Minister of the Environment Thorbjørn Berntsen

Commission on Sustainable Development 5th session

New York April 8 1997

Mr. Chairman, Dr. Tolba,

We are happy to see you back in the leadership position, and I can assure you that Norway is committed to take her share and to contribute to the strengthening of international cooperation for sustainable development. Other speakers have referred to the increasing threats to the global environment, and UNEPs Global Environmental Outlook confirms these trends. The analysis is clear; in spite of relative progress, absolute poverty, unemployment and environmental degradation is still on the increase. The international community needs a powerful wake-up call.

I would also like to congratulate the secretariat for having prepared useful documentation. Now it is up to us to agree upon commitments and priority actions. UNGASS must stress the urgency of translating Agenda 21 and the other Rio commitments into concrete action at the international, regional and national levels.

In the following I would like to highlight some of the main points that in our view should be reflected in the political declaration from the Special Session:

Peace, security, democracy, solidarity and the respect for human rights are preconditions for sustainable social and economic development. The concept of security has come to include an environmental dimension, including issues such as the right to resources and access to land and water. Other central values to the environment and development debate are good governance, universal access to knowledge and information, and the recognition of the roles and rights of women and children. Global ethics and solidarity should also be encouraged at UNGASS.

Globalisation has brought with it positive welfare gains. It has also been associated with increasing social problems, poverty, environmental degradation and the further marginalisation of groups and countries. We must commit ourselves to counteracting these unfortunate trends through a fair and equitable burdensharing. The UN system and its member states should develop relevant impact assessment routines and rules on the basis of the precautionary principle and the life-cycle approach. National legislation, policies and budgets in all countries should have the promotion of sustainable development as the overall objective.

The Rio-commitment to reach the 0,7% ODA target should be reaffirmed, and we must alleviate the burden of the highly indebted countries. ODA should be used as an important lever to increase sustainable investments in both physical, human, social and natural capital. The 20/20 provision of the Social Summit should be fully implemented.

New policy instruments must be explored. Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) is a constructive example of technology-transfer and partnership for international benefit. Norway is engaged in pilot projects with several interested countries.

Proposals to consider the modalities for introducing an international tax on aviation fuel should be further addressed at UNGASS, and followed up in appropriate fora and in the CSDs work programme. New and alternative ways of generating financial resources for sustainable development should be examined. Such key issues should be addressed in an integrated and comprehensive way. Norway is prepared to further discuss the merits of a possible international panel on financing.

Mr. Chairman, the commitment to promote sustainable production and consumption must be reiterated. This area should be given priority in the future work-programme of the CSD. National enabling policies form the foundation for global action to promote more sustainable production and consumption. All countries have a duty to explore means of increasing eco-efficiency. Eco-efficiency must also form an integral part of the international community's efforts to bring about sustainable development in developing countries, including programmes for cleaner production, environmental auditing and eco-effectiveness. Alternative means of mobilising resources for cleaner production in developing countries should be looked into. Norway is ready to help create and finance pilot projects and programmes to promote technology cooperation for more sustainable production and consumption. The business sector should be encouraged to adopt codes of conduct and management systems for promoting sustainable development including research, development and dissemination of environmentally friendly technologies. I would like to issues a challenge to the multilateral corporations; by the year 2000 all their products, production processes and subtractors should have achieved an ISO 14000 environmental classification.

Focus should be given to the greening of the economy, including green tax reform and the use of economic instruments. The public sector should apply procedures for green procurement and management. These efforts should include both member countries and the UN system itself.

The use of renewable sources of energy should be increased, especially at the levels of the local community and other decentralised units. We should support energy-related research and development efforts, and we should mobilise national as well as international resources to promote energy conservation.

Trade and environment must be made mutually supportive. Social and environmental concerns must be taken into account by the global trade system. Trade liberalisation should not be allowed to weaken environmental standards and agreements. The WTO fund for technical assistance to least developed countries should be the object of much wider and stronger support from the donor community.

Governments should facilitate public participation and help raise public awareness. Norway has prepared a report on practical examples of Local Agenda 21 initiatives and cooperation between major groups for sustainable development which will be made available both on paper on the internet.

Mr Chairman,

On the key issue of hazardous chemicals we should agree not only to finalise and then adopt the two conventions on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Prior Informed Consent procedures, but also to set the stage for a broader legal instrument for global chemicals management and use. The phasing out of emissions of all persistent toxic substances should be addressed, as should coordination of efforts on areas such as research, classification and labelling of chemicals. The industrialised countries must carry their share of the burden and initiate large scale technical cooperation. Developing countries and countries with economies in transition must also contribute to the advancement of sustainable management of chemicals at the global level.

On oceans, the sustainable use of marine resources as well as the fight against marine pollution should be priority areas for future cooperation. The Global Programme of Action should be followed-up. There is increasing need for efforts to combine the elements of the marine ecology into a comprehensive and environmental approach. I am glad to report that the North Sea states have taken an important step in this direction.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Forests has recently presented its report. This is the first real attempt to study an issue with relevance for both the environment and development agenda in an integrated and holistic manner under the CSD. The IPF report identifies issues that need to be addressed regardless of the question of institutional follow-up, and international organisations and national governments should start implementing relevant recommendations. Forest issues must also be addressed under the Biodiversity and Climate Conventions.

Environment and development should be given higher priority, higher status and more resources within the UN System. UNEP should be strengthened. We need a world environmental organisation in the UN system to provide a clear and authoritative voice on environmental contributions to sustainable development.

The development of new environmental agreements containing normative and binding commitments should continue to be a valid strategy for integrating the environmental dimension into the international economy. The next generation of such agreements should:

• be based on sound scientific assessment and the precautionary principle
• include clearly defined objectives in the context of sustainable development.
• contain effective and equitable commitments reflecting common but differentiated responsibilities, special economic circumstances and the needs of developing countries for financial and technological support in meeting their commitments.
• build partnerships with social and economic actors
• develop economic instruments for channelling market forces towards sustainability

Both new and existing multilateral environmental agreements including the Rio-conventions should be supported by institutional arrangements that:

• enhance their substantive linkages
• encourage actions that bring multiple benefits across different problem areas
• promote compliance with and verification of commitments.

Mr. Chairman,

In conclusion, I would like to stress that the challenges at hand are tremendous, as must be our efforts. We have started to act, but much remains to be done. UNGASS is a unique chance to convey to the world that efforts to save and restore the environment and fight poverty are investments in a better future for all. Major groups, local communities and individuals are looking to us for further commitment and leadership on issues that affect our day to day lives.

Commission on Sustainable Development