| United Nations | E/CN. 17/1995/34 |
Economic and Social Council
Distr. GENERAL
10 April 1995
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Third session
11-28 April 1995
Item 6 of the provisional agenda*
* E/CN. 17/1995/1.
REVIEW OF SECTORAL CLUSTER: LAND, DESERTIFICATION, FORESTS
AND BIODIVERSITY
Letter dated 6 April 1995 from the Permanent Representative of
Peru to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
I have the honour to forward to you the final document of the
Regional Workshop on the Definition of Criteria and Indicators for
Sustainability of Amazonian Forests, held in Tarapoto, Peru, from 23 to 25
February 1995 (see annex).
The workshop was convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru,
in its capacity as Pro-Tempore Secretariat of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty.
Representatives of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Suriname and
Venezuela, States Parties to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty attended the
workshop. Also attending were technicians from the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, the European Union and the World Resources
Institute, which sponsored the event. Technicians from the United Nations
Development Programme and national institutions and entities also attended, as
observers.
I would be grateful if you could make arrangements to circulate the
report as an official document of the Commission on Sustainable Development at
its third session, to be held in New York.
(Signed) Fernando GUILLN
Ambassador
Permanent Representative of Peru
to the United Nations
Annex
REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON THE DEFINITION OF CRITERIA AND
INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABILITY OF AMAZONIAN FORESTS
FINAL DOCUMENT
Tarapoto, Peru, February 25, 1995
In response to the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru; in
its position as Pro-Tempore Secretariat of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty,
representatives of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela,
Countries Party of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty, advised by outstanding
experts from the region, met at the "Regional Workshop on the Definition of
Criteria and Indicators for Sustainability of Amazonian Forests", held in the
city of Tarapoto, Peru, from February 23rd to 25th 1995. The event was
attended by technicians from the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO, the European Union (EU) and the World Resources Institute
(WRI), which sponsored the event; and from the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and national institutions and entities as observers,
The representatives of the Countries Party of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty:
In compliance with the commitments undertaken in the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992,
especially the text of Chapter 11 of Agenda 21, and mindful of the Rio
Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Declaration of Principles
for a World Consensus on Planning, Conservation and Sustainable Development of
All Types of Forests,
Inspired by the mandates established in the Amazon Coop-ration Treaty, whose
First Article establishes that "The Contracting Parties accord to pool their
efforts and hold joint actions to promote the harmonious development of their
respective Amazonian territories, in such a way that these joint actions
produce fair and mutually advantageous results, and entail the preservation of
the environment and the conservation and rational use of the natural resources
of these territories",
Aware of the importance of the Amazonian forests for each of the countries and
re-assessing this geographical area as a human habitat,
Convinced of the enormous capacity for the creation of wealth of the Amazonian
forest, which can and must be used sustainably to the benefit of the
respective national economies, with the purpose of overcoming poverty,
Recognising similarly the importance of the Amazonian forest in maintaining
world environment processes,
Highlighting the great convergence of interests of the Countries Party of the
Amazon Cooperation Treaty,
Decide to formulate and recommend to their respective governments the adoption
of the following
TARAPOTO PROPOSAL ON CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR
SUSTAINABILITY OF AMAZONIAN FORESTS
Whereas:
The international debate on forests must bear in mind that the
Amazonian ecosystems form part of territories under the jurisdiction of states
where these fully exercise their sovereignty.
It is fundamental that besides its purely environmental aspects, the
importance of the forest as an economic, cultural and social potential is
recognised.
The economic dimension of the forest encompasses the natural forest heritage,
including mineral reserves, sources of energy, tourist potential and the
possibilities of human occupation for productive activities. The social and
cultural dimension consists in its being a "habitat" of people, native or
other, who depend on it for their livelihood and cultural development.
The sustainable use of the forest should be fostered, for its positive
environmental, economic and social effects, but for this purpose timely and
sufficient access to forest product markets is indispensable. Forest
management must reconcile the imperative of its economic valuation, which is
to the benefit of national societies, with proper environmental protection.
Economic activity in the forest can be made compatible with the sustainable
use of natural resources, via national development strategies. These should be
designed to include a wider concept of the balance of costs and benefits,
contemplating social equity, greater technological efficiency in production,
the conservation of natural resources, respect for the cultural values of
local populations and for their knowledge of the traditional use of the
forests.
The Amazon has a population of 22 million, of which 60 percent are
concentrated in the urban areas. The remainder are farmers, settlers, miners
and indigenous populations.
The economic and social development of the population living in the Amazon
must be compatible with the need to preserve the natural resources and the
environment. Both criteria are complementary and fundamental elements in the
development strategy.
As we approach the 21st century, the need to make real efforts for the
sustainable development of the Amazon is becoming a high international
priority and a challenge based on the sustainable development proposals of
the Countries Party of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty, which together possess
over half the world's tropical forests.
The Amazon countries are those most interested in the sustainable management
of the forest. To accomplish this they need, among other things, improved
institutional capacity, fairer prices for their products, the elimination of
trade barriers and compensation for global environmental services.
Bearing in mind that one of the characteristics of the international economic
order in the last twenty years has been the collapse of real raw materials
prices, the Countries Party of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty accord that the
trend to the imposition of tariff and other barriers must be reversed. These
include discriminatory criteria such as the imposition of environmental
conditions on tropical timber imports, especially those of high aggregate
value.
Biological diversity, as a permanent source of resources, is an immense
potential for the sustainable development of the region. Ensuring the
sustainable production of the forest, through careful forest management
techniques one of the main opportunities for conserving the region's
biological diversity while not displacing economic development.
The harmonization of the forest policies of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty
member countries should be encouraged, to define a concerted strategy which
permits the establishment of principles for creating a basis of medium- and
long-term commitments with the collaboration of the international community.
The identification of criteria and indicators for the sustainability of the
Amazonian forests is an important step in the process of formulating
sustainable proposals for use, compatible with economic and social
development, and based on environmental criteria in which the Countries Party
of the Amazon CooPeration.
Treaty establish within their respective Amazon territories the mechanisms for
the qualitative and quantitative measurement of sustainability.
The representatives of the Countries Party of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty,
with the purpose of contributing to the regional debate, present a -set of
twelve criteria and indicators for Amazonian forest sustainability, which may
be revised and enriched periodically by national and regional level
consultations, in order to incorporate progress in the concept of forest
management and new technology.
LIST OF CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABILITY
OF AMAZONIAN FORESTS
1. NATIONAL LEVEL
CRITERION 1: SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Indicators of Income, Production and Consumption
a. Economic profitability of management and sustainable use of the forests.
b. Sustainable production, consumption and extraction of forest products.
c. Values of forest products from sustainable sources and from
unsustainable sources as percentages of Gross National Product.
d. Employment and direct and indirect income from sustainable activities in
the forest sector and generation of forest-based employment in relation
to total national employment.
e. Average per capita income in different forest sector activities.
f. Efficiency and competitiveness of forest product production and
processing systems.
g. Impact of the economic use of forests on the availability of forest
resources of importance to local populations.
h. Relationship between direct and indirect uses of the forests.
Indicators of Investment and Economic Growth in the Forest Sector
a. Annual investment in plantations, sustainable forest management and
conservation in relation to total forest sector investment.
b. Aggregate value of sustainable forest sector production.
c. Rate of return on investment of the distinct economic activities in the
sustainable forest sector, compared with rates of return in other
sectors of the economy, considering all costs and benefits.
d. Rate of increase of sustainable recreation and tourism activities.
Indicators of Cultural, Social and Spiritual Needs and Values
a. Area and percentage of forest lands, in relation to total forest lands
area, managed to protect cultural, social and spiritual needs and
values.
b. Area and percentage of forest lands use for purposes of supporting local
populations.
c. Level of participation of local populations in the management and in the
benefits generated by forest activities.
d. Development of productive alternatives to illicit crops and mining.
CRITERION 2: POLICIES AND LEGAL-INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORESTS
Indicators:
a. Appropriate political and legal framework that stimulates sustainable
development as a joint effort between the various levels of government
and non-governmental groups.
b. Policies and legal framework for environmental planning through
ecological-economic zoning.
c. Capacity to implement international instruments on which the country is
part.
d. Harmonization and implementation of existing legislation in the country.
CRITERION 3: SUSTAINABLE FOREST PRODUCTION
Indicators:
a. Extension and proportion of forest lands and forests dedicated to
sustainable production in relation to the total permanent production
area.
b. Quantity and proportion of sustainable forest production in comparison
with the national total forest production.
c. Quantity and proportion of units of sustainable production, by area
class, in comparison with the national total number of units.
d. Area and percentage of forest lands managed for recreation and tourism,
in relation to total forest area.
e. Level of diversification of sustainable forest production.
CRITERION 4: CONSERVATION OF FOREST COVER AND OF
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
Indicators:
a. Area, by forest type, in categories of protected areas, in relation to
total forest area.
b. Measures for "in situ" conservation of species in danger of extinction.
c. Measures for the conservation of genetic resources.
d. Area and percentage of forest affected by processes or other agents
(insect attack, disease, fire, flooding etc.)
e. Rate of natural regeneration, species composition and survival.
f. Rate of conversion of forest cover to other uses.
g. Area and percentage of forest lands with fundamental ecological changes.
h. Impact of activities in other sectors on the conservation of forest
ecosystems (mining, ranching, energy, infrastructure, etc.).
CRITERION 5: CONSERVATION AND INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT
OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES
Indicators:
a. Measures for soil conservation.
b. Area and percentage of forest lands managed for environmental
protection.
c. Percentage of forest flooded in relation to the historic range of
variation, and maintenance of the relationship between the forest and
hydrobiological resources .
d. Effects of forest conservation on the integrated management of water
resources.
CRITERION 6: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORESTS.
Indicators:
a. Quantity and quality of adequate technology management and sustainable
production.
b. Level of recuperation and degree of use of autochthonous technologies.
c. Investment in research, education and transfer.
d. Quantity and quality of research and sustainable development in
execution.
e. Mechanisms for remuneration for traditional knowledge.
f. Degree of access to technology and information by different social
groups.
CRITERION 7: INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO PROMOTE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AMAZONIA
Indicators:
a. Quantity and quality of institutions and of their intersectoral and
inter-institutional coordination.
b. Existence of plans and their degree of execution.
c. Quantity and quality of education and research programs.
d. Degree of effective participation by civil society academic
institutions, grassroots groups, NGOs, trades unions and the private
sector).
II. MANAGEMENT UNIT LEVEL
CRITERION 8: LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Indicators:
a. Forest management plan approved by the competent authorities.
b. Periodicity of evaluation of management plan implementation and average
percentage of implementation.
c. Legal framework that guarantees the stability of long-term investments
in the forest sector.
CRITERION 9: SUSTAINABLE FOREST PRODUCTION
Indicators:
a. Annual extraction of timber and non-timber forest products compatible
with the sustainability capacity of the resource base.
b. Area and percentage of forest soils affected by significant alterations
in physical-chemical properties and erosion.
c. Effectiveness of systems of administration and control.
d. Degree of diversification of production.
e. Degree of utilization of environmentally friendly technologies.
CRITERION 10: CONSERVATION OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Indicators:
a. Proportion of area of permanent production in areas of environmental
protection.
b. Measures to protect, recuperate and sustainably use wild populations of
species in danger of extinction.
c. Area and percentage of forest affected by processes or other natural
agents (insect attack, disease, fire, etc.) and by human actions.
d. Rates of regeneration and forest ecosystem structure.
e. Soil conservation measures.
f. Measures for protection of water courses from forest activities.
CRITERION 11: LOCAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Indicators:
a. Quality of life of local populations.
b. Profitability and rate of return of forest management.
c. Efficiency of systems of production and transformation of forest
products.
d. Impact of the economic use of the forest on the availability of forest
resources of importance to local populations.e. Amount of direct and
indirect employment, and income level.
f. Nature and quantity of benefits deriving from forest management.
g. Annual quantity of products extracted per hectare.
h. Aggregate value of production.
i. Mechanisms for consultation and the effective participation of local
communities in the management of forest resources, depending upon the
scale of management.
III. SERVICES AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL
CRITERION 12: ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
SERVICES PERFORMED BY AMAZONIAN FORESTS
Indicators:
a. Contribution to satisfying the global demand for sustainably produced
timber and non-timber forest products.
b. Contribution to the global carbon balance.
c. Contribution to the global water cycle.
d. Contribution to the conservation of biological diversity.
e. Contribution to radiation balance and regulation.
f. Contribution to the maintenance of cultural values and diversity, and of
indigenous and local populations' knowledge.
g. Contribution to the economy, health, culture, science and recreation.
Tarapoto, February 25, 1995
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