New Commission experiences 'eventful' first year.

Culminating its first year of work, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development adopted 14 decisions on sectoral and cross-sectoral issues pertaining to development and the environment, including freshwater, toxic chemicals, hazardous and radioactive wastes, human health and human settlements, as well as finance, decision-making structures and the role of major groups in sustainable development.

At its annual session (16-27 May, New York), a high-level segment with ministerial participation was held (25-27 May) to conduct an overview of the progress made in implementing "Agenda 21"--the wide-ranging plan of action adopted in Rio de Janeiro at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, widely known as the Earth Summit.

The 53-member Commission, formally established in February 1993, is charged with monitoring the progress made by Governments and the international community towards implementing Agenda 21 objectives. It is responsible for activities related to the integration of environmental and developmental goals throughout the UN system.

"The Commission's work has as its point of departure the recognition that it is impossible to divide the earth into a first, second and third world", said Commission Chairman Klaus Topfer, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature, Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany, at the opening meeting on 16 May.

"Peace is under threat not only from belligerent conflicts, but also from the juxtaposition of ecologically subsidized development on the one hand, and underdevelopment on the other." Thus, he stated, "the global partnership embracing both environment and development is increasingly becoming the peace policy of the future".

The Commission's first year had been an eventful one, according to outgoing Chairman Razali Ismail of Malaysia. Its biggest challenge had been to mobilize adequate resources to implement its objectives and sustain the spirit and momentum generated in Rio.

"Shifting emphasis and the shirking of responsibility threatened to undermine the Rio consensus", he said on 16 May. He cautioned that the Commission would not be remembered by its proliferation of meetings, but "its lasting contribution will be in finding equitable solutions to present-day survival issues".

UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, addressing the high-level meeting on 2 5 May, stressed that the crucial challenge was to maintain political will. "We must not falter. We must keep up the momentum of Rio. This Commission must take the lead."

Since peace, development and environmental protection are inseparable, sustainable development will be achieved only if Government, the business world, industry, labour, science, and environmental human rights and citizens' groups work together", states the first report (E/CN.17/1994/13) of the High-level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development, created in July 1993 to provide advice, proposals and recommendations on issues and themes addressed by the Commission.

Among its decisions, the Commission recommended that States and international organizations consider the use of partnerships with business and non-governmental organizations, which would lead to non-legally binding agreements as first steps in the preparation of international regulations for implementing Agenda 21.

On the transfer of environmentally-sound technology, the Commission concluded that, as foreign direct investment was a major source of technology transfer, competent UN agencies should assist Governments in providing appropriate policy and regulatory environments to attract foreign investment.

The Commission expressed great concern that many countries are facing a water crisis. It recommended that high priority be given to the conservation and sustainable use of water, also through the implementation of the "polluter pays" principle. It urged the UN system to carry out a comprehensive assessment of fresh water resources.

The Commission also recommended the development of legally binding instruments for the so-called prior-informed-consent procedure related to the export of toxic chemicals. it also encouraged further efforts to reduce human exposure to lead.

Governments were urged to promptly begin work on the development of an international convention on the safety of radioactive waste management, including consideration of the total life cycle management of nuclear materials.