WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/W/106
WT/CTE/W/220
7 October 2002
(02-5380)
Committee on Trade and Development
Committee on Trade and Environment
WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Note by the Secretariat
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 to
sustainable 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 the advanced
unedited copy of the WSSD Plan of Implementation are circulated to Members for information.1
                                                     
1 Additional information is also available on the WSSD website at
http://www.johannesburgsummit.org.WT/COMTD/W/106
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4 September 2002
The 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, Sout h Africa from 2-4 September 2002, reaffirm our
commitment to sustainable development.
2. We commit ourselves to build a humane, equitabl e 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 ouractions 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 movedby 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 local, national, regional and global levels.
6. From this Continent, the Cradle of Humanity we declare, through the Plan of Implementation
and this Declaration, our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life and to our
children.
7. Recognizing that humankind is at a crossroad, 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 that should
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.  Ten years ago, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, we agreed that the protection of the environment, and social and
economic development are fundamental to sustainable development, based on the Rio Principles.  To
achieve such development, we adopted the global programme, Agenda 21, and the Rio Declaration, to
which we reaffirm our commitment.  The Rio Summit was a significant milestone that set a newagenda for sustainable development.
9. Between Rio and Johannesburg the world’s nations met in several major conferences under
the guidance of the United Nations, including the Monterrey Conference on Finance for Development,
as well as the Doha Ministerial Conference.  These conferences defined for the world acomprehensive vision for the future of humanity.
10. At the Johannesburg Summit we 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 andWT/COMTD/W/106
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implements the vision of sustainable development.  Johannesburg also confirmed that significant
progress has been made towards achieving a global consensus and partnership amongst all the people
of our planet.
The Challenges we Face
11. We recognize that poverty eradication, changi ng 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 ofclimate 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 of
sustainable 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 and tradition.
18. We welcome the Johannesburg Summit focus on the indivisibility of human dignity and are
resolved through decisions on targets, timetables and partnerships to speedily increase access to basicrequirements such as clean water, sanitation, adequate shelter, energy, health care, food security and
the protection of bio-diversity. At the same time, we will work together to assist one another to have
access to financial resources, benefit from the opening of markets, ensure capacity building, use
modern technology to bring about development, a nd make sure that there is technology transfer,
human resource development, education and training to banish forever underdevelopment.
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.  Among these conditions are:  chronic hunger; malnutrition; foreign occupation; armedWT/COMTD/W/106
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conflicts; illicit drug problems; organized crime; corruption; natural disasters; illicit arms trafficking;
trafficking in persons; 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 ensure that women’s empowerment and emancipation, and gender
equality are integrated in all activities encompassed within Agenda 21, the Millennium Development
Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
21. We recognize the reality that global society has the means and is endowed with the resources
to address the challenges of poverty eradication and sustainable development confronting allhumanity.  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 towards the internationally agreedlevels 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 (N EPAD), to promote regional cooperation, improved
international co-operation and promote 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 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 the
independent, important roles of each of these.
27. We agree that in pursuit of their legitimate activities the private sector, both large and small
companies, have 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 International Labour Organization (ILO) Decl aration of Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work.
29. We agree that there is a need for private sector corporations to enforce corporate
accountability.  This 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 De velopment Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation.
Multilateralism is the Future
31. To achieve our goals of sustainable development, we need more effective, democratic and
accountable international and multilateral institutions.WT/COMTD/W/106
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32. We reaffirm our commitment to the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and
international law as well as the strengthening of multi-lateralism.  We support the leadership role of
the United Nations as the most universal and representative organization in the world, 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 Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and to expedite the
achievement of the time-bound, socio-economic and environmental 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 thatour collective hope for sustainable development is realized.
We express our deepest gratitude to the people and the Government of South Africa for their generous
hospitality and excellent arrangements made for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.WT/COMTD/W/106
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Advance unedited text
5 September 2002
WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
PLAN OF IMPLEMENTATION
I. Introduction
1. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992, provided the fundamental principles and the programme of action for achieving
sustainable development. We strongly reaffirm our commitment to the Rio principles, the full
implementation of Agenda 21 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21. We
also commit ourselves to achieving the internati onally agreed development goals, including those
contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration 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
UNCED and expedite the realization of the remain ing goals. To this end, we commit ourselves to
undertaking concrete actions and measures at all levels and to enhancing international cooperation,
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.
These efforts will also promote the integration of the three components of sustainable development —economic development, social development and environmental protection — as interdependent and
mutually 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 essential requirements 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 the
widely shared goals of sustainable development. As reflected in the Monterrey Consensus, 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, democraticinstitutions responsive to the needs of the people, the rule of law, anti-corruption measures, gender
equality 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
points to the continued need for a dynamic and enabling international economic environmentsupportive 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 achievingsustainable development and ensuring that sustainable development benefits all.
5 bis We acknowledge the importance of ethics for sustainable development, and therefore we
emphasize the need to consider ethics in the implementation of Agenda 21.WT/COMTD/W/106
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II. Poverty eradication
6. 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 responsibili ty for its own sustainable development and poverty
eradication and the role of national policies and development strategies cannot be overemphasized,
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 the year 2015, the proportion of the world’s people whose income is less than
$1 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 the contributions, 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 programmesshould 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, on the basis of equality
with men, in decision-making at all levels, mainstreaming gender perspectives in all policies andstrategies, 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, such measures as training, technical assistance and credit facilities. Recognize that
traditional and direct dependence on renewable resources and ecosystems, including sustainableharvesting, 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 todeveloping countries and countries with economies in transition;
(g) Ensure that children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a
full course of primary schooling and will have equal access to all levels of education;
(h) Provide access to agricultural resources for people living in poverty, especially
women and indigenous communities, and promote, as appropriate, land tenure arrangements thatrecognize and protect indigenous and comm on property resource management systems;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(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 food security;
(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
such measures as improved use of climate and weather information and forecasts, early warning
systems, land and natural resource management, agri cultural practices and ecosystem conservation in
order to reverse current trends and minimize degradation of land and water resources, including
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, 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 development strategies and
poverty reduction strategies where they exist.
7. 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 the year 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;
(f) Develop innovative financing and partnership mechanisms;(g) Integrate sanitation into water resources management strategies.
8. 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 decentralizedenergy 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,WT/COMTD/W/106
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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, in rural
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 impr oved 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 sp ecial 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 energyservices are required to improve the standards of living of their populations and that energy services
have positive impacts on poverty eradication and improve standards of living.
9. 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 International Labour Organization (ILO) Decl aration on Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work;
(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 aprovider 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 livelihood opportunities in
small-scale mining ventures;
(e) Provide support to developing countries for the development of safe low-cost
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(f) Provide support for natural resource management for creating sustainable
livelihoods for the poor.
10. By 2020, achieve a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers,
as proposed in the “Cities without slums” initiativ e. 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 microenterprises 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 informationon housing legislation.
11. Take immediate and effective measures to eliminate the worst forms of child labour as defined
in ILO Convention No. 182, and elaborate and implement strategies for the elimination of child labour
that is contrary to accepted international standards.
12. 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.
III. Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production
13. Fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for
achieving global sustainable development. All countries should promote sustainable consumption and
production 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.
14. 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 and, where appropriate, delinking economic growth and environmental degradation
through improving efficiency and sustainability in the use of resources and production processes, andreducing 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
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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 inprinciple 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 consumerinformation, advertising and other media, taking in to 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. Thesetools should not be used as disguised trade barriers;
(f) Increase eco-efficiency, with financial support from all sources, where mutually
agreed, for capacity-building, technology transf er and exchange of technology with developing
countries and countries with economies in transition, in cooperation with relevant international
organizations.
15. 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-bu ilding to assistenterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and 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 and training programmes
for small and medium-sized companies while avoiding trade-distorting measures inconsistent with
WTO rules;
(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 environmentally sou nd technologies between public and private
institutions;
(d) Provide training programmes to small and medium-sized enterprises on the use of
information and communication technologies.
16. Integrate the issue of production and consumption patterns into sustainable development
policies, programmes and strategies, including, where applicable, into poverty reduction strategies.
17. 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, taking into account such initiatives as theWT/COMTD/W/106
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International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 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.
18. 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:
(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 in terest 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 assist relevant authorities with regard to
the implementation of the initiatives listed in the present paragraph;
(e) Use environmental impact assessment procedures.
*  *  *
19. 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 of the Commission on Sustainable Development
concerning energy for sustainable development adopted 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 di fferentiated 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 technologies according to the
recommendations and conclusions of the Commissi on on Sustainable Development as contained in
section A, paragraph 3, and section D, paragraph 30, of its decision 9/1 on energy for sustainable
development;
(b) Integrate energy considerations, including energy efficiency, affordability and
accessibility, into socio-economic programmes, especially into policies of major energy-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, in cluding cleaner fossil fuel technologies;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(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;
(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 transf er 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 energy 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 regularlyevaluate 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 and venting 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 and local solutions;
(h) Establish domestic programmes for energy efficiency, including, as appropriate,
by accelerating the deployment of energy efficiency technologies, with the necessary support of theinternational 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, in their 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 nationally and 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 energy technologies 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 information for both men and women about
available energy sources and technologies;
(n) Utilize financial instruments and mechanisms, in particular the Global
Environment Facility (GEF), within its mandate, to provide financial 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 national institutions in reliable,WT/COMTD/W/106
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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 de mand, 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) Policies to reduce market distortions 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 out harmful subsidies, where they exist, to
reflect their environmental impacts, with such polici es 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 developingcountries;
(r) Governments are encouraged to improve the functioning of national energy
markets in such a way that they support sustainable development, overcome market barriers and
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 of countries, based on lessons learned by
Governments, international institutions and stakeholders and 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 sustai nable 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 and 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 grids and oil and
natural gas pipelines;
(w) Strengthen and, where appropriate, facilitate dialogue forums among regional,
national and international producers and consumers of energy.
*  *  *
20. 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 toWT/COMTD/W/106
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providing safe, affordable and efficient transportation, increasing energy efficiency, reducing
pollution, reducing congestion, reducing 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, so as to improve the affordability, efficiency and convenience
of transportation, as well as improving urban air quality and health, and reduce greenhouse 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 financial assistance for developing countriesand countries with economies in transition.
*  *  *
21. 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 highest priorities 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-generatingopportunities, 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.
*  *  *
22. Renew the commitment, as advanced in Agenda 21, to sound management of chemicals
throughout their life cycle and of hazardous wastes for sustainable development and for the protection
of human health and the environment, inter alia, aiming to achieve by 2020 that chemicals are used
and produced 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 hazardous wastes byproviding technical and financial assistance. This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Promote the ratification and implementati on of relevant international instruments
on chemicals and hazardous waste, including the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent
Procedures for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pestic ides in International Trade so that it can enter
into force by 2003 and the Stockholm Convention on Pers istent Organic Pollutants 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 Safety (IFCS) by 2005, and urge that th e United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
IFCS, other international organizations dealing with chemical management, and other relevant
international organizations and actors closely cooperate in this regard, as appropriate;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(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 andTheir Disposal;
(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 UNEP globalassessment of mercury and its compounds.
IV. Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development
23. 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 which 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 actions at alllevels to:
24. Launch a programme of actions, with financial and technical assistance, to achieve the
millennium development goal on safe drinking water. In this respect, we agree to halve, by the year
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 capac ity-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 projectimplementation;
(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
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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.
25. 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, and introduce 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 information-based tools, land-use management and 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 needs and balances the
requirement of preserving or restoring ecosystems and their functions, in particular in fragileenvironments, 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 waterscarcity conditions or subject to drought and desertification, through technical and 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 financialassistance and other modalities;
(g) Facilitate the establishment of public-private partnerships and other forms of
partnership that give priority to the needs of the poo r, within stable and transparent national regulatory
frameworks provided by Governments, while respec ting local conditions, involving all concerned
stakeholders, and monitoring the performance and improving accountability of public institutions and
private companies.
26. 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.
27. 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 the transfer of technology, as mutually agreed, including
remote-sensing and satellite technologies, particularly to developing countries and countries with
economies in transition.
28. 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 theUnited Nations and international financial institutions, drawing on the contributions of other
international institutions and civil society to inform intergovernmental decision-making; closerWT/COMTD/W/106
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coordination should also be promoted to elaborate and support proposals and undertake activities
related to the International Year of Freshwater 2003 and beyond.
*  *  *
29. 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:
(a) Invite States to ratify or accede to and implement the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea, which 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, coast al 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 Ecosystem and decision 5/6 of theConference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity;
(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 UNEP regional seas programmes, 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 ma nagement plans, including through 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.
30. 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 depl eted stocks on an urgent basis and where possible
not later than 2015;
(b) Ratify or accede to and effectively implement the relevant United Nations and,
where appropriate, associated regional fisheries agreements or arrangements, noting in particular theAgreement for the Implementation of the Provisions  of the United Nations Convention on the Law of
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and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks  and the 1993 Agreement to Promote Compliance with International
Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas;
(c) Implement the 1995 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, taking note of the
special requirements of developing countries as noted in its article 5, and the relevant Food andAgriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) international plans of action and technical
guidelines;
(d) Urgently develop and implement national and, where appropriate, regional plans
of action, to put into effect the F AO international plans of action, in particular the international plan of
action for the management of fishing capacity by 2005 and the international plan of action to prevent,
deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by 2004. Establish effective
monitoring, reporting and enforcement, and control of fishing vessels, including by flag States, tofurther 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 the special
requirements of developing States when addressing the issue of the allocation of share of fisheryresources 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 Conservation and 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 WTO 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;
(h) Support the sustainable development of aquaculture, including small-scale
aquaculture, given its growing importance for food security and economic development.
31. 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 biodiversity 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 onBiological Diversity, including through the ur gent mobilization of financial resources and
technological assistance and the development of human and institutional 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 marineprotected areas consistent with international law and based on scientific information, including
representative networks by 2012 and time/area closures 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;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(d) Develop national, regional and international programmes for halting the loss of
marine biodiversity, including in coral reefs and wetlands;
(e) Implement the RAMSAR Convention, in cluding its joint work programme with
the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the programme of action called for by the InternationalCoral Reef Initiative to strengthen joint manageme nt plans and international networking for wetland
ecosystems in coastal zones, including coral reefs, mangroves, seaweed beds and tidal mud flats.
32. Advance implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine
Environment from Land-based Activities and the Montreal Declaration on the Protection of the
Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, with particular emphasis in the period 2002-2006 on
municipal wastewater, the physical alteration and destruction of habitats, and nutrients, 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;
(b) Strengthen the capacity of developing countries in the development of their
national and regional programmes and mechanisms to mainstream the objectives of the GlobalProgramme 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 which
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.
33. 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 Internatio nal Maritime Organization (IMO) 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 of toxic anti-fouling paints and urge IMO to
consider stronger mechanisms to secure the implementation of IMO instruments by flag States;
(b) Accelerate the development of measures to address invasive alien species in ballast
water. Urge IMO to finalize the IMO International Convention on the Control and Management of
Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments.
33.bis 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 (IAEA) and taking into account the very serious potential for environment and human
health impacts 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, inter
alia, arrangements for prior notification and consultations done in accordance with relevant
international instruments.
34. 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
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resources and expanding ocean-observing capabilities for the timely 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 currentand foreseeable, building on existing regional assessments;
(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-living resources;
(d) Strengthen the ability of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cu ltural Organization, FAO 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.
* * *
35. An integrated, multi-hazard, inclusive approach to address vulnerability, risk assessment and
disaster management, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, is anessential 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-use planning, 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 co mmunity-based disaster management planning by
local authorities, including through training activities and raising public awareness;
(g) Support the ongoing voluntary contribution of, as appropriate, non-governmental
organizations, the scientific community and other partners in the management of natural disastersaccording to agreed, relevant guidelines;
(h) Develop and strengthen early warning systems and information networks in
disaster management, consistent with the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction;
(i) Develop and strengthen capacity at all levels to collect and disseminate scientific
and technical information, including the improvement of early warning systems for predicting extremeweather events, especially El Niño/La Niña, through th e provision of assistance to institutions devotedWT/COMTD/W/106
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to addressing such events, including the Inte rnational 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 theenvironment in order to enhance the capabilities of affected countries to cope with such situations.
* * *
36. 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 least
developed 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 th e centre of global attention. The United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change is the key instrument for addressing climate change, a
global concern, and we reaffirm our commitment to achieving its ultimate objective of stabilization of
greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous
anthropogenic interference with the climate system, within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems
to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enableeconomic development to proceed in a sustainable manner, in accordance with our common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Recalling the United Nations Millennium
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,
preferably by the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Environment andDevelopment 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 not already done so to ratify
the Kyoto Protocol in a timely manner. Actions at all levels are required to:
  Meet all the commitments and obligations under the UNFCCC;
  Work cooperatively towards achieving the objectives of the UNFCCC;  Provide technical and financial assistance and capacity building to developing countries and
countries with economies in transition in accordance with commitments under the UNFCCC,
including the Marrakech accords;
  Build and enhance scientific and technological capabilities, inter alia through continuing support to
the IPCC for the exchange of scientific data and information especially in developing countries;
  Develop and transfer technological solutions;
  Develop and disseminate innovative technologies in respect of key sectors of development,particularly energy, and of investment in this regard, including through private sector involvement,
market-oriented approaches, as well as supportive public policies and international cooperation;
  Promote the systematic observation of the Ea rth’s atmosphere, land and oceans by improving
monitoring stations, increasing the use of satellites, and appropriate integration of these observations
to produce high-quality data that could be disseminated for the use of all countries, in particulardeveloping countries;
  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 organisations, especially the United Nations
specialized agencies in cooperation with the UNFCCC;  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.
37. 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, inter alia, the principle that, in view of the different contributions to globalWT/COMTD/W/106
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environmental degradation, States have common but diff erentiated 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, andprovide 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 2003/2005;
(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.
*  *  *
38. 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 of
women 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 anenvironmentally sustainable way. This would include actions at all levels to:
(a) Achieve the Millennium Declaration target to halve by the year 2015 the
proportion of the world’s people who suffer from hung er 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 with measures 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;
(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 cap acity of Governments, local authorities and
communities to monitor and manage the quantity and quality of land and water resources;
(c) Increase understanding of the sustainabl e 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 financial assistance;
(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 trigg er farmer-to-farmerexchange on good practices, such as those related to environmentally sound, low-cost technologies,
with the assistance of relevant international organizations;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(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 existence of 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 in transition to strengthenagricultural 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-scale
irrigation 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;
(r) Promote the conservation, and sustainable use and management of traditional and
indigenous agricultural systems and strengthen indigenous models of agricultural production.
*  *  *
39. Strengthen the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in
Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa, to
address causes of desertification and land degradation in order to maintain and restore land, and to
address 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 continueWT/COMTD/W/106
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exploring and enhancing synergies, with due regard  to their respective mandates, in the elaboration
and implementation of plans and strategies under the respective Conventions;
(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 forestmanagement, agriculture, rural development, early warning systems, environment, energy, natural
resources, health and education, and poverty eradication and 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 successfulimplementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification; 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, whil e 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.
*  *  *
40. 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 inequities facing 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 sensitivity of 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;
(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 intransition, and address the poverty among people living in 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.WT/COMTD/W/106
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*  *  *
41. 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 Year
for Cultural Heritage in 2002, the World Eco-tourism Summit 2002 and its Quebec Declaration, andthe 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 and
capacity-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 and 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 andcultural 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 localenterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.
*  *  *
42. 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 three
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 technicalresources 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;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(c) Encourage effective synergies between the Convention and other multilateral
environmental agreements, inter alia, through the development of joint plans and programmes, with
due regard to their respective mandates, regarding common responsibilities and concerns;
(d) Implement the Convention and its prov isions, 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 their integration into
relevant cross-sectoral strategies, programmes and policies, including 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 theapproval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices, develop and
implement benefit-sharing mechanisms on mutually  agreed terms for the use of such knowledge,
innovations and practices;
(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, 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 thei r 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 on the Bonn Guidelines
on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising out of their
Utilization of the Convention, as an input to assi st Parties to the Convention when developing and
drafting legislative, administrative or policy measures on access and benefit-sharing, and 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;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(p) Encourage successful conclusion of existing processes under the World
Intellectual Property Organization Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic
Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore, 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 cooperation on 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 mu tual supportiveness, taking into account
the decisions under the relevant agreements, promote the discussions, without prejudging theiroutcome, with regard to the relationships be tween the Convention and agreements related to
international trade and intellectual property rights, as outlined in the Doha Ministerial Declaration;
(s) Promote the implementation of the programme of work of the Global Taxonomy
Initiative;
(t) Invite all States which have not already done so to ratify the Convention, the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and other biodiversity-related agreements, and invite those that have
done so, to promote their effective implementation at the national, regional and international levels
and to support developing countries and countries with economies in transition technically and
financially in this regard.
*  *  *
43. 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 and is a critical means to eradicate poverty, significantly reduce deforestation
and halt the loss of forest biodiversity and land and resource degradation, and improve food security
and access to safe drinking water and affordable energy; highlights the multiple benefits of bothnatural and planted forests and trees; and contributes to the well-being of the planet and humanity.
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 linkagesbetween 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 to facilitate 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 of the
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 environmentally sound technologies, and thereby
address unsustainable timber-harvesting practices;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(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, forest law enforcement and go vernance at all levels, and integrated land and
resource management to implement sustainable forest management, including the Intergovernmental
Panel on Forests (IPF)/Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) proposals for action;
(g) Accelerate implementation of the IPF/IFF proposals for action by countries and by
the Collaborative Partnership 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 Convention on Biologic al Diversity’s expanded action-oriented
work programme on all types of forest biological diversity, in close cooperation with the Forum,
Partnership members and other forest-related processes and conventions, with the involvement of allrelevant stakeholders.
*  *  *
44. 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, minerals
and 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 miningand minerals 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 into account 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 forthe mining and processing of minerals, including small-scale mining, and, where possible and
appropriate, improve value-added processing, upgrade scientific and technological information, and
reclaim and rehabilitate degraded sites.WT/COMTD/W/106
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V. Sustainable development in a globalizing world *
45. Globalization offers opportunities and challenges for sustainable development. We recognize
that globalization and interdependence are offering new opportunities to trade, investment and capitalflows 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, and 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 respond effectively
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 theDoha Ministerial Declaration and the implementa tion of the Monterrey 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 and competitiveness, community-based entrepreneurialcapacity, and transportation and communication infrastructure development;
(d) Support the International Labour Organization and encourage its ongoing work on
the social dimension of globalization, as stated 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 to take advantage of existing and future
market access opportunities, and to examine the relationship between trade, environment and
development.
45.bis Implement the outcomes of the Doha Mini sterial Conference by WTO members, further
strengthen trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building, and ensure the meaningful,
effective and full participation of developing countries in multilateral trade negotiations by placing
their needs and interests at the heart of the WTO work programme.
45.ter 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 appropriate national
regulations, and support continuous improvement in corporate practices in all countries.
                                                     
*   Because the structure of chapter V was changed in the course of negotiations so that its paragraph numbering no
longer corresponds to the earlier version contained in document A/CONF.199/L.1, Latin ordinal numbers (bis, ter etc.)
are used after paragraph 45 until the end of the chapter in order not to disrupt the paragraph numbering of subsequent
chapters which were not so changed.WT/COMTD/W/106
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45.quater 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.
45.quinquies 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.
45.sexties Assist developing countries and countries with 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.
VI. Health and sustainable development
46. 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 sustai nable development can only be achieved in the
absence 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.
47. 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, andto reduce environmental health threats, in confor mity with human rights and fundamental freedoms
and consistent with national laws and cultural and religious values, 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, includi ng health information
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 the year 2015, mortality rates
for infants and children under 5 by two thirds, and maternal mortality rates by three quarters, of theWT/COMTD/W/106
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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;
(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, whilepromoting effective protection of traditional knowledg e, as appropriate, 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 their
healthy lives, including their reproductive and sexua l health, consistent with the commitments and
outcomes of recent United Nations conferences and summits, including the World Summit for
Children, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the International
Conference of Population and Development, th e 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 effective national and regional
policy responses to environmental threats to human health;
(l) Transfer and disseminate, on mutually agreed terms, including through public-
private multisector partnerships, technologies for safe water, sanitation and waste management forrural and urban areas in developing countries and countries with economies in transition, with
international financial support, taking into account country-specific conditions and gender equality
including specific technology needs of women;
(m) Strengthen and promote ILO and Worl d Health Organization (WHO) programmes
to reduce occupational deaths, injuries and illnesses, and link occupational health with public health
promotion as a means of promoting public health 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 as cardiovascular 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.
48. Implement, within the agreed time frames, all commitments agreed in the Declaration of
Commitment on HIV/AIDS 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 15-24
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:WT/COMTD/W/106
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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 ILO code of practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of
work, 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, tuberculosis, directedat biomedical and health research, as well as new vaccine and drug development.
49. 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 providing affordable energy to rural
communities, particularly to reduce dependence on traditional fuel sources for cooking and heating,which affect the health of women and children.
50. Phase out lead in lead-based paints and other sources of human exposure, work to prevent, in
particular, children’s exposure to lead, and strengthen monitoring and surveillance efforts and the
treatment of lead poisoning.
[Paragraph 51 is deleted ]
VII. Sustainable development of small island developing States
52. Small island developing States are a special case both for environment and development.
Although they continue to take the lead in the path  towards sustainable development in their countries,
they are increasingly constrained by the interplay of adverse factors clearly underlined in Agenda 21,
the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Devel opment of Small Island Developing States and the
decisions adopted at the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly. This would includeactions at all levels to:
(a) Accelerate national and regional implementation of the Programme of Action, with
adequate financial resources, including through GEF focal areas, transfer of environmentally sound
technologies and assistance for capacity- building from the international community;
(b) Further implement 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 a nd Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks
in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(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 relevant regional management initiatives withinthe context of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the UNEP regional seas
programmes;
(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 deve loping States, including through the GEF focal
areas;
(e) Effectively reduce, prevent and control waste and pollution and their health-related
impacts by undertaking by 2004 initiatives aimed at implementing the Global Programme of Action
for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities in small island developing
States;
(f) Work to ensure that, in the ongoing negotiations and elaboration of the WTO 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;
(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 organizations of small island developing States for
comprehensive hazard and risk management, disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness, andhelp 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 island developing 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 FrameworkConvention on Climate Changes, where applicable;
(k) Support efforts by small island developing States to build capacities and
institutional arrangements to implement intellectual property regimes;
53. 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 developing States for
training, technical know-how and strengthening national institutions in the area of energy
management;WT/COMTD/W/106
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54. Provide support to SIDS 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-communicablediseases, 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.
55. Undertake a full and comprehensive review  of the implementation of the Barbados
Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States in 2004, in
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.
VIII. Sustainable development for Africa
56. 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 sustainabledevelopment have been hindered by conflicts, insufficient investment, limited market access
opportunities and supply side constraints, unsustainable debt burdens, historically declining ODA
levels and the impact of HIV/AIDS. The World Summit on Sustainable Development should
reinvigorate the commitment of the international co mmunity 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 by African 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 for sustainable development on the
continent to be shared by all Africa’s people. The international community welcomes NEPAD andpledges 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 embody poverty 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 prevention of 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
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levels, consistent with national policies, programmes and nationally owned and led strategies for
poverty reduction and sustainable 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 to develop 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 fully support the
achievement of internationally agreed development goals related to education, including thosecontained in the Millennium Declaration on ensuring that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and
girls alike, will be able to complete a full 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 the development of keyinfrastructure, 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 increased market 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 andimplement multilateral environment agreements;
(i) Develop projects, programmes and partners hips 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 centof 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 adequate resources for their adaptation
needs relating to the adverse effects of climate ch ange, extreme weather events, sea level rise and
climate variability, and assist in developing national climate change strategies 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
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(m) Further to paragraph 40 above, address the poverty affecting mountain
communities in Africa;
(n) Provide financial and technical support for afforestation and reforestation in Africa
and to build capacity for sustainable forest management, including combating deforestation andmeasures to improve the policy and legal framework of the forest sector.
57. 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.
58. Mobilize financial and other support to develop and strengthen health systems that aim at:
(a) Promoting equitable access to health-care services;
(b) Making 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) Building capacity of medical and paramedical personnel;
(d) Promoting indigenous medical knowledge, as appropriate, including traditional
medicine;
(e) Researching and controlling the Ebola disease.
59. 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 andsettling refugees.
60. 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 andWT/COMTD/W/106
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private investment in water supply and sanitation th at 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 to deliver
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, as well as
arrangements for water resource management;
(d) Protect water resources, including groundwater and wetland ecosystems, against
pollution, as well as, in cases of 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.
61. 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 toregenerate 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 and clarify resource rights and responsibilities, through land and tenure reform processes which
respect the rule of law and are enshrined in national law, and to provide access to credit to all,
especially to women, and that enable economic and social empowerment and poverty eradication as
well as efficient and ecologically sound utilization of land, and 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 WTO negotiations and also within the framework
of preferential agreements;
(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.
62. 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 andestablishing chemical focal points.
63. Bridge the digital divide and create digital opportunity in terms of access infrastructure and
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environment to attract investments, accelerate existing and new programmes and projects to 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.
64. 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, eco-tourism and cultural
tourism;
(b) Establishing and supporting national and cross-border conservation areas to
promote ecosystem conservation according to the ecosystem approach, and to promote sustainable
tourism;
(c) Respecting local traditions and cultures and promoting the use of indigenous
knowledge in natural resource management and eco-tourism;
(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.
65. 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 United Nations Human Settlements Programme/UNEPmanaging water for African cities programme.
VIII.bis Other regional initiatives
66. 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, and calls for actions at all levels
for their further development, while encouraging interregional, intraregional and internationalcooperation in this respect, and expresses its support for their further development and implementation
by the countries of the regions.
Sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean
67. 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, 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 concreteactions in different areas of sustainable development, such as biodiversity, water resources,WT/COMTD/W/106
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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.
68. 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. Being a framework for
cooperation, the Initiative is open to partnerships with governments and all major groups.
Sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific
69. Bearing in mind the target of halving the number of people who live in poverty by the year
2015, as provided in the Millennium Declaration, the Phnom Penh Regional Platform on Sustainable
Development for Asia and the Pacific 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, sustainable
development in the region is critical to achieving sustainable development at the global level.
70. The Regional Platform identified seven initiati ves 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.
Sustainable development in the West Asia region
71. 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.
72. The regional preparatory meeting endorsed the following priorities: poverty alleviation, relief
of debt burden; and sustainable management of natural resources, including, inter alia, integrated
water resources management, implementation of programmes to combat desertification, integratedcoastal zone management, and land and water pollution control.
Sustainable development in the Economic Commission for Europe region
73. The Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) 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 way, the region identified its priority
actions for the ECE region for sustainable development in paragraphs 32-46 of a ministerial statement.WT/COMTD/W/106
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74. In furtherance of the region’s commitment to sustainable development, there are ongoing
efforts at the regional, subregional and transregional levels, including, inter alia, the Environment for
Europe process; the fifth ECE ministerial conference, to be held in Kiev in May 2003; the
development of an environmental strategy for the 12 countries of Eastern Europe; the Caucasus andCentral Asia; the  Central Asian Agenda 21; OECD work on sustainable development, the EU
sustainable development strategy; and regional and subregional conventions and processes relevant to
sustainable development, including, inter alia, the Aarhus Convention, the Alpine Convention, the
North American Commission on Environmental Cooper ation, the Boundary Waters Treaty, the Iqaluit
Declaration of the Arctic Council, the Baltic Agenda 21 and the Mediterranean Agenda 21.
IX. Means of implementation *
75. 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 of
the international community, based on the recognition that each country has primary responsibility forits 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 environmentaldegradation, States have common but differentiated 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 mutually
agreed, 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, 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 WTOMinisterial Conference, including building on them as part of a process of achieving sustainable
development.
76. 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 social
                                                     
*   Because the structure of chapter IX was changed in the course of negotiations, so that its paragraph numbering no
longer  corresponds to the earlier version contained in document A/CONF.199/L.1, Latin ordinal numbers (bis, ter etc.)
are used after paragraph 119 until the end of the chapter in order not to disrupt the paragraph numbering of the
following chapter, which was not so changed.WT/COMTD/W/106
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conditions 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.
77. 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 publicand private, sustaining adequate levels of productive investment and increasing human capacity. A
crucial 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.
78. Facilitate greater flows of foreign direct investment 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, with
particular actions to:
(a) Create the necessary domestic and international conditions to facilitate significant
increases in the flow of FDI to developing countrie s, in particular the least developed countries, which
is critical to sustainable development, particularly  FDI 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;
79. Recognize that a substantial increase in ODA and other resources will be required if
developing countries are to achieve the internationally agreed development goals and objectives,
including those contained in the Millennium Declaration. To build support for ODA, 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 ODA commitments announced by several developed
countries at the International Conference on Financing for Development. Urge the developed countries
that have not done so to make concrete efforts towards the target of 0.7 per cent of GNP as ODA to
developing countries, and effectively implement their commitment on ODA to the least developed
countries as contained in paragraph 83 of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries
for the Decade 2001-2010. We also encourage developing countries to build on progress achieved in
ensuring that ODA 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 theefforts of all donors, commend those donors whose ODA contributions exceed, reach or are increasing
towards the targets, and underline the importance of undertaking to examine the means and time
frames for achieving the targets and goals;
(b) Encourage recipient and donor countries, as well as international institutions, to
make ODA more efficient and effective for pover ty eradication, sustained economic growth and
sustainable development. In this regard, intensify efforts by the multilateral and bilateral financial and
development institutions, in accordance 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 ODA disbursement and delivery more flexible and more responsive to the needs of
developing countries, taking into account national development needs and objectives under theownership of recipient countries, and to use deve lopment frameworks that are owned and driven by
developing countries and that embody poverty reduction strategies, including poverty reduction
strategy papers, as vehicles for aid delivery, upon request.WT/COMTD/W/106
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80. 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 inclusive 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 the international
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 developingcountries;
(e) Support new and existing public/private sector financing mechanisms for
developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to benefit in particular small
entrepreneurs and small, medium-sized and community-based enterprises and to improve their
infrastructure, while ensuring the transparency and accountability of such mechanisms.
81. Welcome the successful and substantial third replenishment of the GEF, which will enable it
to address the funding requirements of new focal areas and existing ones and continue to be responsive
to the needs and concerns of its recipient countries, in particular developing countries, and further
encourage GEF 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.
82. 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 allocations for development purposes, as set forth in
paragraph 44 of the Monterrey Consensus.
83. 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, debtrelief measures should, where appropriate, be pursued vigorously and expeditiously, including within
the 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 withattaining sustainable growth and development. Therefore, we support paragraphs 47 through 51 of the
Monterrey Consensus dealing with external debt. Debt relief arrangements should seek to avoid
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 reducingnational 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
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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 together in relevant international forums
to restructure unsustainable debt in a timely and efficient manner, t aking 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 countries with 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 ODA resources intended to be available for developing countries.
84. Recognizing the major role that trade can pl ay in achieving sustainable development and in
eradicating poverty, we encourage WTO members to pursue the work programme agreed at the Fourth
WTO Ministerial Conference. In order for developing countries, especially the least developed among
them, to secure their share in the growth of wo rld trade commensurate with the needs of their
economic development, we urge WTO members to take the following 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 of WTO, in
accordance with the Monterrey Consensus;
(b) Support the Doha work programme as an important commitment on the part of
developed and developing countries to mainstream appropriate trade policies in their respectivedevelopment policies and programmes;
(c) Implement substantial trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building
measures and support the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund established after the Fourth
WTO 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 WTO Technical Cooperation for Capacity-
Building, Growth and Integration;
(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 of the Framework, in accordance with the Doha Ministerial
Declaration.
85. 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 countries
regarding the implementation of some WTO agreements and decisions, including the difficulties and
resource constraints faced by them in fulfilling those agreements.
86. Call upon WTO members 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:WT/COMTD/W/106
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(a) Review all special and differential treatment provisions with a view to
strengthening them and making them more precise, effective and operational, in accordance with
paragraph 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 commitm ents, 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
paragraphs 13 and 14 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, aiming at substantial improvements in
market access, reductions of with a view to phasing out all forms of export 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 thenegotiations 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 operationally effective 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 WTO members and confirm that non-trade concerns will be taken into accountin the negotiations as provided for in the Agreement on Agriculture, in accordance with the Doha
Ministerial Declaration.
87. 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 the
Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010, which wasadopted in Brussels on 20 May 2001.
88. Commit to actively pursue the WTO work programme to address the trade-related issues and
concerns affecting the fuller integration of small,  vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading
system in a manner commensurate with their specia l circumstances and in support of their efforts
towards sustainable development, in accordance with paragraph 35 of the Doha Declaration.
89. Build the capacity of commodity-dependent countries to diversify exports through, inter alia,
financial and technical assistance, international assistance for economic diversification and sustainableresource 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.
90. 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.
91. Continue to enhance the mutual supportiveness of trade, environment and development with a
view to achieving sustainable development through actions at all levels to:WT/COMTD/W/106
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(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 commitmentsmade 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 consid erable negative effects on the environment 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 thesecretariats 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 with experience in this field to provide technicalassistance to developing countries for these purposes.
92. Promote mutual supportiveness between the multilateral trading system and the multilateral
environmental agreements, consistent with sustainable development goals, in support of the work
programme agreed through WTO, while recognizin g the importance of maintaining the integrity of
both sets of instruments.
93. 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 and developmental 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 expo rters, particularly those from developing countries.
94. 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 TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, in which it has been
agreed that the TRIPS Agreement does not and should not prevent WTO members from takingmeasures to protect public health. Accordingly, while reiterating our commitment 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.
95. 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 unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international
trade. Unilateral actions to deal with environmental challenges outside the jurisdiction of the importingWT/COMTD/W/106
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country should be avoided. Environmental measures addressing transboundary or global
environmental problems should, as far as possible, be based on an international consensus.
96. 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
achievement of economic and social development by the population of the affected countries, in
particular women and children, that hinders their well-being and 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.
97. 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 continueto 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.
98. 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, thisshall 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 States
conducting 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.
*  *  *
99. 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 onconcessional 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 framewor ks in both supplier and recipient countries
that expedite the transfer of environmentally sound technologies in a cost-effective manner 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.
100. Improve the transfer of technologies to developing countries, in particular at the bilateral and
regional levels, including through urgent actions at all levels to:
(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
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(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 and competitiveness;
(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 in order 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.
*  *  *
101. 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.
102. Build greater capacity in science and technology for sustainable development, with action to
improve collaboration and partnerships on research and development and their widespread application
among research institutions, universities, the private sector, governments, NGOs and networks, as well
as between and among scientists and academics of developing and developed countries, and in thisregard encourage networking with and between centres of scientific excellence in developing
countries.
103. 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 thebroad participation of developing country experts;
(d) Assist developing countries in developing and implementing science and
technology policies;
(e) Establish partnerships between scientific, public and private institutions, and by
integrating scientists’ advice into decision-making bodies in order to ensure a greater role 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 threat s of serious or irreversible damage, lack of fullWT/COMTD/W/106
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scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent
environmental degradation.”
104. Assist developing countries, through international cooperation, in enhancing their capacity in
their efforts to address issues pertaining to environmental protection including in their formulation andimplementation of policies for environmental management and protection, including through urgent
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 and updating, and further improvement of aerial and ground-based
observations, in support of their efforts to collect quality, accurate, long-term, consistent and reliabledata;
(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.
105. Establish regular channels between policy makers and the scientific community for requesting
and receiving 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.
106. 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 quality
of 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.
107. 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 product
technologies, 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.
108. Examine issues of global public interest through open, transparent and inclusive workshops to
promote a better public understanding of such questions.
108.bis.  Further resolve to take concerted action against international terrorism, which causes serious
obstacles to sustainable development.
*  *  *
109. Education is critical for promoting sustainable development. It is therefore essential to
mobilize necessary resources, including financial resources at all levels, by bilateral and multilateraldonors, 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 development goal contained in the Millennium Declaration of achieving
universal primary education, ensuring that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will beable to complete a full course of primary schooling;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(b) Provide all children, particularly thos e living in rural areas and those living in
poverty, especially girls, with the access and opportunity to complete a full course of primary
education;
110. Provide financial assistance and support to education, research, public awareness programmes
and developmental institutions in developing countries and countries with economies in transition in
order 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 in
developing countries and countries in transition.
111. Address the impact of HIV/AIDS on the educ ational system in those countries seriously
affected by the pandemic.
112. 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 integrationbetween publicly funded research and development and development programmes.
113. 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 gendermainstreaming, and by creating a gender-sensitive educational system.
114. Integrate sustainable development into education systems at all levels of education in order to
promote education as a key agent for change.
115. 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 onEducation 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.
116. 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.
117. Support the use of education to promote sust ainable 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 provide assistance
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 experience and 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.WT/COMTD/W/106
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*  *  *
118. 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.
119. 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;
119.bis  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 needs 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 effectivelyand 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;
(d) Build and, where appropriate, strengthen national capacities for carrying out
effective implementation of Agenda 21.
*  *  *
119.ter  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.
119.quater  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.
119.quinquies  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.
119.sexties  Promote further work on indicators, in conformity with paragraph 3 of decision 9/4 of the
Commission on Sustainable Development.
119.septies  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
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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.
119.octies   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.
119.noviens  Support efforts to prevent and mitigate th e impacts of natural disasters, including through
urgent actions at all levels to:
(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.
119.diciens  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.
119.undeciens   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.
X. Institutional framework for sustainable development
120. An effective institutional framework for sustainabl e 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 at
strengthening such a framework should build on the provisions of Agenda 21 as well as the 1997
Programme for its further implementation and the pr inciples of the Rio Declaration on Environment
and Development and should promote the achievement of the internationally agreed developmentgoals, including 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 of implementation. It should lead to the
strengthening of international bodies and organizations dealing with sustainable development, whilerespecting their existing mandates, as well as to the strengthening of relevant regional, national and
local institutions.
120.bis.   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 basis
for sustained economic growth, poverty eradicat ion, and employment creation.  Freedom, peace andWT/COMTD/W/106
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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.
Objectives
121. Measures to strengthen sustainable development institutional arrangements at all levels should
be taken within the framework of Agenda 21 1 and should build on developments since UNCED, and
should 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 resour ces, 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;
(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.
Strengthening the institutional framework for sustainable development at the international level
122. 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, GEF and international financial and trade institutions within their mandates, while stressing that
their activities should take full account of national programmes and priorities, particularly those 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 WTO, utilizing the United
                                                     
1 References in the present chapter to Agenda 21 are deemed to include Agenda 21, the Programme for the
Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the Summit.WT/COMTD/W/106
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Nations Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), the United Nations Development Group, the
Environment Management Group and other inter-ag ency coordinating bodies. Strengthened inter-
agency collaboration should be pursued in all re levant contexts, with special emphasis on the
operational level and involving partnership arrangements on specific issues to support, in particular,developing countries’ efforts 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 st rengthened, 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 deci sion I on international environmental
governance adopted by the UNEP Governing Council at its seventh special session, and invite the
General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session to consider the important but complex issue of
establishing universal membership for the Govern ing Council/Global Minist erial Environment Forum;
(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 Comm ission on Sustainable Development, and other
initiatives;
(g) Take concrete action to implement the Monterrey Consensus at all levels.
123. 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 the
effective participation of developing countries in decision-making processes. A universal, rule-based,
open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system, as well as meaningful tradeliberalization, can substantially stimulate development worldwide, benefiting countries at all stages of
development.
124. 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 idea ls of the United Nations and to the principles of
international law and those enshrined in the Charte r of the United Nations, and 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 as
possible 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 cooperationto eliminate money-laundering.
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125. 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.
Role of the Economic and Social Council
126. Pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and Agenda 21
provisions 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 itsfunctional 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 and programmes
aimed at promoting sustainable development;
(b) Organize periodic consideration of sustainable 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 onsustainable 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 theimplementation 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 Council 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 WTO,  as set out in the Monterrey Consensus;
(g) Intensify its efforts to ensure that gende r mainstreaming is an integral part of its
activities concerning the coordinated implementation of Agenda 21.
Role and function of the Commission on Sustainable Development
127. The Commission on Sustainable Developmen t 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 tobe strengthened, taking into account the role of relevant institutions and organizations. An enhancedWT/COMTD/W/106
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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.
128. Within that context, the Commission should give more emphasis on actions that enable
implementation at all levels, including promoting and facilitating partnerships involving Governments,international organizations and relevant stakeholders for the implementation of Agenda 21.
129. 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;
(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.
130. 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-build ing, 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 regional experience and to this end make appropriaterecommendations;
(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 re levant intergovernmental bodies in promoting the
implementation of Agenda 21 relating to international legal instruments and mechanisms.
131. 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 a nd substantive involvement of international
organizations and major groups in the work of the Commission;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(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.
132. 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.
Role of international institutions
133. Stress the need for international institutions both within and outside the United Nations
system, including international financial institutions, WTO and GEF, 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, relevant
sustainable development aspects of the Millenni um Declaration, the Monterrey Consensus and the
outcomes of the fourth WTO ministerial meeting, held in Doha in November 2001.
134. Request the Secretary-General of the United Nations, utilizing the United Nations System
Chief Executives Board for Coordination, including through informal collaborative efforts, to further
promote 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.
135. Significantly strengthen support for UNDP capacity-building programmes for sustainable
development, building on the experience gained from Capacity 21, as important mechanisms for
supporting local and national development capacity-building efforts, in particular in developing
countries.
136. Strengthen cooperation among UNEP and other United Nations bodies and specialized
agencies, the Bretton Woods institutions and WTO, within their mandates.
137. UNEP, UN-Habitat, UNDP and UNCTAD, 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.
138. 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 forthe Summit;WT/COMTD/W/106
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(c) Make full use of developments in the field of information and communication
technologies.
[Paragraph 139 is deleted]
140. Strengthening of the international institutio nal framework for sustainable development is an
evolutionary process. It is necessary to keep under review relevant arrangements; 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.
Strengthening institutional arrangements for su stainable development at the regional level
141. Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the Summit should be effectively pursued
at the regional and subregional levels, through the regional commissions and other regional and
subregional institutions and bodies.
142. Intraregional coordination and cooperation on sustainable 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 regional sustainable
development strategies and action plans, reflecting national and regional priorities.
143. In particular and 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 this end, 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 the exchange 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 povertyeradication;
(d) Continue to promote multi-stakeholder participation and encourage partnerships to
support the implementation of Agenda 21 at the regional and subregional levels.
144. Regionally and subregionally agreed sustainable development initiatives and programmes,
such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the interregional aspects of theglobally agreed Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States, should be supported.
Strengthening institutional frameworks for sustainable development at the national level
145. States should:WT/COMTD/W/106
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(a) Continue to promote coherent and coordinated 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, in particular 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.
146. 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.
146.bis  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 anddecision-making.
147. 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.
148. 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 in
all those activities.
149. Enhance the role and capacity of local authorities as well as stakeholders in implementing
Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the Summit and in strengthening the continuing support for local
Agenda 21 programmes and associated initiatives and partnerships, and encourage, in particular,
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.
Participation of major groups
150. 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 sustainabledevelopment at all levels.
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152. 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.
153. Promote and support youth participation in programmes and activities relating to sustainable
development through, for example, supporting local youth councils or their equivalent, and by
encouraging their establishment where they do not exist.
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