sustainable developmen t, building on the experience gained from the
Capacity 21 programme, as important mechanisms for supporting local and national development
capacity-building efforts, in particular in developing countries.
154. Strengthen cooperation between the United Nations Environment Programme and other
United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade
Organization, within their mandates.
155. The United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Centre for Human
Settlements, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development, within their mandates, should strengthen their contribution to sustainable
development programmes and the implementation of Agenda 21 at all levels, particularly in the area
of promoting capacity-building.
156. To promote effective implementation of Agenda 21 at the international level, the following
should also be undertaken:
(a) Streamline the international sustainable development meeting calendar and, as
appropriate, reduce the number of meetings, the length of meetings and the amount of
time spent on negotiated outcomes in favour of more time spent on practical matters
related to implementation;
(b) Encourage partnership initiatives for implementation by all relevant actors to support
the outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. In this context,
further development of partnerships and partnership follow-up should take note of the
preparatory work for the Summit;WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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(c) Make full use of developments in the field of information and communication
technologies.
157. Strengthening of the international institutiona l framework for sustainable development is an
evolutionary process. It is necessary to keep relevant arrangements under review; identify gaps;eliminate duplication of functions; and continue to strive for greater integration, efficiency and
coordination of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development
aiming at the implementation of Agenda 21.
G. S
TRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE
REGIONAL LEVEL
158. Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcome of the Summit should be effectively pursued
at the regional and subregional levels, through the regional commissions and other regional andsubregional institutions and bodies.
159. Intraregional coordination and cooperation on su stainable development should be improved
among the regional commissions, United Nati ons Funds, programmes and agencies, regional
development banks and other regional and subregional institutions and bodies. This should include, as
appropriate, support for development, enhancement and implementation of agreed regionalsustainable development strategies and action plans, reflecting national and regional priorities.
160. In particular, taking into account relevant provisions of Agenda 21, the regional commissions,
in collaboration with other regional and subregional bodies, should:
(a) Promote the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development into their
work in a balanced way, including through implementation of Agenda 21. To thisend, the regional commissions should enhance their capacity through internal action
and be provided, as appropriate, with external support;
(b) Facilitate and promote a balanced integration of the economic, social and
environmental dimensions of sustainable development into the work of regional,
subregional and other bodies, for example by facilitating and strengthening theexchange of experiences, including national experience, best practices, case studies
and partnership experience related to the implementation of Agenda 21;
(c) Assist in the mobilization of technical and financial assistance, and facilitate the
provision of adequate financing for the implementation of regionally and
subregionally agreed sustainable development programmes and projects, including
addressing the objective of poverty eradication;
(d) Continue to promote multi-stakeholder participation and encourage partnerships to
support the implementation of Agenda 21 at the regional and subregional levels.
161. Regionally and subregionally agreed sustainable development initiatives and programmes,
such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the interregional aspects of the
globally agreed Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States, should be supported.WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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H. STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL
162. States should:
(a) Continue to promote coherent and coordina ted approaches to institutional frameworks
for sustainable development at all national levels, including through, as appropriate,
the establishment or strengthening of existing authorities and mechanisms necessary
for policy-making, coordination and implementation and enforcement of laws;
(b) Take immediate steps to make progress in the formulation and elaboration of national
strategies for sustainable development and begin their implementation by 2005. To
this end, as appropriate, strategies should be supported through international
cooperation, taking into account the special needs of developing countries, inparticular the least developed countries. Such strategies, which, where applicable,
could be formulated as poverty reduction strategies that integrate economic, social
and environmental aspects of sustainable development, should be pursued in
accordance with each country’s national priorities.
163. Each country has the primary responsibility for its own sustainable development, and the role
of national policies and development strategies cannot be overemphasized. All countries should
promote sustainable development at the national level by, inter alia, enacting and enforcing clear and
effective laws that support sustainable development. All countries should strengthen governmental
institutions, including by providing necessary infrastructure and by promoting transparency,
accountability and fair administrative and judicial institutions.
164. All countries should also promote public participation, including through measures that
provide access to information regarding legislation, regulations, activities, policies and programmes.
They should also foster full public participatio n in sustainable development policy formulation and
implementation. Women should be able to participate fully and equally in policy formulation and
decision-making.
*   *   *
165. Further promote the establishment or enhancement of sustainable development councils
and/or coordination structures at the national level, including at the local level, in order to provide a
high-level focus on sustainable development policies. In that context, multi-stakeholder participation
should be promoted.
166. Support efforts by all countries, particularly developing countries, as well as countries with
economies in transition, to enhance national institutional arrangements for sustainable development,
including at the local level. That could include prom oting cross-sectoral approaches in the formulation
of strategies and plans for sustainable development, such as, where applicable, poverty reduction
strategies, aid coordination, encouraging participatory approaches and enhancing policy analysis,
management capacity and implementation capacity, including mainstreaming a gender perspective inall those activities.
167. Enhance the role and capacity of local authorities as well as stakeholders in implementing
Agenda 21 and the outcome of the Summit and in strengthening the continuing support for local
Agenda 21 programmes and associated initiatives and partnerships and encourage, in particular,WT/COMTD/W/106/Rev.1
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partnerships among and between local authorities and other levels of government and stakeholders to
advance sustainable development as called for in, inter alia, the Habitat Agenda.47
I. PARTICIPATION OF MAJOR GROUPS
168. Enhance partnerships between governmental and non-governmental actors, including all
major groups, as well as volunteer groups, on programmes and activities for the achievement of
sustainable development at all levels.
169. Acknowledge the consideration being given to the possible relationship between environment
and human rights, including the right to development, with full and transparent participation of
Member States of the United Nations and observer States.
170. Promote and support youth participation in programmes and activities relating to sustainable
development through, for example, supporting local youth councils or their equivalent, and byencouraging their establishment where they do not exist.
__________
                                                     
47 A/CONF.165/14, chap. I, resolution 1, annex II.