Sixty-second General Assembly

Second Committee

29^th Meeting (PM)

Second Committee approves text on non-legally binding instrument on forests,

 

proposed amendments to general regulations of World Food Programme

 

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved a draft resolution this afternoon on the non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests, but postponed action on a text concerning protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind (document A/C.2/62/L.38).

By the terms of the first draft resolution (document A/C.2/62/L.5), the General Assembly would decide to adopt the instrument -- which stresses the need to strengthen political commitment and collective efforts concerning forestry issues -– and to review its effectiveness.

In another action, the Committee approved proposed amendments to the General Regulations of the World Food Programme (WFP), contained in document A/C.2/62/L.6.  It also took note of a note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the activities of the United Nations Development Fund.

Also this afternoon, Maged Abdelaziz (Egypt) introduced a draft resolution on the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus (document A/C.2/62/L.37), noting that facilitators were still working with Committee members to reach agreement on the text.

The Committee will meet again at a time to be announced.

Background

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this afternoon to take action on several draft resolutions.

A draft resolution on the non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests (document A/C.2/62/L.5) would have the General Assembly decide to adopt the instrument, which stresses the need to strengthen political commitment and collective efforts at all levels and to include forests in national and international development agendas.  The instrument also outlines the principles, scope, objectives, national policies, implementation, monitoring and assessment of those efforts.  The Assembly would also decide to review the effectiveness of the non-legally binding instrument as part of the efficiency of the international arrangement on forests.

By a draft resolution on protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind (document A/C.2/62/L.38), the Assembly would stress the seriousness of climate change and strongly urge States that have not ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to do so in a timely manner.  The Assembly would recognize that climate change poses serious risks and challenges to all countries, particularly developing countries, and call upon States to take urgent global action to address it, in line with the Convention’s principles, including that of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

In that regard, the Assembly would urge all countries fully to implement their commitments under the Convention and enhance international cooperation to do so.  Further, it would call upon the international community to fulfil commitments made during the fourth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and request that the Secretary-General make provisions for the sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention and its subsidiary bodies in his proposed 2008-2009 programme budget.

A draft on proposed amendments to the General Regulations of the World Food Programme (document A/C.2/62/L.6) would have the Assembly revise the general rules section of that document, which would enter into force 1 January 2008.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record