Process of Preparation of the Environmental Perspective to the Year 2000 and Beyond

A/RES/38/161View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, published in 1984.

What subjects does this mandate have?

4 subjects

Environment Intergovernmental Bodies Special Accounts Terms of Reference

What’s in this document?

23 operative paragraphs

Notes with satisfaction decision 11/3 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on the process ofpreparation ofthe Environmen- 1al Perspective to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted on 23 May 1983; 63 2.

Welcomes the desire of the Governing Council to develop the Environmental Perspective and transmit it to the General Assembly for adoption, benefiting in carrying out that function from its consideration of the relevant proposals made by a special commission;

Approves the decision of the Governing Council to establish, in arder to assist ít in fulfilling its mandate in regard to the Environmental Perspective and to report to it in that respect, an intergovernmental inter-sessional preparatory committee to articulate to the special commission at an early stage in its work the Governing Council's expectations regarding the matters which it hopes will, ínter alia, receive consideration by the commission and, in this connection:

Notes that the commission, at a preliminary stage in the formulation of its conclusions on matters within the mandate and purview ofthe United Nations Environment Programme, should make them known to the committee with a view to giving consideration to any views of the committee thereon;

Notes from paragraph 41 of the report of the Governing Councíl on its eleventh session 64 that the cost of the intergovernmental inter-sessional preparatory committee will not result in any net increase in the regular budget ofthe United Nations;

Also welcomes the intention of a number of Governmen1s to support the preparation of the Environmental Perspective by facilítating the establishment of the sp~cial commission, through the provision of voluntary contnbutions for its financing;

Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme and with Governments, and after such other appropriate consultations as they deem necessary, _to appoint the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the special commission, who will subsequently select the members of that commission and accordingly establish the special commission, which should co-operate closely with the intergovernmental inter-sessional preparatory comm~ttee; the Chairman and Vice-Chairman should have expenence of policy-making at the highest level, dem~nstrated interest in environmental and developmental 1ssues and the capacity to attract attention to the work of the com11:ission, and should represent both developed and developmg countries;

Expresses its view that the Chairman and t~e Vice- Chairman, in selecting the members of the spec1al commission, should take fully into account the need for appropriate geographical distribution and regional balance in membership and the importance of ensuring that at least half ofthe members ofthe commission are from the developing countries, as well as the need to consultas appropriate with representatives of Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, industry, the scientific community and others concerned with the environment;

Requests the Executive Director to establish an interim special account under the financial regulations of the U nited Natío ns to which voluntary contributions would be credited and from which disbursements would be made for the purposes of the establishment of the special commission, custody over and responsibility for the account to be transferred to that commission, in accordance with its procedures, upon its establishment;

Suggests that the special commission, when established, should focus mainly on the following terms of reference for its work:

To propose long-term environmental strategies for achieving sustainable development to the year 2000 and beyond;

To recommend ways in which concem for the environment may be translated into greater co-operation among developing countries and between countries at different stages of economic and social development and lead to the achievement of common and mutually supportive objectives, which take account of the interrelationships between people, resources, environment and development;

To consider ways and means by which the international community can deal more effectively wifüenvironmental concerns, in the light of the other recommendations in its report;

To help to define shared perceptions of long-term environmental issues and ofthe appropriate etforts needed to deal successfully with the problems of protecting and enhancing the environment, a long-term agenda for action during the coming decades, and aspirational goals for the world community, taking into account the relevant resolutions of the session of a special character of the Goveming Council in 1982; 65

Further suggests that, in fulfilling its terms of reference, the special commission should:

Maintain an exchange of views with the scientific community, environmentalists and all other sections of public opinion, particularly youth, e:oncerned with tl_le environment, and those concemed with the relat10nsh1p between development and environment;

Receive the views of Governments, principally through tlle Governing Council a~d its intergovemmental inter-sessional preparatory comm1ttee, and through contacts with national leaders, opinion makers and concemed intemational figures;

Maintain links with other inter~overnmental bod_ies within and outside the United Nat1ons system, while, however, usíng the Admínistrativ~ Commítt~e on Coordinatíon and the designated offic1als for env1ronmental matters as the channels of communication with t~~ Uni~ed Nations system; the willingness of the Adm1mstrat1ve Committee on Co-ordination to assist should be communicated to the commission;

Take account ofthe scope of environ~ental i~sues as defined by the United Nations system-wide medmm-

term environment programme 66 and as reflected in the efforts ofthe United Nations system, including the United Nations Environment Programme, in the field ofthe environment;

Make ful] use of relevant existing reports and material;

l O. Considers that the special commission should make available a report on environment and the global problématique to the year 2000 and beyond, including proposed strategies for sustainable development, within a period of two years from its establishment;

Decides that, on matters within the mandate and purview of the United Nations Environment Programme, the report of the special commission should in the first instance be considered by the Governing Council of the Programme, for transmission to the General Assembly together with its comments and for use as basic material in tbe preparation, for adoption by the Assembly, of the Environmental Perspective;

Further decides that, on those matters which are under consideration or review by the General Assembly itself, the Assembly will consider the relevant aspects of tbe report of the special commission;

Recognizes that the specíal commission may in addition address its report, after consideration by the Goveming Council or the intergovemmental inter-sessional preparatory committee, to other forums, intergovemmental and non-govemmental, orto Governments, individuals and the general public, as it sees fit, it being understood that the report of the commission will not be binding on Govemments.

64 Jbld. Supp/ernenl No. 25 (A/38/25).

62 Resol ution 3 7 /2 l 9.

65 Jbld.: Thirty-seventh Session, Supplemenl No. 25 (A/37/25), part one,

63 See Official Records of the General AssembJ¡,, Th1rty-e1ghth Sesswn, Supplement No. 15 (A/38/25}, annex.

66 UNEP /GC. 1017 and Corr. l.

67 See Oflicilil Records of the General Assembly, ThirtY-firs1 Session, Supplement Ño. 2J (A/31/25), annex l.

6B Tbid., Thirty-second Session, Supplement No. 25 (A/32/25), annex l.

69 !bid., Thirty-sixth Session, S11ppleme111 No. 25 (A/36/25 and Corr. l),

70 !bid., Thirty-sevemh Ses.sían. Supplement No. 2J (A/37/25), part two, annex.

71 See A/31/ l 97, annex IV, sect. B.

72See A/35/419-S/!4l29, annex l. 73 A/38/38 3. 14 Report of the United Nations Conference on Desertif¡carfon, Nairobi, 29 August-9 Seplember 1977 (A/CONF.14/36), chap. J. 75 A/38/403.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

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