General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

19 December 1991

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

 
                                                 A/RES/46/169
                                                 78th plenary meeting
                                                 19 December 1991
 
          Protection of global climate for present and
                 future generations of mankind
 
  The General Assembly,
 
  Recalling its resolutions 43/53 of 6 December 1988 and 44/207 of 22 December
1989, in which it recognized climate change as a common concern of mankind,
and resolution 45/212 of 21 December 1990, by which it established a single
intergovernmental negotiating process for the preparation of a framework
convention on climate change,
 
  Reiterating the objective that an effective framework convention, containing
appropriate commitments, and any related legal instruments as might be agreed
upon should be completed prior to the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development and opened for signature during the Conference in June 1992,
 
  Taking note of the relevant decisions adopted in 1991 by the Governing
Council of the United Nations Environment Programme, the eleventh session of
the World Meteorological Congress, the Preparatory Committee for the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development and other intergovernmental
bodies,
 
  Having considered the report of the Secretary-General, on the progress of
the negotiations for a framework convention on climate change,
 
  1.  Notes with appreciation the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee for a Framework Convention on Climate Change at its first, second
and third sessions;
 
  2.  Urges the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to expedite and
successfully complete the negotiations as soon as possible and to adopt the
framework convention on climate change, containing appropriate commitments and
any related legal instruments as may be agreed upon, in time for it to be
opened for signature during the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development;
 
  3.  Decides that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee should hold its
fifth session in New York from 18 to 28 February 1992, with the possibility of
holding a short resumed session in New York in April 1992 unless the Committee
decides otherwise at its fifth session;
 
  4.  Requests the Secretary-General to make appropriate arrangements for the
work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee and its ad hoc secretariat
for the rest of 1992 in the light of the consideration by the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development of the report of the Chairman of the
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on possible future steps in the field
of climate change;
 
  5.  Also notes with appreciation the contributions made to the special
voluntary fund, established in accordance with paragraph 10 of its resolution
45/212 to ensure that developing countries, in particular the least developed
among them, as well as small island developing countries, are able to
participate fully and effectively in the negotiating process, and invites
present and potential contributors to provide the additional and timely
funding needed to ensure adequate support for the participation of developing
countries in the negotiating process in 1992;
 
  6.  Further notes with appreciation the initial contributions made to the
trust fund for the negotiating process, established in accordance with
paragraph 20 of its resolution 45/212, and invites present and new
contributors to provide additional funding in 1992;
 
  7.  Notes the arrangements made by the Secretary-General, as well as the
welcome support provided by the United Nations Environment Programme, the
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World
Meteorological Organization and by Governments, for the operation of the ad
hoc secretariat of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee during 1991;
 
  8.  Reiterates its request to the Chairman of the Intergovernmental
Negotiating Committee, on behalf of the Committee, to submit a report to the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 on the
outcome of the negotiations, as well as on possible future steps in the field
of climate change;
 
  9.  Requests the Secretary-General, in the light of the outcome of the
negotiations on the framework convention on climate change and the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development, to report to the General
Assembly at its forty-seventh session on the implementation of the present
resolution and on possible future requirements in relation to climate change;
 
  10.  Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-seventh
session the item entitled "Protection of global climate for present and future
generations of mankind".