141. The consensus on and basis for actions at global, regional, subregional, national and local levels to ensure sustainable development has been established by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the Non-Legally Binding Authoritative Statement of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management, Conservation and Sustainable Development of all Types of Forests, as well as in all international conventions on the environment and development. Priority must be given to the prompt and full implementation of these commitments and recommendations.

142. At UNCED an integrated approach towards development and environment was adopted, whereby the protection of the environment would constitute an integral part of the development process and could not be viewed in isolation from it. Depletion and degradation of nature and its resources endanger the prospects for development, for our generation and even more so for the future generations. The cost of reversal will be far higher than the cost of prevention. Therefore, sustainable development strategies and programmes which aim at integrating environmental protection requirements into economic, social and development policies should be formulated and implemented at all levels. All States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and development policies and the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, in keeping with the principles contained in the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21 and relevant international environment conventions.

143. Eradication of poverty should have the highest priority on the international agenda. One of the adverse effects of poverty, which affects mostly developing countries, is related to environmental and natural resource degradation. The essential task of eradicating poverty is an indispensable requirement for sustainable development in order to decrease the disparities in standards of living and better meet the needs of the majority of the people of the world. Strategies aimed at poverty eradication are also important in avoiding degradation of resources.

144. While poverty results in certain kinds of environmental stress, the major cause of the continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, particularly in industrial countries, which is a matter of grave concern, aggravating poverty and imbalances. Promoting changes in such consumption and production patterns should also be of the highest priority. All countries should strive to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns. In view of the different contributions to global environmental degradation, States have common but differentiated responsibilities. Developed countries bear a special responsibility and should take the lead in this area. Action is required to promote changes in unsustainable production and consumption patterns through behavioural changes and through the promotion of internalizing environmental costs and the potential use of economic instruments that can both generate revenue for financing sustainable development and send signals to the market to help change unsustainable consumption and production patterns.

145. In general, the financing for the implementation of Agenda 21 will come from a country's own public and private sectors. For developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, ODA is a main source of external funding, and substantial new and additional funding for sustainable development and implementation of Agenda 21 is required. So far, the financial resources provided to developing countries have fallen short of expectations for the means of implementation set forth in Agenda 21. All countries should honour their commitments related to financial resources and mechanisms for implementation, as laid down in chapter 33 of Agenda 21. Both domestic budgets and development assistance, including assistance by the United Nations system, should be consistent with and supportive of the objectives of sustainable development. The potential of innovative, additional financial resources should be urgently explored.

146. The Global Environment Facility (GEF), whose additional grant and concessional funding is designed to achieve global environmental benefits, should meet the agreed incremental costs of relevant activities under Agenda 21, in accordance with the GEF instrument, in particular for developing countries. The restructured GEF with initial commitments of US$ 2 billion for three years, constitutes a first step in providing resources to address global environment concerns. The prime task now is for the GEF to pursue its operational phase in line with its agreed operational strategy, while ensuring that it continues to be consistent with the guidelines of relevant conventions. GEF procedures could be further improved to speed up project implementation without compromising the quality of appraisal and participation.

147. Another essential dimension of the UNCED commitments concerns concrete measures for the transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed. The Governments of developed countries have a major role to play, both as a conduit for such transfers and by providing market incentives for the private sector. Recognizing the importance of protecting intellectual property rights and taking into account the special needs of developing countries are two essential considerations in the transfer of environmentally sound technology.

148. The UNCED process culminated in a new global partnership for sustainable development. Implementing the recommendations of Agenda 21 is essential for strengthening this partnership based on common but differentiated responsibilities. In this partnership, the special situation and needs of developing countries, particularly the least developed countries and those most environmentally vulnerable, must receive special priority.

149. The United Nations system has a key role in stimulating and supporting countries and major groups in the implementation of Agenda 21, in helping to build further consensus and in preparing the ground for standard-setting on issues of sustainable development.

150. International legal instruments for the regulation of activities affecting the environment form an essential framework for practical efforts by the international community to reduce environmental degradation and promote sustainable development. In this context, it is important to promote further the implementation and development of international conventions in the field of environment and development, taking into account the principles contained in the Rio Declaration.

151. The full implementation of these instruments will be an important contribution to ensuring the sustainable use of land, marine and air resources, including through reduction and recycling of waste and through nature management. Governments should become parties to and comply with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity, signed at UNCED. They should also become parties to and implement the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa; the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal; and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Countries are encouraged to sign and become parties to the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, and to implement this agreement. Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States is also called for.

152. Developed countries parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa should support, through fulfilling their commitments to mobilize substantial financial resources and to facilitate the transfer of technology, knowledge and know-how, the efforts of affected developing countries parties, in particular African countries, to develop and implement their own long-term plans and strategies to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought.

153. Developed country parties should fulfil their financial commitments and enhance cooperative efforts to support developing country parties in implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The effective implementation of the two Conventions and their strengthening, in accordance with decisions adopted by the respective conferences of the parties, should be ensured by the parties with the support of the international community. Developed country parties should continue their efforts to support country parties undergoing the process of transition to a market economy in the implementation of these conventions.

154. Action towards sustainable development is an evolving process: additional commitments, actions and instruments may be required in the light of new global, regional and subregional or national developments and needs. But this should in no way delay the implementation of what has been agreed.