| United Nations | A/RES/36/193 |
General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
17 December 1981
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ENGLISH
A/RES/36/193
17 December 1981
United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May
1974 containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the
Establishment of a New International Economic Order, 3281 (XXIX) of
12 December 1974 containing the Charter of Economic Rights and
Duties of States, and 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975 on
development and international economic co-operation,
Recalling also its resolution 35/56 of 5 December 1980,
containing the International Development Strategy for the Third
United Nations Development Decade,
Recalling further its resolutions 33/148 of 20 December 1978,
34/190 of 18 December 1979 and 35/204 of 16 December 1980 and
Economic and Social Council resolutions 2119 (LXIII) of 4 August
1977, 1978/61 of 3 August 1978 and 1979/66 of 3 August 1979 and
decision 1980/187 of 25 July 1980, regarding the convening and
preparation of the United Nations Conference on New and Renewable
Sources of Energy,
Convinced of the importance of developing new and renewable
sources of energy in order to contribute to meeting requirements for
continued economic and social development, particularly in the
developing countries, through, inter alia, the transition from the
present international economy based primarily on hydrocarbons to one
based increasingly on new and renewable sources of energy,
Stressing that the primary responsibility for promoting the
development and utilization of new and renewable sources of energy
rests with individual countries, that in this regard international
co-operation is indispensable and should be directed to assist and
support national efforts; that developed countries bear a special
responsibility to ensure that both their bilateral and multilateral
efforts contribute actively to this end and that other countries in
a position to do so should also continue to promote efforts in this
regard,
Reaffirming that the United Nations system should fully
participate in and support the implementation of the Nairobi
Programme of Action for the Development and Utilization of New and
Renewable Sources of Energy through adequate institutional
arrangements and additional and adequate resources, and that it is
imperative to increase the responsiveness of the system in this
respect,
Reaffirming further that the final decision on further
institutional measures will be taken by the General Assembly at its
thirty-seventh session,
Recognizing the urgent need for adopting effective measures to
facilitate the transfer and adaptation of technology from developed
to developing countries in particular and for mobilization of
financial resources for the development of new and renewable sources
of energy in developing countries,
Taking note of the report adopted by the United Nations
Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy on 21 August 1981,
Taking note also of the report of the Secretary-General on the
United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy,
Noting with satisfaction the agreements reached on some issues
at the United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of
Energy, contained in the report adopted by the Conference,
Expressing deep concern that no final decisions were taken on
some other important questions,
Recognizing the need for continuing commitment and efforts on
the part of the international community in the implementation of the
Nairobi Programme of Action for the Development and Utilization of
New and Renewable Sources of Energy, adopted by the Conference,
I
Nairobi Programme of Action for the Development and Utilization
of New and Renewable Sources of Energy
1. Expresses its appreciation and thanks to the Government
and people of Kenya for the excellent facilities and generous
hospitality provided for the United Nations Conference on New and
Renewable Sources of Energy, held at Nairobi from 10 to 21 August
1981;
2. Endorses the Nairobi Programme of Action for the
Development and Utilization of New and Renewable Sources of Energy;
3. Urges all Governments to take effective action for the
implementation of the Nairobi Programme of Action, and to maintain
and/or establish, as the case may be, national focal points to
facilitate such implementation;
4. Requests the organs, organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system to participate fully in and support the
implementation of the Nairobi Programme of Action, in the
short-term, medium-term and long-term context, in particular for the
benefit of developing countries in accordance with their national
plans and priorities;
5. Calls upon all specialized intergovernmental
organizations and institutions in the field of new and renewable
sources of energy to extend their co-operation in the implementation
of the Nairobi Programme of Action;
6. Invites all non-governmental organizations concerned in
both the developing and developed countries, to support and
contribute to the implementation of the Nairobi Programme of Action;
II
Intergovernmental body
1. Stresses that there should be an intergovernmental body
in the United Nations specifically concerned with new and renewable
sources of energy and entrusted, inter alia, with guiding and
monitoring the implementation of the Nairobi Programme of Action;
2. Decides that the final arrangements with regard to the
intergovernmental body will be adopted by the General Assembly at
its thirty-seventh session;
3. Further decides, without prejudice to the final
institutional arrangements, to establish an Interim Committee on New
and Renewable Sources of Energy, patterned on the Preparatory
Committee for the United Nations Conference on New and Renewable
Sources of Energy, which will hold only one session of not more than
two weeks, that session to be held in the first half of 1982, and
which will report to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh
session through the Economic and Social Council, and decides to
entrust it with the immediate launching of the implementation of the
Nairobi Programme of Action;
4. Takes note with appreciation of the offer of the
Government of Italy to act as host in Rome to the meeting of the
Interim Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy in 1982;
5. Decides that the Interim Committee, taking into account
the provisions of paragraph 60 of the Nairobi Programme of Action,
shall concentrate, inter alia, on:
(a) The recommendation of policy guidelines for different
organs, organizations and bodies within the United Nations system in
regard to new and renewable sources of energy, on the basis of the
Nairobi Programme of Action;
(b) The formulation and recommendation of action-oriented
plans and programmes for carrying out the Nairobi Programme of
Action in accordance with the areas of priority action identified in
the Programme, in particular in paragraphs 47 to 56 thereof;
(c) The promotion of the mobilization of resources required
in the implementation of the Nairobi Programme of Action;
(d) The recommendation of guidelines to the financial
organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system in the
financing of activities related to the implementation of the
measures contained in the Nairobi Programme of Action, with a view
to helping to ensure the implementation of the measures in the
Programme related to financial resources;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Interim
Committee at its session in the necessary background documentation
on the above-mentioned subjects, with particular emphasis on the
mobilization of financial resources and the areas for priority
action identified in the Nairobi Programme of Action, namely:
(a) Energy assessment and planning;
(b) Research, development and demonstration;
(c) Transfer, adaptation and application of mature
technologies;
(d) Information flows, education and training;
7. Calls upon organs, organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system to inform the Interim Committee of the
activities they have already initiated, particularly as regards the
source-specific measures identified in paragraphs 36 to 45 of the
Nairobi Programme of Action with a view to assisting the Interim
Committee in guiding and monitoring its implementation;
8. Decides that, bearing in mind the provisions of the
present resolution, the issues for discussion by the Interim
Committee in 1982 shall include submission of specific
recommendations for action by the General Assembly at its
thirty-seventh session regarding, in particular, the areas for
priority action and ways and means of mobilizing financial and other
resources for new and renewable sources of energy;
III
Secretariat support
1. Takes note of the recommendation of the
Secretary-General for providing the substantive support services
required by the above-mentioned intergovernmental body, contained in
the report of the Secretary-General, with a view to facilitating
fully the tasks entrusted to the Interim Committee in paragraph 5 of
section II above, and requests that these interim arrangements be
put into effect immediately;
2. Calls upon all organs, organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system to provide the fullest possible support to the
arrangements proposed so as to ensure, in particular, adequate
preparation for and follow-up to the 1982 meeting of the Interim
Committee which is to launch the implementation of the Nairobi
Programme of Action;
3. Decides to review secretariat support arrangements in
the light of long-term needs at the thirty-seventh session of the
General Assembly in the context of the final decision on further
institutional measures and taking into account any comments the
Interim Committee may wish to offer on these issues;
IV
Co-ordination within the United Nations system
1. Calls upon all organs, organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system to organize their work and rationalize their
activities according to established priorities in such a way as to
meet the need for implementing the Nairobi Programme of Action;
2. Decides to entrust the Director-General for Development
and International Economic Co-operation, within the framework of his
mandate as defined by the General Assembly in its resolutions 32/197
of 20 December 1977 and 33/202 of 29 January 1979, with the task of
co-ordinating the contributions of the organs, organizations and
bodies of the United Nations system;
3. Decides also that, in order to ensure the necessary
co-operation and co-ordination for the implementation of the Nairobi
Programme of Action, a co-ordinating capacity for new and renewable
sources of energy in the Office of the Director-General, who would
exercise the supervisory role, should be provided for, making full
and efficient use of resources already existing within the United
Nations and subject to the normal procedures of the General
Assembly, and decides to review the arrangements for this
co-ordinating capacity for new and renewable sources of energy at
its thirty-seventh session;
4. Notes with approval the decision by the Administrative
Committee on Co-ordination to constitute an ad hoc working group to
prepare proposals for interagency follow-up to the Nairobi Programme
of Action for presentation to the Interim Committee at its meeting
in 1982;
5. Stresses that, in order to facilitate the implementation
of the Nairobi Programme of Action, the ad hoc working group of the
Administrative Committee on Co-ordination should, inter alia:
(a) Undertake a thorough review of the current and planned
activities of the United Nations system in the light of the
recommendations of the Nairobi Programme of Action, with a view to
facilitating their adaptation and reformulation as may be necessary
and to providing a basic framework for future projects and
programmes;
(b) Establish ad hoc task forces as necessary, without
prejudice to the establishment of such ad hoc task forces as may be
recommended by the intergovernmental body, in accordance with
paragraphs 66 and 67 of the Nairobi Programme of Action;
V
Regional and subregional action
1. Emphasizes the importance of regional and subregional
efforts for implementing the Nairobi Programme of Action and
requests the regional commissions to undertake immediately, as
necessary, the development of regional plans and programmes, bearing
in mind, in particular, the areas for priority attention identified
in paragraph 71 of the Nairobi Programme of Action, and to report
thereon to the Interim Committee at its session in 1982;
VI
Co-operation among developing countries
1. Recognizes that developing countries seek to enhance
their collective self-reliance in various areas, which are in their
mutual interest, through programmes of economic and technical
co-operation in such areas as exchange of information, joint
ventures in project development, joint efforts in research
development, demonstration and adaptation of technologies for new
and renewable sources of energy, and technical assistance, to
supplement the indispensable action to be undertaken by the
international community;
2. Calls upon in this context, the international community
to take measures to provide, as appropriate, support and assistance
to the efforts of developing countries to accelerate co-operation
among themselves in the field of new and renewable sources of energy;
VII
Mobilization of financial resources
1. Emphasizes that the implementation of the Nairobi
Programme of Action requires the mobilization of additional and
adequate resources and that each country will continue to bear the
main responsibility for the development of its new and renewable
sources of energy, which would require vigorous measures for a
fuller mobilization of its domestic financial and other resources;
2. Emphasizes that the implementation of the Nairobi
Programme of Action involves numerous types of undertakings, ranging
from supporting actions, including national assessment on new and
renewable sources of energy for over-all energy development, and
pre-investment activities, to capital investment in projects and
programmes which require additional and adequate international
financial resources, both public and private, from all developed
countries, international financial institutions and other
international organizations, and that developing countries in a
position to do so should also continue to provide assistance to
other developing countries;
3. Reiterates that the magnitude of the demand for
financing such types of action or activities is already considerable
and will increase in the years to come, particularly with the
implementation of the Nairobi Programme of Action;
4. Requests that, for the purpose of undertaking the
various activities in line with the Nairobi Programme of Action, the
financial mechanisms and institutions of the United Nations system
should be provided with additional and adequate funds to meet the
growing requirements for preliminary supporting actions and
pre-investment activities related to the development of new and
renewable sources of energy in developing countries;
5. Urges financial mechanisms and institutions to respond
more widely and effectively to national requests, as well as to
requests from the subregional, regional and international
organizations engaged in the development of new and renewable
sources of energy in developing countries, according to the
priorities established in the Nairobi Programme of Action and in
response to recommendations of the intergovernmental body as regards
its implementation;
6. Reaffirms, in this context, that specific and additional
resources should be directed through such channels as the United
Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Revolving Fund for
Natural Resources Exploration, the long-term financial arrangements
for science and technology, the United Nations Development Programme
Energy Account and others directly or indirectly involved, in
accordance with national plans and priorities;
7. Urges international and regional development financial
organizations and institutions, in particular the World Bank, to
provide additional and adequate resources specifically for
large-scale supporting actions, pre-investment and investment
activities in the field of new and renewable sources of energy, in
accordance with national priorities;
8. Takes note of the measures taken by the World Bank and
the United Nations Development Programme to undertake a joint study
for making as accurate an estimate as possible of the supporting
actions and pre-investment requirements for new and renewable
sources of energy in the developing countries in the 1980s and, in
view of the urgency of meeting the needs of the developing countries
in this field, requests that the final study be submitted to the
Interim Committee, which is to launch the implementation of the
Nairobi Programme of Action at its meeting in 1982;
9. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General
Assembly at its thirty-seventh session on the progress made towards
the implementation of consultative meetings as outlined in paragraph
91 of the Nairobi Programme of Action;
10. Urges all interested parties to accelerate consideration
of other possible avenues that would increase energy financing,
including the mechanisms being examined in the World Bank, such as
an energy affiliate.