| United Nations | A/49/425 |
General Assembly
Distr.GENERAL
23 September 1994
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
Forty-ninth session
Agenda item 89 (e)
ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON
THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES
Action taken by the organs, organizations and bodies
of the United Nations system to implement the
Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development
of Small Island Developing States
Report of the Secretary-General
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. INTRODUCTION ..................................... 1 - 7 3
A. Background ................................... 1 - 2 3
B. Structure and methodology .................... 3 - 7 3
II. PLANS AND PROGRAMMES ............................. 8 - 138 5
A. United Nations ............................... 8 - 52 5
B. Funds and programmes ......................... 53 - 80 13
C. Specialized agencies ......................... 81 - 133 19
D. Conclusions .................................. 134 - 138 31
III. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ........................ 139 - 161 32
A. United Nations ............................... 139 - 144 32
B. Funds and programmes ......................... 145 - 148 34
C. Specialized agencies ......................... 149 - 160 34
D. Conclusions .................................. 161 36
IV. ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONS ........... 162 - 211 37
A. Plans and programmes ......................... 162 - 203 37
B. Institutional arrangements ................... 204 - 210 45
C. Conclusions .................................. 211 46
Annex. List of organizations that responded to the
request for inputs to the present report .................. 48
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background
1. The Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States, held at Bridgetown from 25 April to 6 May 1994, adopted a
Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States. 1/ Paragraph 128 of the Programme of Action requested the
Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session
on "action taken by the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations
system to implement the Programme of Action and in that regard to invite them
to consider the establishment of focal points for the implementation of the
Programme of Action". The present report has been prepared in response to
that request. In compiling the report, the Secretary-General was requested to
pay special attention to the action taken by the regional commissions to
implement the Programme of Action, particularly at the subregional level.
2. The request of the Global Conference for a report on action taken by the
United Nations system to implement the Programme of Action reflects the
importance attributed by the international community to cooperation at the
international level to support the sustainable development of small island
developing States. While Governments will be primarily responsible for the
implementation of the Programme of Action, international cooperation to
support and complement such efforts will be essential. To this end, the
Programme of Action highlights the key role the United Nations system has to
play, in close cooperation with other international, regional and subregional
organizations. The Programme of Action also notes that, for small island
developing States, regional and subregional efforts will be important
instruments for collective action.
B. Structure and methodology of the report
3. The report is divided into four sections. In addition to providing a
brief outline of its origin, chapter I sets out the methodology used in
compiling the report. Chapter II provides details of the plans, strategies
and programmes adopted by the organs, organizations and agencies of the United
Nations system to implement the Programme of Action. In accordance with the
terms of the request calling for the report, that information is listed by
organization and agency. Chapter III reviews the institutional arrangements
either already in place or envisaged to support the implementation of the
Programme of Action, while chapter IV outlines the action taken or envisaged
by the regional commissions.
4. Institutional arrangements and the activities of the regional commissions
are identified in the Programme of Action as priority areas and therefore
merit separate attention in the report. Moreover, this approach is consistent
with the requirement that the report should review progress made in
implementing a number of recommendations in the Programme of Action concerning
regional and subregional cooperation, and that it should contain a section on
action taken by the regional commissions to implement the Programme of Action,
particularly at the subregional level. Chapter IV of the report thus covers
both substantive plans and programmes and institutional arrangements with
respect to the activities of the regional commissions. These activities are
not covered with respect to the regional commissions in chapters II and III.
Some brief concluding comments are made at the end of each chapter.
5. In order to gather the information needed to compile the report, the
Secretariat invited the organizations and agencies of the United Nations
system to submit details of measures taken or envisaged by them to implement
the Programme of Action. Organizations and agencies were specifically
requested to provide information on institutional arrangements that might be
put in place in addition to information on plans and strategies to implement
the Programme of Action, bearing in mind that it had only recently been
finalized. Organizations and agencies were also requested to identify any
programmes already in place, perhaps developed following the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), that implement aspects of
the Programme of Action.
6. The majority of organizations approached responded to the Secretariat's
request (see annex) and the report has been compiled on the basis of the
information provided by those organizations and agencies. In responding to
the Secretariat's request for information, a number of organizations and
agencies pointed out that, in the light of the short time that had elapsed
since the Global Conference was held, they had yet to conduct or complete a
comprehensive review of their activities against the background of the
Programme of Action. Such responses were, therefore, to be considered of an
interim nature, and it is important that the report be read in that context.
It should not be seen as a definitive description of the plans and programmes
of the United Nations system to implement the Programme of Action. Moreover,
the relevant inter-agency mechanism dealing with matters of sustainable
development, the Inter-agency Committee on Sustainable Development, has only
undertaken to date a preliminary consideration of the Programme of Action, and
has indicated that it will review it at a later session after the Programme of
Action has been considered by the General Assembly.
7. The report should also be seen in the context of the level of assistance
provided by the United Nations system to support sustainable development in
small island developing States as a proportion of the total level of donor
assistance to those States. The report of the Secretary-General on current
donor activities 2/ showed that for the biennium 1991-1992 multilateral
assistance accounted for about 27 per cent of assistance to small island
developing States in the areas covered by the Programme of Action, with the
United Nations system accounting for about 12 per cent of the overall total.
This confirms the position stated in the Programme of Action that, while the
organizations and agencies of the United Nations system can play an important
role in implementing the Programme of Action, within their respective areas of
expertise and mandates, this role will essentially involve supporting and
supplementing national efforts.
II. PLANS AND PROGRAMMES
A. United Nations
1. United Nations Department for Policy Coordination
and Sustainable Development
8. Since the conclusion of the Global Conference, the Department for Policy
Coordination and Sustainable Development has been actively engaged in
undertaking several Conference follow-up activities in the initial
implementation of the Programme of Action. The Department has collaborated
with a number of United Nations organizations, funds, programmes and
specialized agencies in the preparation of the three reports being submitted
to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session, as requested in paragraphs
105, 106 and 128 of the Programme of Action.
9. The Department prepared the present report drawing on inputs from
organizations of the United Nations system. It also collaborated with the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the latter's preparation of the
two feasibility studies in respect of SIDS/NET, an information network
designed to facilitate the exchange of information among small island
developing States (A/49/414), and SIDS/TAP, a small island developing States
technical assistance programme (A/49/459).
10. In addition to the above activities, and consistent with the mandate given
to it in paragraph 123 of the Programme of Action to provide Secretariat
support for both intergovernmental and inter-agency coordination mechanisms in
the implementation of the Programme of Action, the Department has been
undertaking an initial analysis of the Programme of Action in order to provide
effective support for its implementation.
11. Given the multisectoral character of the Programme of Action, and the
relationship of many of its substantive themes to those in Agenda 21, 3/
consideration is being given to how best to integrate into the work programme
of the Division for Sustainable Development of the Department, the activities
that would be required to be undertaken in its implementation. Furthermore,
steps are being taken by the Department to ensure that the outcomes of the
Global Conference are effectively integrated into the thematic work programme
of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which would be the central
intergovernmental body for monitoring and reviewing the progress achieved in
the implementation of the Programme of Action.
12. In this connection, it should be stated that the Commission on Sustainable
Development at its second session, held in New York from 16 to 27 May 1994,
while undertaking an initial consideration of the report of the Global
Conference, welcomed the various provisions of the Programme of Action and
called for adequate support to be given in the implementation of the
substantive priority areas of the Programme. In addition, the inter-agency
Committee on Sustainable Development at its fourth session held a preliminary
discussion on the various possibilities for assigning the responsibilities of
task managers for the follow-up to the Conference. The Inter-agency Committee
agreed that the issue would be reconsidered at a later session in the light of
the decisions taken on the outcome of the Global Conference by the General
Assembly at its forty-ninth session.
13. Chapter XV of the Programme of Action addressed the issue of the essential
requirements for the implementation of the Programme of Action. It recognized
that, while Governments would be primarily responsible for the implementation
of the Programme of Action, international cooperation would be essential to
support and complement such efforts. With this in mind, the Department will
also be considering the best approaches for the mobilization of financial
resources from both the public and the private sectors to meet the sustainable
development goals and priorities of the small island developing States.
14. The outcome of the Global Conference has been reflected in the most recent
revisions to the United Nations medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997,
particularly in the new programme 46, Sustainable development, to be carried
out by the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development (see
A/49/6 (Prog. 46)).
2. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
15. The Programme of Action includes programmes and projects to be considered
for implementation by national Governments, regional institutions and the
international community that are either closely linked to ongoing activities
within the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), or are
in fields where UNCTAD appears to have a comparative advantage in carrying out
island-specific, in-depth studies and research or in providing technical
expertise.
16. Relevant activities that UNCTAD plans to carry out in the future comprise
the preparation of policy-oriented studies including up-to-date information of
high priority to island economies. These studies would focus on transport and
transshipment by sea and air and trade problems arising from smallness,
remoteness and constraints in transport and communications; the formulation of
proposals to assist island developing countries to overcome the main obstacles
to their development efforts; and the provision of technical and advisory
services to the Governments concerned, addressing information flows and
support to intergovernmental consultations and negotiations.
17. With the Programme of Action in mind and in response to General Assembly
resolution 47/186 of 22 December 1992, UNCTAD recently contributed to the
report of the Secretary-General on a development strategy for island
developing countries (A/49/227) for submission to the forty-ninth session of
the General Assembly, under which a strategic framework for future action has
been designed to alleviate problems intrinsic to islands.
18. UNCTAD is considering undertaking further activities in the areas of
science and technology, human resource development, regional economic
cooperation, institutional capacity-building and measurement of the
vulnerability of small island developing countries when its capacity is
strengthened, as recommended in paragraph 127 of the Programme of Action.
3. United Nations Environment Programme/United Nations
Centre for Human Settlements
19. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations
Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) recognize the urgent need to take
action in support of the sustainable development of small island developing
States through the implementation of the Programme of Action. To this end,
joint UNEP and Habitat activities are giving priority to translating the
Programme of Action into mechanisms that can help small island developing
States put in place policies and strategies to achieve sustainable economic
and human development.
20. The development challenges being faced by small island developing States
can best be tackled through an integrated approach to the management of human
activities and their supporting resource base. The relatively high ratio of
coastline to land area and the proportionally large exclusive economic zones
of small island developing States means that they are essentially coastal
entities. In view of this, and the failure of sectoral management programmes
to deal effectively with the rapid depletion of coastal resources world wide,
integrated coastal area or "island" management is considered to be a necessary
framework within which to promote, plan, coordinate and rationalize the
sustainable development of the natural resources of small island developing
States.
21. In recognition of the above, as well as UNEP's mission to provide
leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by
inspiring, informing and enabling nations to improve their quality of life
without compromising that of future generations, and the research,
capacity-building and direct support activities of Habitat at the country
level on human settlements development issues, UNEP and Habitat are making a
joint effort to promote integrated island management in small island
developing States. The current and planned activities and programmes of UNEP
and Habitat are set out below within each of the priority areas of the
Programme of Action.
(a) Climate change and sealevel rise
22. The current and planned activities of UNEP within this priority area
include (a) a number of country and site-specific case studies in the
south-west Pacific, indo-east African and Caribbean regions on the
vulnerability of selected small island developing States to the effects and
socio-economic implications of climate change and sealevel rise; and (b) the
development and application of a decision-support system which will allow
policy analysts to anticipate, explore and counter the risks associated with
climate change and sealevel rise in small island developing States.
23. These activities aim to assist small island developing States to formulate
comprehensive strategies and measures to facilitate adaptation to climate
change and sealevel rise through the development of management tools and
plans. In this respect, they are also closely related to the priority area of
the Programme of Action entitled "Coastal and marine resources", as they
support the development of concepts, methodologies and tools for integrated
coastal zone management.
(b) Natural and environmental disasters
24. UNEP and Habitat have established a joint task force to address
disaster-related issues in the natural and built environment. Natural and
environmental disasters and, more specifically, the unique vulnerability
factors of small island developing States, are important concerns of the task
force. The task force is expected to result in the establishment of
quick-response mechanisms to disaster situations.
25. Habitat has acquired considerable experience in post-hurricane
rehabilitation activities. Major emphasis has been placed, however, on
prevention activities. In this respect, a set of hurricane resistant building
codes and standards, prepared for the eastern Caribbean in 1993, is expected
to be introduced in as many Caribbean small island developing States as
possible, as well as in other regions.
(c) Management of wastes
26. The current and planned activities of UNEP within this priority area
include (a) the assessment and control of pollution through the adoption of
policies and measures designed to mitigate or eliminate marine and coastal
pollution problems; (b) the establishment of the International Register of
Potentially Toxic Chemicals/personal computer data bank containing information
on hazardous chemicals for assessment of the impact of chemicals on human
health and the environment, in particular the aquatic environment; and (c) the
preparation of status reports from selected small island developing States
leading to the establishment of an information system on municipal solid-waste
management, including a case-study in which the information system will be
established and tested.
27. Activities in the assessment and control of pollution aim to increase the
capability of small island developing States from the Mediterranean, indo-east
African, Caribbean and Pacific regions to assess and control marine pollution
from land-based activities through the promotion and adoption of measures to
contain site-specific problems. The pollution assessment and control activity
is also closely related to the priority area entitled "Coastal and marine
resources" as it will contribute to the development and implementation of
integrated coastal zone management.
28. The current and planned activities of Habitat include research on
municipal solid-waste management, focusing on the stimulation of linkages
between the public, private and informal sectors. The research will include
documentation of past experience and the development of innovative approaches
to waste management through specifically designed demonstration projects.
Resource mobilization for the demonstration projects will be targeted to
include selected small island developing States. Current activities in the
Asia-Pacific region have included research on promotion of waste recycling and
reuse aimed at strengthening small-scale waste recycling industries, thus
combining the opportunity for income generation and waste management.
29. The operational activities of Habitat will include a human settlements
analysis and needs assessment in selected Pacific atoll countries (Kiribati,
Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands), which will focus on critical issues related
to the upgrading of human settlements, within which sanitation and waste
management will figure prominently.
30. A joint initiative of Habitat, UNDP and the World Bank, carried out by the
Urban Management Programme regional office for Asia and the Pacific at
Kuala Lumpur, is currently initiating the Pacific islands country
consultations on urban management and environmental sanitation services in
Fiji, Solomon Islands and Western Samoa. A second phase is envisaged in 1995
to incorporate Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of
Micronesia.
31. Already initiated and due to continue in the coming years is technical
assistance on waste management to regional and national institutions in
Caribbean small island developing States, extended through the regional office
for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Urban Management Programme.
Priority areas will include minimization of waste, which has particular
relevance to small island developing States, and maximizing waste recycling
and reuse.
32. Habitat will continue its development of appropriate technologies to
improve waste management in small island developing States where capital and
operation and maintenance resources are limited. It is currently undertaking
an initiative aimed at the demonstration of methods of treating the organic
portion of municipal solid waste in Latin America and the Caribbean, which
will be of particular relevance to the Caribbean islands. Impact assessment
for the Habitat-executed solid-waste collection and disposal project for the
city of Mal in Maldives and for the inter-island solid-waste transport system
is to be undertaken shortly.
33. The control of pollution, in particular waste water management for tourism
development, has been identified as a major problem by the recent UNEP/Habitat
review on waste management in small island developing States. Further
research will focus on development of waste-water treatment and disposal
technologies and, in particular, the contribution they can make to integrated
water resources management. This is of particular relevance to small island
developing States where freshwater resources are often severely limited.
(d) Coastal and marine resources
34. The current and planned activities of UNEP within this priority area
include: (a) protection and management of marine and coastal areas through
integrated coastal area management, including a number of demonstration or
pilot projects in integrated "island" management in which marine and coastal
resource issues are incorporated into the development planning process of
selected small island developing States; (b) the strengthening of information
management capabilities through the development of regional Global Resource
Information Database (GRID) nodes, provision of technical advisory services
and environmental assessments; (c) capacity-building of national institutions
in the collation of data and information, and development and use of database
systems and coastal resource mapping; and (d) capacity-building for the
control of coastal erosion through the acquisition of techniques, national
capabilities and self-reliance.
35. Activities for integrated coastal area management support the development
of national self-reliance in matters related to integrated development and
environmental planning, and assist small island developing States with the
development of methodologies and implementation of integrated coastal zone
management. They are being carried out in the Atlantic-Caribbean,
Mediterranean, south-west Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. These activities
also provide a framework in support of activities in the areas of information
management, database systems and coastal resource mapping, and coastal
erosion. The information management activities will stimulate the use of and
facilitate access to sources of information and data among small island
developing States of the Caribbean region through the strengthening and
integration of existing networking mechanisms for the management of marine and
coastal resources. Activities related to database systems and coastal
resource mapping and to coastal erosion are being carried out in small island
developing States of the indo-east African region. All the coastal and marine
resource activities are also relevant to the priority area of the Programme of
Action entitled "National institutions and administrative capacity", as they
contribute to the strengthening of institutional arrangements and
administrative capacity to integrate environment and development.
36. Environmental assessment activities described below under the priority
area of the Programme of Action entitled "Science and technology" are also
relevant to this priority area as they support the development of mechanisms
for the gathering and sharing of information for the assessment of coastal and
marine resources, including the regional nodes of GRID.
37. The current activities of Habitat related to coastal management are
described below under the priority area of the Programme of Action entitled
"Land resources".
(e) Freshwater resources
38. The current and planned activities of UNEP within this priority area
include a diagnostic study on environmentally sound, integrated management of
freshwater resources within the context of sustainable development. The
initial focus is on the identification, quantification and analysis of
technical, scientific, social, legal, financial, political and other factors
affecting the quality and quantity of freshwater resources in selected small
island developing States. The activities support national, regional and
international action, including development and protection of watershed areas
and development of integrated national water plans; strengthening of national
capacities for decision-making between competing demands for water resource
allocation; development and strengthening of initiatives for regional
cooperation; and improved access to environmentally sound technologies for the
catchment, production, conservation and delivery of fresh water. The
activities will place an emphasis on (a) the major impact of tourism on the
sustainability of resources; (b) the relatively greater impact of pollution on
human water uses in small island developing States; (c) sustainability of
freshwater resources; and (d) human and technical capacity-building to support
achievement of these specific objectives. The activities are also closely
related to the priority areas entitled "Management of wastes" and "tourism
resources", as they will help to ensure (a) that waste management in small
island developing States is compatible with long-term sustainability of
freshwater quantity (supply) and quality (pollution); and (b) that development
and management of the tourism industry are mutually supportive on a national,
regional and international level.
(f) Land resources
39. The operational activities of Habitat systematically address issues
related to land resources in small island developing States in the areas of
land use and land management, planning and development control legislation,
and environmental impact assessment of physical development. The focus of
Habitat programmes in this field is on guiding national development through
physical development plans that balance competing uses of land and other
natural resources, introduce environmental concerns into planning and
development control and develop updated planning legislation. Coastal
management issues are a priority within the development of natural and local
area plans. Particular attention is given to the establishment of national
and subregional Geographical Information Systems.
(g) Energy resources
40. The current and planned activities of UNEP within this priority area
include (a) the establishment of a centre on energy and environment to provide
technical support for professionals from developing countries, including small
island developing States, working on energy issues; and (b) the establishment
and dissemination of a computerized tool on the utilization of biomass energy,
including land use requirements and impact, air pollution and human health
effects. The energy activities will support the establishment of research
capability in the area of energy, including support to research, development
and utilization of renewable sources of energy, and will assist in effective
monitoring of energy resources, especially biomass.
(h) Tourism resources
41. The operational activities of Habitat comprise a number of national
projects in the Caribbean, where tourism development is a component of
national spatial development plans. These are described above under the
priority area dealing with land resources.
(i) Biodiversity resources
42. The current and planned activities of UNEP within this priority area
include (a) development of a regional strategy for the conservation and
management of coral reefs of the indo-east African region and methodologies
for the rapid assessment of the status of coral reef resources, including
their biodiversity; (b) management of specially protected areas and wildlife
in the Caribbean; (c) conservation of marine mammals in the south-west
Pacific, Mediterranean, indo-east African and Caribbean regions; (d)
biodiversity country studies in support of the sustainable use and
conservation of biological diversity; and (e) assistance to enable small
island developing States to participate in international intergovernmental
negotiations leading to the adoption of international legal instruments. All
these activities are also closely related to the priority area entitled
"Coastal and marine resources", as they will contribute to the development and
implementation of integrated coastal zone management in small island
developing States of the south-west Pacific, Mediterranean, indo-east African
and Caribbean regions.
(j) National institutions and administrative capacity
43. The current and planned activities of UNEP within this priority area
include (a) the application of economic analysis and policy instruments for
sound environmental management and sustainable development; (b)
capacity-building for planning environmentally sound development; and (c)
development of national legislation and institutions, and training in
environmental law to enhance the capacity of small island developing States in
environmental policy, law and administration. These activities involve small
island developing States in the Caribbean, west African, west Asian and
Pacific regions. Some activities aim to strengthen institutional arrangements
and administrative capacity to integrate environment and economic policy in
national planning and to ensure capacity to implement Agenda 21 and the
decisions of the Global Conference. Other activities assist with the
development and enactment of appropriate national regulations and legislation
for the implementation of international environmental conventions and
agreements.
44. Regional information exchange activities described below under the
priority area entitled "Regional institutions and technical cooperation" are
also relevant to this priority area as they support the establishment of
national information nodes on sustainable development and facilitate the
exchange of experience among small island developing States.
45. The current and planned activities of Habitat include strengthening
national capacity in (a) preparation of national and local area development
plans, (b) development control application, and (c) Geographical Information
System application in several small island developing States from the
Caribbean and the Pacific regions.
(k) Regional institutions and technical cooperation
46. The current and planned activities of UNEP in this priority area include
the development of national and regional capacity to assess and exchange
information which will assist decision-makers plan for a sustainable future.
They aim to encourage cooperation and collaboration among regional bodies,
between the international community and regional programmes, and at the
national level. The activities focus on retrieval of the most reliable and
accurate environmental information for different user needs.
47. The current and planned activities of Habitat include renewed assistance
to regional institutions in the Caribbean region, namely the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS),
as well as research and academic institutions, through regional/subregional
programmes aimed at capacity-building in human settlements development and
management.
(l) Science and technology
48. The current and planned activities of UNEP in this priority area include
environmental assessment through consultation, institutional capacity-building
and servicing, and database support and development, with emphasis placed on
spatial information technology transfer through its institutional
capacity-building and servicing component. The focus is on human resource
development and building institutional capacities to operate management
information systems with dedicated spatial data system linkages in support of
national and international environmental assessments.
49. Regional information exchange activities described above under the
priority area entitled "Regional institutions and technical cooperation" are
also relevant to this priority area, as they support the development of
appropriate information systems to share experience among small island
developing States and ensure access to databases on environmentally sound
technologies.
(m) Human resource development
50. The current and planned activities of UNEP in this priority area include
integrated environmental management courses for key personnel from the
environmental divisions of Governments, industry and business, as well as
trainers from tertiary institutions. This activity aims to increase the
capacity of small island developing States to deal with environment and
development issues. Another activity in the field of education, carried out
in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), aims to infuse sustainable development ideas into
education curricula and emphasizes the link between environment and social and
economic issues at the national level.
51. The current and planned activities of Habitat in this priority area are
closely associated with those relating to national and regional institutions.
They cover training programmes for advanced academic curricula extended
through fellowships and attachments.
52. Habitat has developed a series of tools and instruments designed to assist
national and local governments and training institutions to assess
institutional and organizational capacity and define needs and priorities for
sustainable local development. These tools have been widely disseminated to
small island developing States and are used as the basis for capacity-building
workshops, seminars and policy consultations, which include participants from
small island developing States.
B. Funds and programmes
1. United Nations Development Programme
53. Since the adoption of the Programme of Action at the Global Conference,
UNDP has taken a number of initiatives designed to enable it to provide
effective support for the implementation of the Programme of Action.
54. In keeping with the specific request contained in paragraph 105 of the
Programme of Action, UNDP has carried out, in consultation with
representatives of the small island developing States and the Department for
Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, a feasibility study in
respect of SIDS/NET (A/49/414), an information network designed to facilitate
the exchange of information among small island developing States. The study
endorses the feasibility of the concept and has identified the costs and other
institutional arrangements that would be necessary in order to translate the
concept into a viable programme.
55. Similarly, as requested in paragraph 106 of the Programme of Action, UNDP
has also carried out a feasibility study on SIDS/TAP (A/49/459), a small
island developing States technical assistance programme, which is seen as an
important instrument for operationalizing the Programme of Action. The
feasibility study has been prepared on the basis of consultations with
representatives of the small island developing States in New York as well as
on the basis of two seminars held in Fiji (22-23 August 1994) and in Barbados
(23-24 August 1994). It also benefited from inputs from the Department for
Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development. The study details the
specific activities to be carried out under SIDS/TAP, the cost implications
and the associated institutional arrangements to be put in place at the
national, regional, interregional and international level. SIDS/TAP is
intended to serve as an important framework for orienting the work of UNDP and
other organizations in support of the Programme of Action for small island
developing States.
56. In addition to the above initiatives, in paragraph 126 of the Programme of
Action UNDP was requested to continue to carry out its mandate as the lead
agency in organizing United Nations system efforts towards capacity-building
at the local, national and regional levels and in fostering the United Nations
collective thrust in support of the implementation of the Programme of Action
through its network of field offices. Consistent with this mandate, the
Administrator of UNDP has signed two Capacity 21 projects for the Pacific and
the Caribbean respectively, which are intended to continue the previous
collaborative efforts between UNDP and donor countries to assist small island
developing States in their efforts to achieve sustainable human development.
The total budget approved by UNDP for both projects is US$ 1.7 million.
57. The programmes to be carried out under these Capacity 21 projects address
four major areas at the national level, namely, (a) assisting small island
developing States in the development of national frameworks for sustainable
development; (b) improving the capacity of financial planning and investment
institutions in small island developing States to reorient their policies and
procedures in line with sustainable development objectives and integrate
environmental matters into their lending policies; (c) building capacity in
the management of land and sea resources; (d) enhancing the capacity of
peoples' organizations and involving them in decision-making processes; and
(e) developing information and communication networks amongst the islands to
share information and valuable experience in the areas of sustainable
development. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will be involved in the
implementation of the Caribbean project, which will be executed by the
Caribbean Centre for Development Administration. The Pacific project will be
executed by the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
58. In order to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach to the
implementation of the Programme of Action for small island developing States,
the relevant bureaux in UNDP headquarters, as well as country offices covering
small island developing States countries, will be requested to develop
specific plans for carrying out follow-up action in support of the Programme
of Action.
2. United Nations Population Fund
59. In accordance with its mandate as the leading agency in the United Nation
system for promoting population programmes in both developed and developing
countries, UNFPA has provided technical and financial assistance to the small
island developing States. In the implementation of Agenda 21, pursuant to its
role as task manager of chapter 5 of Agenda 21, UNFPA pays special attention
to the interrelationship between the demographical dynamics and sustainable
development of the small island States. In the South Pacific, a special
project aimed at integrated population concerns in environmental and
development planning is being implemented jointly by UNFPA and the South
Pacific Regional Environment Programme. Its future technical assistance
programme will be based on the Programme of Action for Sustainable Development
of Small Island Developing States and the recommendations of the Programme of
Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, taking
into account the special conditions of and the problems facing the small
island States. In order to provide effective and appropriate technical
assistance to the small island developing States, in UNFPA's global
arrangements for technical assistance special arrangements have been made in
two regions to cater for the needs of those States. In the Pacific region, a
special country support team based at Suva, has been established to provide
exclusive technical assistance to the region. In the Caribbean, a special
subregional field office has been established to provide technical assistance
to the small island developing States in that region. UNFPA support
concentrates specifically on the expansion of reproductive health and family
planning, the promotion of universal education, especially for girls, and the
empowerment of women. UNFPA will provide the necessary assistance to the
small island developing States.
3. United Nations Children's Fund
60. The response of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to Agenda 21,
and by implication to the Programme of Action, is contained in Executive Board
decision 1993/14 where the concept of primary environmental care has been
developed. That approach seeks to ensure that the basic needs of the poor,
disadvantaged and vulnerable are addressed, that communities are empowered and
that natural resources are managed and used in an optimal manner. Given the
special situation of small island developing States, optimizing natural
resources is critical to their sustainable development.
61. UNICEF cooperates with 32 small island developing States, at least 9 of
which are categorized as least developed, in the support of programmes
relating to priority areas such as health services, nutrition and household
food security, formal and non-formal education, young child development, safe
water and adequate sanitation, children in especially difficult circumstances,
as well as community-based urban and rural services. These programmes are
supported by cross-cutting strategies such as social mobilization, empowerment
and national capacity-building, reinforced by advocacy and a strong monitoring
and evaluation component.
62. UNICEF programme priorities are reflected in the pursuit of mid-decade
goals to be achieved by 1995 and in the goals for the year 2000 set at the
1990 World Summit for Children, all of which are included in Agenda 21 (chaps.
6, 18, 25 and 36), and implicitly contained in chapter XIV of the Programme of
Action. With the exception of the least developed group, the majority of
small island developing States have achieved most of the mid-decade goals.
The primary concern now is how to sustain the social gains that have been
realized in ecological and economic environments that are becoming
increasingly hostile, thus menacing the already fragile environment of the
young child. The challenge for small island developing States is to develop
appropriate and sustainable models for health care; to address issues such as
the purpose and relevance of education; and mitigate the effects of troubling
changes in the family structure as more teenagers become unwed mothers, their
numbers increasing each year.
63. In the light of the Programme of Action, as well the mid-decade and World
Summit for Children goals, UNICEF-assisted programmes for small island
developing States will be revisited and refocused. In addition, the issue of
children's rights will be addressed as they pertain to children's
participation in the implementation of the Programme of Action. For middle
and higher income small island States, more emphasis will be placed on
advocacy, policy dialogue, technical collaboration, strengthening national and
regional bodies and institutions, and sustainability issues to support the
implementation of programmes for children.
64. The UNICEF country programme approach can be grouped in four areas of the
Programme of Action (management of wastes, freshwater resources, national
capacity-building and human resource development), with some ad hoc and
advocacy activities in other areas. Advocacy will centre on strengthening the
social aspects of the Programme of Action.
65. UNICEF activities in support of the Programme of Action are summarized
below.
(a) Climate change and sealevel rise
66. UNICEF will examine the socio-economic implications of this phenomenon on
the survival, protection and development of children and will advocate the
importance of children's understanding of issues relative to global warming
and its effects through education and information activities.
(b) Natural and environmental disasters
67. UNICEF will contribute to the strengthening of early warning systems and
the improvement of the cultural and traditional systems of local communities
in dealing with disasters. UNICEF emergency assistance will continue to be
given when necessary.
(c) Management of wastes
68. UNICEF supports urban and rural sanitation and hygiene education
programmes in many small island States. UNICEF has also provided a social
sector perspective to a World Bank study on waste management in the Pacific.
Support will continue for national capacity-building programmes with attention
to training of local level development workers and community workers,
especially women and girls.
(d) Coastal and marine resources
69. UNICEF provides support for the organization of local communities and the
application of traditional knowledge and management practices in integrated
coastal-area-based development. It also promotes appropriate technology for
the processing of sustainable fishery resources, the majority of beneficiaries
being women, with adequate training and awareness programmes. UNICEF also
supports small-scale fish-farming in some small island developing States.
(e) Freshwater resources
70. While drinking water supply coverage is adequate in most small island
developing States, it is menaced by groundwater pollution, sinking
water-tables and salt-water intrusion. UNICEF will contribute to the adoption
of standards, low-cost technologies and the strengthening of monitoring and
assessment capabilities, with special attention to the development of
community-level indicators and training programmes to permit more
community-level input in the management of freshwater resources. UNICEF will
also assist in the implementation of the recommendations of the Ministerial
Conference on Drinking Water and Environmental Sanitation, 4/ which was held
at Noordwijk, the Netherlands, in March 1994, as they relate to small island
developing States.
(f) Land resources
71. In seeking to address the problems relating to land resources in small
island developing States, UNICEF will focus on supporting participation by
children and youth in afforestation and reforestation programmes; urban
(community-based, bio-intensive) agriculture; credits for women for improved
farming and marketing techniques; strengthening traditional systems of food
production and use of plants; community management of waste; and education,
training and awareness programmes aimed at children and youth.
(g) Energy resources
72. UNICEF will support the introduction and testing of renewable sources of
energy and improved management of biomass at the community and household
levels. UNICEF will also advocate children's participation in energy
conservation through education and awareness programmes.
(h) Biodiversity resources
73. UNICEF will support community efforts in the management and conservation
of biodiversity resources as well as the transfer of indigenous knowledge,
while reinforcing the valuable contribution of indigenous peoples to the
conservation of biodiversity (inter-generational transfer of knowledge,
enrichment of school curricula and non-formal education programmes).
Children's participation will be supported through education and practical
application, as will be youth conservation and women's groups, and other
non-governmental organizations.
(i) National institutions and administrative capacity
74. One of UNICEF's main programming strategies is national capacity-building.
UNICEF will support many small island developing States in the preparation of
national programmes of action for children and in the development of expertise
in social planning, policy analysis and formulation, as well as advocate their
relevance to the wider application of sustainable development principles so
that they are considered jointly with other environmental plans and strategies
developed for small island developing States.
(j) Regional institutions and technical cooperation
75. UNICEF will continue to seek to strengthen the capacity of regional
institutions in social sector activities in the Pacific, Caribbean and African
regions. It will also support the development of appropriate, low cost
technologies and enhance technical capacity in relation to the ratification
and monitoring of and reporting on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
(k) Transport and communications
76. UNICEF will support the establishment of community rural media through,
for example, radio and newsletters.
(l) Human resource development
77. Although the majority of small island developing States have achieved
improvements in the health status of their populations, these gains are being
eroded by the social stresses arising from economic and ecological pressures.
Pursuing the mid-decade goals in the least developed small island developing
States will be a strategy to address basic health problems. Sustaining and
reinforcing the social gains while combating poverty and environmental
degradation will be the approach adopted by UNICEF in the other small island
developing States.
4. World Food Programme
78. The World Food Programme (WFP) has historically been involved in assisting
a number of small island developing States, including States in the Caribbean,
Indian Ocean and Pacific regions. Many of these States have now reached a
stage of development that makes it less appropriate for them to receive the
type of assistance that WFP has to offer with its priority on
poverty-alleviation programmes. Several small island States will nevertheless
continue to receive some assistance from WFP. This assistance will focus on
human resource development and sustained rural development as well as relief
in times of emergencies.
5. United Nations International Drug Control Programme
79. The United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) has been
supporting drug abuse control measures and initiatives in small island
developing States, especially in the Caribbean region, through specific
operational activities approved for funding from the Programme's own resources
during 1994. Demand reduction efforts have been promoted through training and
seminars in treatment and rehabilitation and an expert forum on demand
reduction for the Caribbean will be held in the Bahamas in October 1994.
80. A working group on maritime cooperation established in 1993 by the
Commission on Narcotic Drugs is working on the development of a comprehensive
set of principles and specific recommendations to enhance, on a global basis,
the implementation of article 17 of the 1988 Convention dealing with illicit
traffic by sea. This initiative, which will be part of the report of the
working group to the Commission in March 1995, is relevant to paragraph (iv)
of section C in chapter X of the Programme of Action, which calls for "closer
cooperation to improve national and international measures to combat illicit
drug trafficking and money laundering".
C. Specialized agencies
1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
81. Follow-up by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) to the Programme of Action will be based largely on the conclusions and
recommendations of the Interregional Conference of Small Island Countries on
Sustainable Development and Environment in Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries, 5/ held in Barbados from 7 to 10 April 1992. Paragraph 34 of the
Programme of Action notes that these conclusions and recommendations "contain
the consensus position of small islands in the agricultural sector".
Accordingly, FAO is in the process of incorporating these recommendations into
its programmes. Subject to adequate extrabudgetary funding being secured, FAO
proposes to organize a second interregional conference in Western Samoa in
April 1995 which would formulate capacity-building activities, identify
networking arrangements at regional and interregional levels, and propose
projects in specific priority areas in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and
nutrition.
82. FAO is also involved in providing policy advice to several small island
developing States in agricultural sector reviews, and on agricultural trade
and agricultural diversification. This advice seeks to achieve three
essential goals of sustainable development and rural development: food
security; employment and income generation to eradicate poverty; and
conservation of the natural resources base and protection of the environment.
2. United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
83. UNESCO's competence relates to recommendations in a number of areas of the
Programme of Action. At present, all relevant programme units and those field
offices of the organization that are directly involved with small island
developing States are conducting an analysis of the results of the Global
Conference and its implications for the future work of UNESCO. These units
have been invited to include in their ongoing activities during the biennium
1994-1995 an explicit response to the Global Conference. Moreover, the
contribution of UNESCO to the implementation of the Programme of Action will
also be reflected in the preparation of the organization's fourth medium-term
plan (1996-2001) and its draft programme and budget for 1996-1997.
84. Priority areas for UNESCO action will be related to the chapters of the
Programme of Action dealing with climate change and sealevel rise; natural and
environmental disasters; coastal, marine, land, freshwater and renewable
energy resources; biodiversity; science and technology; and human resources
development. The major international scientific initiatives taken by UNESCO,
including the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the Man and the
Biosphere Programme, the International Hydrological Programme, the Coastal
Marine Programme, and UNESCO's natural hazards programme, will be the main
instruments for the organization's action related to the environmental and
natural resource management issues addressed in the Programme of Action.
85. These international programmes already include activities focused on small
island developing States. A major component of them will continue to be
specialized training and human resource development. As an immediate
follow-up to the Global Conference, the International Hydrological Programme,
in cooperation with UNDP and the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission,
organized a workshop in Solomon Islands in June 1994 to identify critical
research, training and planning needs for water management in Pacific island
countries. The recommendations of that workshop provide valuable scientific
and technical guidelines for the implementation in the Pacific region of the
section on freshwater resources in the Programme of Action. The Executive
Council of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, at its
twenty-seventh session (Paris, July 1994), took note of the Programme of
Action and expressed the full support of the Commission for its
implementation.
86. In relation to human resource development, UNESCO plans to enhance its
cooperation with small island developing States in the field of education at
all levels, formal and non-formal. UNESCO's new interdisciplinary and
inter-agency cooperation project on environment and population education and
information for human development will include specific activities focused on
the needs of small island developing States. To address the problem of
post-secondary educational opportunities, in March 1994 UNESCO brought
together in Cape Verde a group of international experts to review the
particular requirements of small island developing States in the areas of
higher education and national scientific capacity-building. The
recommendations of that meeting are now being reviewed in the light of the
Programme of Action.
87. In the area of communication, UNESCO will continue to cooperate with small
island developing States in establishing communication structures, including
for distance education, in training communicators and in building island
production capacities. Under the United Nations World Decade for Cultural
Development, UNESCO will continue to help island States to address the
cultural dimensions of development. Assistance will focus on the question of
how economic development can be managed in a way that also sustains the
distinctive social institutions and cultural identities of island people.
3. World Health Organization
88. The Programme of Action provides a basis for strengthening WHO activities
in the field of health, environment and development. WHO activities
concerning small island developing States emphasize the reduction of
water-borne diseases, the rational management of freshwater resources, the
sanitary disposal of wastes and the assessment of environmental health impacts
of major projects.
89. As a result of the outcomes of UNCED, the World Health Assembly requested
WHO to prepare a new global strategy for health and the environment. The
Assembly further requested that the strategy should consider the protection of
the environment of small island countries in view of the potential serious
effects of environmental change on the health of the populations concerned.
WHO has prepared an action plan for implementation of the global strategy in
which many aspects of the Programme of Action are covered.
90. WHO activities in support of the Programme of Action are summarized below.
(a) Climate change and sealevel rise
91. WHO plans to issue in 1995 a major report on the potential health effects
of climatic change, for which WHO will collaborate with Member States and
regional and international organizations in coordinating the surveillance and
monitoring of key parameters of health impacts of climate change, inter alia,
the problem as it affects small island developing countries.
(b) Natural and environmental disasters
92. Relevant activities of WHO in this area are directed to supporting
countries in the establishment and strengthening of preparedness for and
management of health aspects of disasters. A guideline on environmental
health measures in emergency situations is being prepared for publication in
1995. The WHO Regional Office for the Americas/Pan-American Health
Organization (PAHO) has developed a special programme on disaster
preparedness, which is being implemented through its subregional office in
Barbados.
(c) Management of wastes
93. Management of wastes is a major area of concern for WHO, with particular
reference to small island developing States. A series of regional and
national workshops has been held to address the problems of hazardous wastes,
including medical wastes, in island settings. WHO has also been involved in
organizing and co-sponsoring conferences on island waste management.
94. The storage, collection and disposal of refuse is a priority environmental
health problem for small island developing States. In the Caribbean region,
WHO is collaborating with countries in developing a solid-waste management
plan to ensure the environmentally safe disposal of solid waste. Through the
International Programme on Chemical Safety, WHO provides technical material on
health aspects of different types of chemicals. This Programme also promotes
and supports training and the strengthening of national capabilities. New
technology for the rapid assessment of sources of air, water and land
pollution is being developed and will be ready in 1995. This technology will
be of particular benefit to small island developing States.
(d) Coastal and marine resources
95. WHO is involved with other international organizations through the
UNEP-coordinated Regional Seas Programme, emphasizing the health aspects of
coastal pollution. The Programme is concerned with the contamination of
seafood and coastal bathing areas. WHO is also working to adapt the European
health criteria for recreational beaches to other areas.
(e) Freshwater resources
96. Through its regional offices, WHO provides technical cooperation to island
countries to improve their capacities for dealing with water supply and
sanitation problems. This cooperation includes workshops, training courses
and advisory services. WHO is assisting with the formulation of
drinking-water standards through the application of its guidelines on
drinking-water quality. WHO activities are also concerned with the protection
of groundwater from contamination and water resource management issues. WHO
is collaborating on the implementation of the Caribbean Basin water management
project, now being hosted at the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute.
(f) Energy resources
97. Current activities in this area that are relevant to small island
developing States include health aspects of the use of biomass for home
heating and cooking and the application of solar energy to support health
care.
(g) Tourism resources
98. In cooperation with UNEP, WHO is developing guidelines on the health and
environment aspects of tourism. The guidelines will address the special
problems of small island developing States in this area. WHO is in the
process of implementing a subregional plan of action for environmental health
and sustainable tourism development, which was formulated in 1993 by the
Regional Office for the Americas in collaboration with the Organization of
American States, several subregional institutions and the Governments of the
Caribbean.
(h) National institutions and administrative capacity
99. WHO has been collaborating with national health and environmental health
institutions in some small island developing States in the development of
their technical, human and organizational capacities. Institutions that have
benefited from WHO support include those involved with health delivery
systems, water utilities and agencies responsible for waste management. An
important recent contribution is a WHO/UNDP initiative to promote the
incorporation of health and environment considerations into development
planning. The initiative consists of activities in approximately 10
countries, including 2 island countries, which will be used to issue a
guideline on this topic.
(i) Regional institutions and technical cooperation
100. WHO/PAHO is collaborating with the CARICOM secretariat in the
implementation of the Caribbean cooperation for health initiative. There are
several subregional institutions receiving support from WHO/PAHO, including
the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute, the Caribbean Epidemiology Center
and the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute. Furthermore, WHO/PAHO has
been instrumental in creating several subregional mechanisms such as the
Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association, the Caribbean Association of
Environmental Health Organizations, the Caribbean Public Health Association
and the Solid-Waste Association of the Caribbean, which undertake activities
in the health sector.
(j) Science and technology
101. WHO has a number of activities that contribute to strengthening science
and technology capacity in developing countries, including small island
developing States. An example is the Global Environmental Technology Network,
which was established to link scientists and institutions concerned with
environmental control and prevention activities. Information on various
techniques is being distributed through this system, which also facilitates
the training of personnel.
(k) Human resource development
102. WHO is developing programmes on training and education in environmental
health which will benefit small island developing States. These programmes
will involve support for national human resource planning and the provision of
training on environmental health management and pollution control,
environmental health impact assessment, environmental epidemiology, and human
exposure assessment.
4. World Bank
103. The World Bank will support the implementation of the Programme of Action
by providing funding for activities in the following six broad areas:
(a) Human resources development: education, health, nutrition and
women's development;
(b) Sustainable infrastructure: transportation, telecommunications,
tourism infrastructure and sustainable power development;
(c) Waste management, sanitation and water supply: these investments
benefit human health and welfare and also yield high returns in terms of
economic productivity and ecosystem protection;
(d) Strengthened environmental management: capacity strengthening for
environmental assessment, policy formulation and enforcement;
(e) Natural resources management: development of new policies towards
fisheries, forestry and land-use planning that merge ecological, productivity
and social considerations. The Bank is funding such "new generation" projects
in small island States in the fisheries, forestry, agriculture and mining
sectors;
(f) Policy reform: financial and technical assistance for policies that
promote a vibrant private sector, undistorted markets, efficient government
structures, and taxes and prices that favour people and the environment.
104. Between 1991 and 1993, the World Bank provided financing of around
$1.5 billion to 23 small island developing States through both Bank and Global
Environment Facility (GEF) projects. The focus of these projects are
consonant with provisions in the Programme of Action in matters related to
climate change, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer, energy efficiency, including renewable energy sources and related
technologies, waste management, biodiversity, regional institutional
cooperation, technical assistance and monitoring. The Bank is also engaged at
the working level in a coordination effort related to a draft paper on
initiatives for regional action on Caribbean environment issues and hosted a
meeting on the regional action plan with Caribbean and donor Governments in
June.
5. International Monetary Fund
105. The substantive areas of the Programme of Action lie outside the
immediate mandate of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, in the
context of its discussions with island member countries during consultations
and/or use of Fund resources discussions, IMF will continue to pay close
attention to their environmental and other concerns as reflected in the
Programme of Action.
6. International Civil Aviation Organization
106. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has a specific
interest in chapter XII of the Programme of Action entitled "Transport and
communications", particularly paragraph (i) of section B of that chapter. The
organization has been involved in several projects in the Pacific and African
regions involving small island developing States. ICAO will provide
additional technical expertise to enhance the capability within the South
Pacific Forum secretariat to meet the technical advisory needs of Forum member
countries and to assist the Forum secretariat in preparing funding proposals
and donor mobilization. ICAO is also having discussions with the Asian
Development Bank on the creation of a Pacific airports facility project and is
providing assistance with the development of aviation legislation.
107. In relation to activities in the African region, ICAO has a civil
aviation purchasing service agreement with Cape Verde, under which it assists
the airport authority to purchase spare parts and equipment. ICAO is
assisting with the preparation of a civil aviation code in the Comoros and is
providing financial management assistance and training in Sao Tome and
Principe.
108. With respect to quarantine issues referred to in chapter XII of the
Programme of Action, Annex 9 (Facilitation) to the Convention on International
Civil Aviation 6/ contains a number of relevant provisions. The eleventh
session of the Facilitation Division, to be held at Montreal, Canada, in
May 1995 will be considering, inter alia, disinfecting of aircraft.
7. International Telecommunication Union
109. As the Programme of Action has only recently been adopted, a substantial
part of the ongoing activities of the International Telecommunication Union
(ITU) relevant to small island developing States were conceived and adopted
through its own programmes or under the framework of Agenda 21. ITU will
promote the development and modernization of national and international
telecommunication networks and services with the objective of promoting
socio-economic development in small island developing States.
(a) Natural and environmental disasters
110. The range of communications needed for disaster mitigation include
specialized telecommunications and associated information technologies in
remote sensing, radar and telemetry, broadcasting and other media,
meteorology, as well as communications for disaster logistics management,
early warning systems and public education. ITU will cooperate with small
island developing States and other organizations concerned, under the aegis of
the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, to exploit fully
telecommunication potential to avert disasters and save life and property.
(b) Transport and communications
111. ITU is engaged in activities in the following areas relevant to this
chapter:
(a) Efforts are being made to improve all types of communication
facilities, including public, broadcasting and maritime communications;
(b) Regional planning and studies are being undertaken along with other
regional action;
(c) The application of appropriate communications technologies is being
closely examined in conjunction with other United Nations organizations,
notably UNESCO and UNDP;
(d) ITU continues to seek access to financial and technical resources for
telecommunication development;
(e) Regional studies are being undertaken to address research, development
and training;
(f) ITU is promoting dialogue between telecommunications carriers and
Governments, in addition to assisting with legislation, liberalization and
privatization matters.
(c) Science and technology
112. ITU is largely concerned with the transfer of telecommunication
technology to small island developing States and coordination of any research
and development activities that may lead to faster transfer of environmentally
sound technology.
(d) Human resource development
113. The development and management of human resources has been accorded a
high priority within the technical cooperation activities of ITU. Activities
implemented for small island developing States include workshops and seminars
on organizational development, computer-based training and manpower planning.
A number of projects are in the process of being developed for the countries
of the Pacific and Caribbean regions.
8. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
114. A large number of small island developing States are contracting parties
to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and have participated
actively in the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. The GATT
secretariat has been assisting them to this end and will continue to do so in
implementing the results of the Uruguay Round, having regard in particular to
the provisions of differential and more favourable treatment for developing
countries. The strengthening of rules and the extension of their coverage to
new areas such as textiles, agriculture and services, among others, as well as
the creation of the appropriate institutional framework to monitor, implement
and enforce the agreed disciplines with the establishment of the World Trade
Organization, are of considerable importance to all participants. They are,
moreover, especially meaningful to developing countries in support of their
efforts towards achieving sustained economic growth and development.
9. International Maritime Organization
115. The principal means by which the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) regulates international shipping from the viewpoint of maritime safety
and the prevention of pollution is through the adoption of conventions, codes
and guidelines at the global level. Requests from IMO member States for
assistance in ratifying and implementing IMO conventions and codes are dealt
with through the integrated technical cooperation programme of IMO, which is
largely funded from extrabudgetary sources. Under this programme, IMO
supports participation by representatives from small island developing States
in specialized courses on maritime topics.
116. IMO maintains several posts in the field. Efforts are currently being
made to establish regional maritime coordination networks in eastern and
southern Africa, and in the South Pacific, along similar lines to those in
place for Latin and Central America. A number of small island developing
States would benefit from these new networks. At the national level, IMO
places emphasis on human resource development through the award of fellowships
and the conduct of workshops, seminars and training courses. This emphasis is
of particular relevance to small island States in the wider Caribbean where a
US$ 5 million GEF project on the collection and disposal of ship-generated
wastes is presently being implemented by IMO.
10. World Meteorological Organization
117. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has plans and programmes in
nine of the substantive areas of the Programme of Action, which are summarized
below.
(a) Climate change and sealevel rise
118. A major programme of WMO relevant to small island developing States is
the World Climate Programme, which involves climate data collection, climate
monitoring and applications. WMO is also a co-sponsor of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is responsible for scientific
assessments on climate change. The activities of WMO are tied to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 7/ The role and
responsibility of WMO for effectively implementing the Framework Convention
relate to basic data, greenhouse gas inventory, vulnerability and impact
assessment, adaptation (water resources, agriculture, forestry), mitigation,
education and training, information and awareness, research, and technical and
international cooperation. Specific programmes and activities geared to small
island developing States include:
(a) The production of an information video "Paradise in danger", which
focuses on the potential effects of climate change and sealevel rise on small
islands;
(b) The establishment of a facility in Hawaii to monitor sealevel rise in
the Pacific;
(c) A climate change detection project that provides regular assessments
and authoritative statements on the interpretation and applicability of
databases for the detection of climate change on global and regional scales;
(d) A climate system monitoring project that provides information on
large-scale climatic fluctuations through the routine publication of the
Climate System Monitoring Monthly Bulletin and the Global Climate System
Review, issued on a biennial basis;
(e) A project designed to give users a computerized data-management
capability;
(f) A data rescue project, which aims to assist countries with the
preservation, management and use of climatic data from within their own
territory.
(b) Natural and environmental disasters
119. The activities of WMO are geared to natural disasters through its
tropical cyclone and hydrology programmes, the Global Atmosphere Watch, and
through its involvement in the International Decade for Natural Disaster
Reduction. WMO has five tropical cyclone regional bodies whose membership
comprises a large number of small island developing States, most of which are
prone to tropical cyclones because of their geographic location. The aims of
these regional bodies include mitigation against the effects of natural
disasters through the provision of effective early warning systems, transfer
of appropriate technology to small States, and training in scientific and
disaster preparedness measures. These regional bodies support national
efforts in natural disaster mitigation, preparedness and response.
120. WMO's plan of action for the International Decade includes three special
demonstration projects, namely, the tropical cyclone warning system for the
south-west Indian Ocean, comprehensive risk assessment, which will evaluate
natural disasters of various types, and a system for technology exchange for
natural disasters. WMO is also promoting research activities on tropical
meteorology in connection with the vulnerability of tropical regions to
meteorological natural disasters such as tropical cyclones and droughts.
121. WMO has established the Global Atmosphere Watch as an environmental
observation system to ensure systematic gathering of data world wide according
to comparable and clearly defined measuring criteria. The network of stations
involved monitor the chemical composition of the atmosphere and related
physical characteristics, information which improves understanding of the
behaviour of the atmosphere and its interactions with the oceans and
biosphere. Data from the Watch has already been used to establish "phase-out
dates" for usage of harmful substances to prevent further destruction of the
ozone layer. In the aftermath of disasters such as oil fires, and nuclear
accidents or natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, analysis of data
from the Watch can and has been used to assess climatic effects.
(c) Freshwater resources
122. WMO has a programme of activities in support of the collection and
analysis of hydrological data in small island States. It has also intensified
its activities in the field of water-quality monitoring, with emphasis being
placed on technical guidance and assistance in water-quality assessment and
management. In conjunction with WHO and UNEP, it has initiated a programme on
regional training workshops for water-quality monitoring.
123. As part of its follow-up to UNCED, WMO is involved in the establishment
of a world hydrological observing system to measure and study the aquatic
environment. This system, which will include the collection of data on both
the quantity and quality of water resources, is being developed on a regional
basis. Given that the system will be based on satellite communications, it
should be possible to operate the data collection networks within island
communities, where they should greatly increase the effectiveness of existing
monitoring systems.
(d) Energy resources
124. WMO supports the research, development and utilization of renewable
sources of energy, such as biomass, hydropower, solar, wind and ocean waves
and ocean thermal energy conversion. These sources are in ready supply in
many small island developing States, and programmes to develop solar and wind
energy farms, for example, receive technical support from WMO. Savings in
energy use can be achieved through planning and building in harmony with the
climate and WMO is providing guidance to Governments in this area using
methods and techniques developed within the framework of various projects,
such as the tropical urban climate experiment.
(e) Tourism resources
125. WMO is working closely with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) in the
development of environmental indicators and guidelines to support sustainable
tourism, with attention being paid to the case of small island developing
States. One aspect of this development relates to the mitigation of the
impact of natural disasters in tourism areas and, together with WTO, WMO is
currently finalizing a handbook on natural disaster reduction in tourist
areas.
(f) National institutions
126. WMO supports the national meteorological and hydrological services of
small island developing States in programme and project planning. To
facilitate this activity, WMO has three regional offices set up for Latin
America and the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia and the Pacific.
(g) Regional institutions and technical cooperation
127. For many small island developing States, problems in the fields of
meteorology and hydrology are most efficiently solved through regional and
subregional approaches. The operations of the Caribbean Meteorological
Organization, based in Barbados, is a good example of this. Members of that
organization also operate a "radar fence" for hurricane surveillance and
warning and WMO is assisting with the modernization of this radar network.
128. As a direct contribution to developing countries, including small island
developing States, WMO has designated a number of regional/specialized
meteorological centres to provide specialized information and guidance in
areas normally beyond the capabilities of small island States. WMO also
cooperates closely with a number of regional intergovernmental bodies with
strong links to small island developing States, including the Indian Ocean
Commission, the Caribbean Meteorological Organization, the Caribbean Disaster
Emergency Response Agency and the South Pacific Regional Environment
Programme.
(h) Science and technology
129. WMO supports the transfer of technology to small island developing States
through regional arrangements or by encouraging and facilitating bilateral
arrangements between developed countries and small island States. Through its
various operational and research programmes, WMO supports the involvement of
personnel from small island developing States in scientific activity.
(i) Human resource development
130. The education and human resource development programmes of WMO are
generally geared to help small island developing States through regional
training institutions and nationally and regionally based specialized training
activities, in addition to training and education fellowships. WMO
fellowships for studies in meteorology and operational hydrology have been
awarded to candidates from a number of small island developing States.
11. World Intellectual Property Organization
131. Within the framework of the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) development cooperation programme related to intellectual property,
WIPO will continue to provide assistance to small island developing States,
aimed at providing basic or specialized knowledge of the law, the
administration, enforcement and use of intellectual property, and of patent
documentation and information.
132. At the request of Governments of small island developing States, WIPO
will cooperate in the formulation of new national laws and regulations and in
the creation or strengthening of national intellectual property offices. WIPO
will also assist these Governments or private sector entities with efforts to
increase skills in negotiating contracts concerning the acquisition of
technology of foreign origin. Special attention will be given to technologies
that are both environmentally sound and capable of advancing the country's
goals for social and economic development.
12. United Nations Industrial Development Organization
133. The activities of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO) relating to small island developing States are set out in a technical
paper it submitted to the Global Conference in Barbados entitled "Sustainable
industrial potential for small island developing States: flexible adjustment
and the search for opportunity with special reference to utilization of marine
resources". UNIDO programmes and technical activities cover several areas of
the Programme of Action, particularly management of wastes, coastal and marine
resources, land and energy resources, and biodiversity resources. In
addition, the areas of science and technology and human resource development
correspond directly to several of UNIDO's core organizational objectives.
UNIDO is providing a cluster of integrated services to small island developing
States directed towards industrial information, the promotion of regional
cooperation mechanisms, technology management and industrial investment
promotion.
D. Conclusions
134. The responses outlined above indicate that the organizations and agencies
of the United Nations system are already involved in implementing several
aspects of the Programme of Action or are in the process of developing plans
and programmes to do so. In this regard, several factors are worthy of note.
First, a number of organizations indicated that the activities they are
undertaking which are relevant to areas of the Programme of Action have been
conceived under the framework of Agenda 21. This is not surprising, given the
close correlation between UNCED and its outcomes, notably Agenda 21, and the
Global Conference. There were, however, some exceptions to this. FAO, for
example, noted that its follow-up to the Programme of Action will be based on
the outcomes of the Interregional Conference of Small Island Countries on
Sustainable Development and Environment in Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries, 5/ held in Barbados in April 1992. The Programme of Action
endorsed the conclusions and recommendations of that Conference. In other
cases, the plans and programmes of United Nations organizations and agencies
relevant to the implementation of the Programme of Action are an integral part
of the broader programmes of those bodies which derive from their particular
mandates.
135. A second factor to be highlighted concerns the nature and scope of the
activities being undertaken in support of the Programme of Action. While some
activities are directly related to a particular substantive area of the
Programme of Action, for example climate change, others are cross-sectoral in
nature, encompassing several substantive areas. For example, UNEP/Habitat and
the World Bank indicated that their programmes reflected a broad, integrated
approach to sustainable development with an emphasis on capacity-building
measures and coastal and land-use management. In relation to the scope of
programmes being implemented, several United Nations agencies and
organizations, including UNEP/Habitat, UNICEF, UNESCO, WHO and WMO, are
involved in activities relevant to many substantive areas of the Programme of
Action while the work of other agencies, for example, ITU, ICAO, IMO, WIPO and
UNIDO, is much more focused, reflecting their more limited mandates. There
are, however, still some priority substantive areas of the Programme of
Action, of central importance to small island developing States, in which
United Nations organizations do not appear to be making specific
contributions. These are, particularly, the areas of transport and
communications, tourism and, to some extent, energy resources.
Additional efforts would need to be made by relevant organizations of the
system to formulate and undertake activities in these substantive areas if the
aims and objectives of these parts of the Programme of Action are to be
achieved.
136. As noted in the introduction to the present report, a number of
organizations and agencies indicated that they are still in the process of
reviewing their programmes and activities in the light of the Programme of
Action. In addition to undertaking the feasibility studies on SIDS/NET and
SIDS/TAP requested in the Programme of Action, for example, UNDP has requested
relevant country offices and headquarters staff to prepare specific plans to
support the implementation of the Programme of Action. UNEP, UNESCO and
UNICEF are also reviewing their plans and programmes relevant to small island
developing States.
137. The responses draw attention to several new initiatives taken by United
Nations organizations and agencies to implement aspects of the Programme of
Action. UNDP, for example, proposes to implement two Capacity 21 projects in
the Pacific and Caribbean regions, aimed at promoting capacity-building in
both the governmental and non-governmental sectors. UNCTAD recently completed
a paper that sets out a framework for action for island States to deal with
the unique trade problems they confront. UNEP/Habitat have also jointly
developed a number of new initiatives to support the Programme of Action.
138. The report of the Secretary-General on donor activities in small island
developing States for the period 1991-1992 2/ showed that the assistance
received by these States was heavily concentrated in the areas of national
institutions and administrative capacity, human resource development and land
resources. That report concluded that eight of the substantive areas of the
Programme of Action received less than 5 per cent of the total assistance from
bilateral and multilateral sources. The responses submitted by organizations
and agencies for the present report suggest that this imbalance has been
redressed to some degree in the intervening years, at least with respect to
the activities of the United Nations system. This development undoubtedly
reflects the increased importance attached to sustainable development issues
at both the national and the international levels. The reviews of the
Programme of Action planned for 1996 and 1999 respectively should present the
opportunity for a more accurate assessment to be made of the nature and
magnitude of this trend.
III. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
A. United Nations
1. Department for Policy Coordination
and Sustainable Development
139. At the Headquarters level, the responsibilities related to the
implementation of the Programme of Action and follow-up to the Global
Conference will be carried out by the Department for Policy Coordination and
Sustainable Development. Paragraph 123 of the Programme of Action states that
it is essential for the follow-up to the Conference and the implementation of
the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States, that a clearly identifiable, qualified and competent entity
within the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of
the United Nations should be put in place to provide secretariat support for
both intergovernmental and inter-agency coordination mechanisms. Essentially,
this entity would carry out four broad functions, namely, (a) provide
substantive secretariat support to intergovernmental and inter-agency
processes related to monitoring, review and coordination of the implementation
of the Programme of Action; (b) act as a liaison or focal point for
Governments and organs, programmes and agencies of the United Nations system
on matters related to the follow-up to the Conference and the implementation
of the Programme of Action; (c) prepare reports to the Commission on
Sustainable Development and other relevant bodies on the implementation of the
Programme of Action; and (d) provide support, as appropriate, to other
activities emanating from the Programme of Action.
140. It is envisaged that the entity to be established within the Department
for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development in response to paragraph
123 of the Programme of Action will become the focal point within the
Department for undertaking the functions outlined above. In this connection,
the Secretariat is cognizant of the concerns expressed by a number of
government delegations during the Global Conference regarding the preliminary
response of the United Nations on the question of resources likely to be made
available in establishing the entity, and has been giving reconsideration to
the issue in the light of these concerns. Detailed information on the related
institutional set-up and resource requirements will be provided to the
forty-ninth session of the General Assembly in the usual manner, that is to
say in a statement of programme budget implications, at the time when the
report of the Global Conference is being considered in the relevant Main
Committee of the Assembly.
141. In the intervening period since the conclusion of the Conference, the
nucleus of the secretariat of the Conference has been maintained and placed
within the Division of Sustainable Development, utilizing the resources that
had been approved by the General Assembly through the end of 1994 for that
purpose.
2. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
142. The Programme of Action recommends that UNCTAD's capacity be strengthened
to carry out, in accordance with its mandate, the research and analysis
necessary to complement the work of the Department for Policy Coordination and
Sustainable Development of the United Nations Secretariat with respect to the
implementation of the Programme of Action. In the interim, UNCTAD will seek
to implement the Programme of Action utilizing existing institutional
arrangements.
3. United Nations Environment Programme/United Nations
Centre for Human Settlements
143. In recognition of the importance of the Global Conference, UNEP and
Habitat took the initiative in 1993 to establish Focal Points within the two
organizations with respect to the Global Conference and its follow-up
activities, including the implementation of the Programme of Action. At the
same time, a joint UNEP/Habitat working group was established in order to
coordinate and integrate activities and preparations for the Global
Conference. These activities and preparations were aimed at building the
capacity of small island developing States to participate effectively in the
Global Conference and its preparatory process and building awareness of the
unique characteristics and special vulnerabilities of these States.
144. Immediately following the Global Conference, a joint UNEP/Habitat task
force was convened with the primary objective of developing and implementing a
programmatic approach to the sustainable development of small island
developing States. The Executive Director of UNEP has committed that
organization to incorporating relevant aspects of the Programme of Action
within its work programme. The specific roles of the task force are (a)
generation of project/programme initiatives in support of the Programme of
Action; (b) coordination and integration of UNEP and Habitat
projects/programmes in support of the Programme of Action; (c) policy/strategy
development for UNEP and Habitat interventions in relevant meetings and
forums; and (d) to act as a reporting mechanism as required.
B. Funds and programmes
1. United Nations Development Programme
145. The Special Unit for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries has
been designated to coordinate within UNDP the follow-up on the implementation
of the Programme of Action. In this capacity, the Unit will work closely with
the various bureaux at UNDP headquarters and the UNDP country offices
responsible for small island developing States to ensure effective follow-up
activities.
2. United Nations Population Fund
146. No new institutional arrangements are envisaged by UNFPA to implement the
Programme of Action within those areas relevant to its mandate.
3. United Nations Children's Fund
147. UNICEF will utilize its existing institutional arrangements to support
the implementation of the Programme of Action. In addition, a focal point has
been established within the Environment Unit to facilitate the coordination of
activities regarding small island developing States. These arrangements
reflect the organization's response to Agenda 21, which has parallels with the
Programme of Action.
4. United Nations International Drug Control Programme
148. UNDCP will implement the Programme of Action through its existing
institutional arrangements.
C. Specialized agencies
1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
149. The Council of FAO recently endorsed a proposal to decentralize the
activities and structure of the organization and, in this context, decided to
establish subregional offices for the Caribbean and South Pacific regions in
order better to assist small island developing States.
2. United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
150. Prior to the Global Conference, the Director-General established a focal
point for relations with small island States within the Bureau for External
Relations. This focal point will be responsible for facilitating relations
with small island developing States in all matters relating to follow-up to
the Global Conference. In addition, as part of his overall coordination
responsibility for UNCED follow-up, the Director of the Bureau for
Coordination of Environmental Programmes will also be responsible for
follow-up to the Global Conference in terms of ensuring effective internal and
inter-agency programme coordination.
3. World Health Organization
151. The WHO global strategy and related action plan are being implemented by
WHO through its headquarters and regional offices. The American and western
Pacific regional offices are the main offices dealing at an operational level
with small island developing States because of their proximity to the
Caribbean and South Pacific regions respectively. The western Pacific office
recently established an environmental health unit in Fiji, which will focus on
the problems faced by the Pacific island countries. WHO offices in Africa,
south-east Asia and the eastern Mediterranean will also be involved in
supporting those small island developing States that fall within their area of
operations. Also, a new Division for Emergency and Humanitarian Action has
been established, which is intended to strengthen the capabilities of WHO in
the area of natural and environmental disasters.
4. World Bank
152. The World Bank's existing institutional arrangements can accommodate and
support the implementation of the Programme of Action.
5. International Monetary Fund
153. IMF envisages no special institutional arrangements because the
substantive areas of the Programme of Action lie outside its immediate
mandate.
6. International Civil Aviation Organization
154. ICAO will support the implementation of the Programme of Action through
its existing institutional arrangements.
7. International Telecommunication Union
155. The development of technical assistance programmes for small island
developing States is carried out by the Telecommunication Development Bureau,
which is the development arm of ITU. The Bureau has regional and subregional
offices in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, and Africa. The Caribbean
region will be served by the Barbados area office, while the Pacific will be
served by the area office at Jakarta. Activities will be coordinated at ITU
headquarters at Geneva where a focal point on small island developing States
will be established.
8. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
156. No particular arrangements are foreseen in GATT for the implementation of
the Programme of Action.
9. International Maritime Organization
157. Efforts are being made to establish regional maritime coordination
networks in eastern and southern Africa, and in the South Pacific. These
networks, if established, would benefit a number of small island developing
States.
10. World Meteorological Organization
158. WMO's institutional arrangements to support the implementation of the
Programme of Action are included, to the extent possible, within its existing
scientific and technical programmes. The WMO focal point for the
implementation of the Programme of Action is the Director of the World Weather
Watch Department.
11. World Intellectual Property Organization
159. WIPO will utilize its existing institutional arrangements to support
implementation of the Programme of Action.
12. United Nations Industrial Development Organization
160. UNIDO will implement the Programme of Action within its existing
institutional arrangements.
D. Conclusions
161. The majority of the organizations of the United Nations system indicated
in their replies that they would seek to implement the Programme of Action
within their existing institutional arrangements. Several of these
organizations have, however, established focal points and/or task forces for
the implementation of the Programme of Action. In one case, FAO has taken the
decision to establish subregional offices for the Caribbean and the South
Pacific regions in order to decentralize the relevant activities of the
organization relating to small island developing States, and thereby enable
the organization better to respond to their needs while implementing the
Programme of Action. In a similar vein, IMO has stated that it is considering
establishing regional maritime networks in eastern and southern Africa, and in
the South Pacific.
IV. ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONS
A. Plans and programmes
1. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
162. Regional and subregional cooperation has been recognized as an important
part of the Programme of Action. The Economic and Social Commission for Asia
and the Pacific (ESCAP) has undertaken the following specific actions to
facilitate the implementation of the Programme of Action.
(a) Natural and environmental disasters
163. Activities include a roving seminar on comprehensive flood loss
prevention and management, held at Suva from 17 to 21 June 1994 and in Samoa
from 23 to 24 June 1994. An advisory/consultancy mission on forecasting,
preparedness and other operational measures for water-related natural disaster
reduction is scheduled to be held in Tonga in September/October 1994. Future
activities include small island countries being included in some of the
project proposals that are under formulation for donor funding. In addition,
advisory services on water resources development and management and on
water-related natural disaster reduction can be made readily available to
small island developing States upon request.
(b) Coastal and marine resources
164. The work programme related to small island developing States will entail
collaboratory activities related to the role of geosciences in sustainable
development and related resource development issues. The secretariat will
cooperate closely with the Coordinating Committee for Coastal and Offshore
Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia, the South Pacific Applied
Geoscience Commission and the Indian Ocean Marine Affairs Cooperation and
promote joint programmes and extend advisory services within the budgetary
allocations provided for during the biennium 1994-1995. Efforts will also be
made to secure extrabudgetary funding for projects related to coastal zone
management and natural and environmental disaster management of small island
developing States. In order to establish close coordination, the secretariat
will endeavour to attend the annual sessions as well as technical advisory
group meetings of the bodies mentioned above.
165. A number of the small island developing States in the Asia-Pacific region
have identified non-living marine resources along coastal zones as well as
deep-sea minerals, including manganese nodules containing copper, cobalt and
nickel. The ESCAP secretariat has been actively involved in assisting its
member States including these States, in the realization of their rights and
obligations related to non-living resource exploitation, including deep seabed
mining under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 8/ The
secretariat will endeavour to formulate projects that will assist small island
developing States in ratifying the Convention, which will enter into force on
16 November 1994. Such activities will be coordinated with the Division of
Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs at United
Nations Headquarters.
(c) Tourism resources
166. Special efforts are being made to assist Pacific island countries in
strengthening national capabilities to create a favourable investment climate
in the tourism sector. These include studies on sustainable tourism
development in Pacific island countries and on tourism investment (Samoa and
Vanuatu) as well as a feasibility study on the Arona Valley tourism
development projects (Papua New Guinea). A workshop on integrated tourism
planning in Pacific island countries is planned to be held at Port Vila in
early 1995. A project proposal is under preparation for bilateral
extrabudgetary funding in 1995 to carry out a study on land tenure issues
related to tourism development in Pacific island countries. At the request of
the Government, the secretariat rendered, in June 1994, advisory services on
resort lease agreements to Maldives.
(d) National institutions and administrative capacity
167. The ESCAP secretariat is developing several projects in this area to
benefit small island developing States, including a proposal for subregional
training workshops on economic stabilization, liberalization and deregulation
in the Pacific. A second project on enhancing cooperation in trade and
investment between Pacific island countries and the economies of east and
south-east Asia in the 1990s will address various priority areas, including
marine, land, tourism and biodiversity resources. These two projects will
emphasize the fragile ecology of island countries and the importance of
integrating environmental considerations in the economic decision-making
process.
(e) Regional institutions and technical cooperation
168. In order to promote regional and subregional capacities of small island
developing States, ESCAP's mechanisms include advisory services, human
resource development through training, research and studies, and transfer of
technology. A major thrust of the capacity-building activities is to assist
small island developing States in the development of institutions and
legislation, pollution control, national strategies on combating the adverse
impact of global climate change, coastal environmental management,
rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems, sustainable development and management
of natural resources, small and medium-scale industry, transport
infrastructure, trade and investment and coastal tourism.
(f) Transport and communications
169. Since 1991, the ESCAP secretariat has been implementing a project on
performance improvement of inter-island shipping. Under the first phase of
the project, an in-depth study on the South Pacific island shipping industry
was undertaken, which identified the existing problems in management,
infrastructure, viability, services available and age and condition of the
fleet. The second phase of the project involved formulating recommendations
on remedial measures for overcoming these problems. The third phase of the
project focuses on the efficient development and operation of port and
inter-island shipping services in the Pacific subregion through computer
applications and regional cooperation in the provision of inter-island
shipping services.
170. The ESCAP secretariat is also preparing a project proposal on shipping
manpower resources, with the aim of identifying the requirements for and
availability of trained seafarers, training needs, issues relating to
standards and qualifications for certification. Another project proposal on
shipping policy is under preparation which will identify and examine issues
relating to coastal and international shipping development policies, such as
cabotage, national fleets and financing of ship acquisition. The
secretariat's maritime policy planning model is also being enhanced so that it
can be utilized to undertake studies on inter-island shipping.
(g) Science and technology
171. The predominantly rural character of most small island developing States
puts small and medium-scale industries in an important position because they
tend to cater for the needs of the rural population and provide employment to
local people. The industries concerned are usually agro-based and food-
processing industries, including fishery industries. However, in most island
developing economies there is little or no institutional infrastructure for
the dissemination of environmentally friendly technological knowledge to
support production of those industries. Information is required that would
enable policy-makers and businesses to (a) assess the environmental impact of
fishery practices on marine culture and use environmentally sound fishing
technologies; (b) avoid using outdated and inappropriate land-based
food-processing technologies in order to minimize the use of synthetic
chemicals, reduce waste generation and remove pollutants from the terrestrial
environment, since about 70 per cent of marine pollution comes from sources on
land; and (c) understand the economic benefits and technical requirements of
using small-scale, decentralized power sources such as solar photovoltaic
systems or wind energy systems to provide "clean" energy to the small and
medium-sized enterprises of island States.
172. The ESCAP secretariat will intensify its research and policy activities,
advisory services, training programmes and information networking for the
benefit of small island developing States. Project activities are planned in
the following areas: (a) Identification of national needs and capabilities
for acquiring and developing environmentally friendly technologies (use of
technology atlas methodologies and manual on technology transfer);
(b) management of information systems for access by small and medium-sized
enterprises to environmentally sound technologies; (c) cooperative research,
development and demonstration on non-conventional and renewable sources of
energy (inclusion of island developing States in projects on solar
photovoltaic systems) and on biotechnology and genetic engineering for the
improvement of agricultural productivity on a sustainable basis.
173. Within the context of the action programme on investment-related
technology transfer, initiatives will be taken to strengthen science and
technology infrastructure and endogenous capacities, as well as technology
transfer capabilities of small island developing States. Efforts will also be
made to promote inter-agency cooperation in conducting the proposed activities
through the exchange of information on environmentally sound technologies and
training programmes.
(h) Human resource development
174. The ESCAP secretariat has developed two project proposals for
extrabudgetary bilateral funding in 1995, one on the enhancement of national
capabilities for exports of processed food products in selected island
developing and least developed countries in the ESCAP region and the other on
strengthening regional economic cooperation in mutually supportive trade and
environment regimes. The first project seeks to enhance the export earning
abilities of island developing countries in value-added food products in order
to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development. Special
emphasis will be given to marine products as they are internationally
competitive in those products. The project will assist in upgrading the
quality of food products to fulfil international standards and will provide
comprehensive information on product standards, including environment-related
standards. The project will also identify new trading opportunities for
participating countries, especially as a result of the recently concluded
Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, and trends in consumerism,
such as "green consumerism". The target beneficiaries of the project will be
agricultural and industrial entrepreneurs, as well as policy makers in these
countries. It is also expected that the project will enhance trade and
investment linkages with the more dynamic partners of the region, as well as
lead to increased business opportunities for participating countries.
175. The objectives of the second project are to enhance regional economic
cooperation through the strengthening of research capabilities in the
formulation of trade policy for sustainable development. The project proposal
was developed in response to the need for a better understanding and
assessment of the interrelationships between environmental and trade policies
in the region, as it is essential for the achievement of sustainable
development through mutually supportive trade liberalization and environmental
protection policies. The research work will involve the preparation of a
study on trade and environment policy regimes and their interrelationships in
island countries.
176. The ESCAP secretariat is implementing a project on population,
environment dynamics, poverty and quality of life in Papua New Guinea. The
main objective of the project is to investigate the impact of population
growth and distribution on environment and sustainable development and
investigate the relationships between demographic trends, resources and the
environment with a view to broadening the appreciation of the Government,
non-governmental organizations and communities regarding the interlinkages of
various elements of the ecosystem with demographic variables.
177. The ESCAP secretariat will also conduct a basic demographic training
course for small island developing countries with the objective of improving
the capability of these countries in analysing population census and survey
data. This will improve the capacity of participating small island developing
States to formulate, implement and expand population programmes with a view to
enhancing the integration of population factors into their economic and social
development planning processes.
178. Capacities are being developed at the subregional and national levels
through training and the development of guidelines to assess the state of the
environment. This would include the monitoring of environmental trends and
the analysis of basic causes for unsustainable development. In addition,
efforts are planned to promote the use of economic instruments, including
fiscal and taxation measures and preferential tariffs, through advisory
services, training programmes and the development of guidelines.
179. The implementation of the outcomes of the Global Conference will be
discussed at a ministerial level conference on environment and development in
Asia and the Pacific in November 1995. This conference and its preparatory
meetings, particularly the subregional meeting in the South Pacific, will
review the implementation of the Programme of Action and provide guidance
towards future action in this regard.
2. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
180. ECLAC's subregional headquarters for the Caribbean is in the process of
reviewing the Programme of Action to identify ways in which it might follow up
proposals and recommendations contained in that document. The following
proposed and ongoing activities do, however, address the recommendations of
the Programme of Action.
(a) Coastal and marine resources
181. ECLAC is contributing to Small Island Oceanography, a publication of the
Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission, as well as to a background paper on
cost-benefit analysis of environmental protection measures within a coastal
zone management framework.
(b) Energy resources
182. The Caribbean Council for Science and Technology has proposed a number of
activities on renewable energy including the holding of a regional seminar on
renewable energy technologies to bring together policy and decision makers and
the developers and users of renewable technologies. The Council has also
developed linkages with regional and international organizations working in
this field.
(c) Tourism resources
183. ECLAC and several regional institutions have developed a Caribbean
strategy on environmental health and sustainable tourism. An ECLAC proposal
for a code of conduct and environmental rating scheme for Caribbean hotels has
been accepted by the Caribbean Hotel Association and is currently being
implemented. ECLAC is also preparing a textbook on sustainable tourism in
small island countries.
(d) Biodiversity resources
184. ECLAC, in joint collaboration with the interim secretariat of the
Convention on Biodiversity and the Consortium of Caribbean Universities for
Natural Resource Management, will be convening a meeting on the benefits and
implications of the Convention.
(e) National institutions and administrative capacity
185. The objective of the environment and development programme element of the
ECLAC Caribbean work programme is to strengthen the capabilities of member
countries to incorporate environmental considerations into development
planning. A project proposal on integrated environmental and economic
information for decision-making in the Caribbean has been formulated and will
be submitted for funding.
186. It is envisaged that ECLAC, in collaboration with the University of the
West Indies and the National Resources Management Unit of OECS, will establish
a regional applied research programme aimed at promoting the economic
valuation of natural resources in the region. This programme will seek to
develop and apply methodologies to value natural and environmental resources
that are of special relevance to the Caribbean, and provide training in
estimating effects and costs of environmental degradation, including those of
pollution.
(f) Regional institutions and technical cooperation
187. Activities undertaken under the programme element relating to island
developing countries will take into account the activities proposed in the
Programme of Action. Its main objectives are to keep the special
circumstances and needs of island developing countries under continuous
review, and to assist member countries of the Caribbean Development and
Cooperation Committee (CDCC) to obtain the support of the international
community on relevant issues. This is proposed to be done by the organization
and substantive servicing of an ad hoc expert group meeting on development
issues affecting island developing countries, non-recurrent publications
analysing development issues and provision of assistance to member countries
of CDCC, at their request.
188. The objectives of the work programme element dealing with technical
support to the integration efforts of OECS are proposed to be carried out by
the provision of advisory services through the OECS secretariat to member
States in priority areas of the integration process. This activity will be
subject to the availability of extrabudgetary resources.
189. In view of the large number of information projects and programmes
initiated by the United Nations, ECLAC and UNEP are considering the
organization of an inter-agency meeting on information. The objective is to
enhance collaboration in the implementation of environmental information
projects and programmes.
190. Memorandums of understanding have been negotiated between the ECLAC
Caribbean office and UNEP and CARICOM respectively, setting out a wide range
of joint programmes. It is envisaged that ECLAC will participate in the
quarterly consultative meeting of environmental organizations organized by the
Caribbean Development Bank.
(g) Science and technology
191. The Caribbean Council for Science and Technology assists member countries
in their elaboration of science and technology policy, and in increasing
national science and technology capacities. The Council has proposed the
development of a regional database of technology services to develop expertise
in technology assessment.
(h) Human resource development
192. The ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean will execute a
UNFPA-funded project on the integration of population policies into
development planning in the Caribbean subregion. Under the women in
development programme element, operational activities will include technical
support for a regional project on education, training and employment for
teenage mothers in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Council for Science and
Technology fosters professional development for scientific personnel through a
variety of mechanisms, including work exchanges. Discussions have been held
with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to
strengthen training aspects of ECLAC's anticipated programmes, as well as on
the possibility of establishing a joint ECLAC/UNITAR presence at ECLAC's
Caribbean office. ECLAC is involved in plans to strengthen environmental and
sustainable development training at the University of the West Indies, the
University of the Netherlands Antilles and the Consortium of Caribbean
Universities for Natural Resource Management.
3. Economic Commission for Africa
193. A number of the programmes of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
already respond to elements of the Programme of Action. These programmes are
summarized below.
(a) Poverty alleviation through sustainable development
194. Relevant activities include those under environment and development in
Africa dealing with African strategies for Agenda 21. These activities focus
on capacity-building and the promotion of ocean and coastal environmental
resource accounting.
(b) Trade, regional cooperation and integration
195. The programme activities of the Multinational Programming Operational
Centres (MULPOCs) are relevant. The Yaounde' MULPOC has carried out a study
on the integration of Sao Tome and Principe in the central African subregion.
ECA is involved in an exploratory exercise with the Indian Ocean Commission
for the preparation of a master plan for the development of marine resources,
transport and communications, human settlements and trade. A similar exercise
is envisaged for Cape Verde.
(c) Human resource development
196. Relevant activities include development administration and management as
well as human resources development and social transformation. Advisory
services and group training are offered to support capacity-building.
(d) Statistical and information systems development
197. ECA, in collaboration with the UNDP Sustainable Development Network and
through its project on Capacity-building for Electronic Communications in
Africa, is assisting small island developing States in the region in building
a sustainable electronic data network for the maintenance of a systematic
database for planning and decision-making.
(e) Natural resources and energy development
198. Two relevant activities involve marine affairs, which covers the
development of the non-living resources of the sea, and the promotion of the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 8/
(f) Infrastructural and structural transformation
199. Activities of this subprogramme deal with transport, communications,
tourism, industrial development and science and technology. It provides the
framework of the implementation of the Second United Nations Transport and
Communications Decade for Africa as well as the Second Industrial Development
Decade for Africa.
(g) Women in development
200. Activities in this area focus on the economic empowerment of women
through stimulating and consolidating the entrepreneurship spirit of African
women and providing increased access to resources, in both the formal and
informal sectors.
4. Economic Commission for Europe
201. In support of the Programme of Action, the Economic Commission for Europe
(ECE) will continue to promote economic cooperation in the Mediterranean where
its two island members, Cyprus and Malta, are located. ECE's subsidiary
bodies will continue to identify areas of relevance to small island developing
States, particularly in the field of transport and environment, for economic
cooperation in the Mediterranean.
202. The ECE guidelines on ecosystem-based water management, adopted in 1993,
are intended to assist countries, including the island States in the
Mediterranean region, in their efforts towards the protection and amelioration
of ecosystems. In addition, under a joint ECE/UNEP project, which ECE is
executing, guidelines are being elaborated on integrated environmental
management in countries in transition, including Mediterranean member States.
203. Other cooperative efforts focused on selected water problems in islands
and coastal areas with special regard to desalination and groundwater, urban
design and architecture. The 1991 European Red List of Globally Threatened
Animals and Plants took special account of existing genetic resources and rare
animal and plant species of islands to enhance the implementation of
conservation measures. The ECE Committee on Human Settlements is organizing
meetings on tourism through its experts on human settlements problems in
southern Europe. At a meeting of experts held in Cyprus in June 1994, the
issue of sustainable tourism development in the Mediterranean region was
discussed. The conclusions reached at that meeting are of particular
relevance to the small island developing States in the Mediterranean region.
B. Institutional arrangements
1. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
204. A mechanism for consultation and pooling of limited resources through
regional cooperation between United Nations bodies and agencies,
intergovernmental organizations, bilateral donors and international
organizations already exists in Asia and the Pacific through the Inter-agency
Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. In June 1994, the
Inter-agency Committee considered the outcome of the Global Conference and
decided that it would facilitate the coordination and implementation of the
Programme of Action as requested in paragraph 132 of the Programme of Action.
In this connection, it was agreed that the Inter-agency Committee working
group would review the priority areas of the Programme of Action and identify
projects for joint implementation by the Committee members.
205. ESCAP has also set up a special body on Pacific island States to
facilitate ongoing consultations with those States. The implementation of the
outcome of the Global Conference will be an agenda item for discussion during
its next session.
206. ESCAP has established the ESCAP/Pacific Operations Centre at Port Vila
with a small compliment of core staff. The professional expertise of ESCAP is
made available to the small island developing States in the Asia-Pacific
region through that Centre. The Centre, as well as various substantive
divisions of ESCAP, also cooperates with other South Pacific regional
organizations in the delivery of its programmes, including the South Pacific
Forum, the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency, the South Pacific Commission,
the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, the South Pacific Regional
Environment Programme, the University of the South Pacific, the Pacific
Islands Development Programme and the Tourism Council of the South Pacific.
Efforts are being made to further strengthen the capacity of the Pacific
Operations Centre to provide technical assistance to the member countries.
2. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
207. ECLAC's activities in relation to small island developing States involve
its subregional headquarters for the Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago, and the
programme of work of the Natural Resources and Energy Division.
208. ECLAC subregional headquarters is responsible for guiding and promoting
the economic and social development of those Caribbean countries that are
members of CDCC, consisting largely of small island developing States. The
office is also the secretariat to the Caribbean Council for Science and
Technology. Issues relating to island developing countries have been accorded
a high priority on the work programme of the ECLAC/CDCC secretariat, as
reflected in the inclusion of a programme element in the 1994-1995 work
programme dealing specifically with island development country issues.
3. Economic Commission for Africa
209. In an effort to implement the Programme of Action with immediate effect,
ECA will endeavour to implement some of its proposed actions within ongoing
programmes and existing resources. However, additional resources will be
needed in two areas, namely, the provision of advisory services and data
collection missions, and training seminars and workshops. Additional
resources will also be needed for coordination, including consultancies and
participation in related meetings organized by the United Nations Secretariat
in New York, and between United Nations organizations at the regional and
subregional levels.
4. Economic Commission for Europe
210. ECE's existing institutional arrangements can support and accommodate
activities to implement the Programme of Action.
C. Conclusions
211. ESCAP, ECLAC, ECA and ECE have reported that they have all undertaken a
number of specific actions to facilitate the implementation of the Programme
of Action. In none of the cases is the response comprehensive. All four
regional commissions have stated that they are all still in the process of
reviewing its relevant recommendations. Thus, the information included in
this section of the report should be seen as representative only of the
initial response by those bodies in their efforts to implement the Programme
of Action. With regards to institutional arrangements, all four regional
commissions have indicated that existing institutional arrangements are being
used to support and accommodate their activities geared to the implementation
of the Programme of Action. The one variation on this is ESCAP which, in
addition to its existing Inter-agency Committee on Environment and Sustainable
Development, has established a special body on Pacific island States to
facilitate ongoing consultations with those States.
Notes
1/ A/CONF.167/9, resolution 1, annex II.
2/ A/CONF.167/4.
3/ A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1, vol. I and vol. I/Corr.1, resolution 1, annex II.
4/ See E/CN.17/1994/12, annex.
5/ See A/CONF.151/16.
6/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 15, No. 102.
7/ See A/AC.237/18 (Part II)/Add.1 and Corr.1.
8/ Official Records of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of
the Sea, vol. XVII (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.84.V.3), document
A/CONF.62/122.
ANNEX
List of organizations that responded to the request
for inputs to the present report
1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
2. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
3. World Health Organization
4. World Bank
5. International Monetary Fund
6. International Civil Aviation Organization
7. Universal Postal Union
8. World Meterological Organization
9. International Telecommunication Union
10. International Maritime Organization
11. World Intellectual Property Organization
12. United Nations Industrial Development Organization
13. International Atomic Energy Agency
14. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
15. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
16. United Nations Environment Programme
17. United Nations Children's Fund
18. United Nations Development Programme
19. World Food Programme
20. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
21. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East
22. United Nations Population Fund
23. United Nations International Drug Control Programme
24. Economic Commission for Europe
25. Economic Commission for Africa
26. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
27. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
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