"Sustainable development and trade"

Thank you, Mr. Chairman

Honorable Ministers,

Environmentall assessment of trade policy is a reatively new area, and research institutes face big challenges in conducting their studies. Valuable work has been done or is being done by international organisations such as the OECD, UNEP and the World Bank, and by NGO`s such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), as well as by national research institutes. However, further efforts are needed to develop a good methodology for environmental reviews. Norway supports these efforts.

Trade and the environment; a new agenda

At present, the world allows financial crises to spread from country to country, and trade rules makes it difficult to contain cattle epidemics before it is to lateto stop spreading. This gives reason for great concern.

Trade has brought great benefits, but one important challenge now is to bring in consumer protection, safeguards to make globalization safe and ensure producer protection so that citizens of poor countries do not suffer from exploitation.

We must widen the scope. As a first step, analysis of trade liberalization should be expanded from an environmental analysis only to cover all aspects of sustainable development; What are the economic benefits and who benefits? What are the social cosnsequences and where do we find them? And of course, will natural resources and biodiversity be able to support this in the long run?

Trade AND aid

This morning the honorable minister from Niger had a very strong intervention regarding the need of developing aid in Africa. Let me say that from a Norwegiasn point of view developing aid is still important o bridge the gap between the north and south. Trade alone will never make this world a place og justice and harmony.

There has been made some comments today on trade versus aid. Let me say that I think the right slogan for this century must be "trade AND aid". As I see it, developed countries should increase both its aid and its trade with the developing countries.

Norway is now letting action follow words by maintaning a high level on ourt developing aid, and now prepare to lift duty on industrial goods from the least developed countries.

The role of UNEP

Let me conclude by giving some comments on UNEPs role in this field.

UNEP must continue to provide tools and necessary information for dialogue and decitionmakers, like the interesting handbook on "Environment and Trade" produced by UENP an the International Institute for Sustainable development, distributed at this meeting.

Norway strongly support the establishment of a Working Group under the UNEP/UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on economic instruments and assessments, as mentioned in paragraph 19 in the document presented here today.

We feel that UNEP, in cooperation with the global treaties and other relevant organizations must help to bring about a better negotioation climate where environmental standards are seen as a benefit to all, not as a threat. Dialogue is vital, and I see this meeting as a part of this important ongoing process.

Mr. Chairman,

Time is a limited resource, and limited resources should be saved, so I think I will end my intervention here.

- Thank you for your attention!