United Nations

E/1997/29
E/CN.17/1997/25


Economic and Social Council

 


                               United Nations

                     Commission on Sustainable Development
                  Report on the Fifth Session (7-25 April 1997)

                          Economic and Social Council
                             Official Records, 1997
                                Supplement No. 9

                        United Nations - New York, 1997


                                      NOTE

Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined
with figures. 

                                ISSN 1020-3559


                                   CONTENTS

Chapter                                                                  Page

  I.  MATTERS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
      COUNCIL ..........................................................    1

      Resolution 5/1.  Modalities for the full and comprehensive
                       review of the Programme of Action for the
                       Sustainable Development of Small Island
                       Developing States ...............................    1

      Decision 5/101.  Proposed programme of work in the area of
                       sustainable development for the biennium
                       1998-1999 .......................................    2

      Decision 5/102.  Report of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel
                       on Forests on its fourth session ................    3

      Decision 5/103.  Reports related to the work of the Commission
                       at its fifth session ............................    3

 II.  REPORT OF THE AD HOC INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON FORESTS ..........    5

III.  PREPARATIONS FOR THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR
      THE PURPOSE OF AN OVERALL REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF THE
      IMPLEMENTATION OF AGENDA 21 ......................................    9

 IV.  OTHER MATTERS ....................................................   11

  V.  PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE SIXTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION .......   13

 VI.  ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON ITS FIFTH SESSION ....   14

VII.  ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION ......................................   15

      A.  Opening and duration of the session ..........................   15

      B.  Attendance ...................................................   15

      C.  Election of officers .........................................   15

      D.  Agenda and organization of work ..............................   15

      E.  Documentation ................................................   16

                                    Annexes

  I.  Attendance .......................................................   17

 II.  List of documents before the Commission at its fifth session .....   27


                                   Chapter I

      MATTERS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL


     The following resolution and decisions adopted by the Commission are
brought to the attention of the Council:


            Resolution 5/1.  Modalities for the full and comprehensive
                             review of the Programme of Action for the
                             Sustainable Development of Small Island
                             Developing States*

                 ( * For the discussion, see chap. IV below.)


     The Commission on Sustainable Development,

     Recalling its decision 4/16 on the review of the implementation of the
Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States, 1/ in which, inter alia, it was stated that in the context of the
special session of the General Assembly to be convened in 1997 to review the
overall implementation of Agenda 21, 2/ specific modalities would be
recommended by the Commission for the full review of the Programme of Action
in 1999,

     Recalling paragraph 117 of the Programme of Action, in which Governments
call for the Commission on Sustainable Development to include, in the context
of the full review of the Programme of Action, the question of convening a
second global conference in accordance with chapter 17, section G of Agenda
21,

     Recognizing also the important coordinating role of the Department for
Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the United Nations
Secretariat in implementing the Programme of Action,

     Having examined the report of the Secretary-General on implementation of
the Programme of Action (E/CN.17/1997/14) and the recommendations that it
contains concerning the modalities for the full review of the Programme of
Action in 1999,

     Stressing the importance of including in the full review in 1999 the
vulnerability index being developed by the United Nations, 

     1.   Recognizes the need to review outstanding chapters of the Programme
of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States
prior to its full review in 1999;

     2.   Urges the task managers within the Inter-Agency Committee on
Sustainable Development of the Commission on Sustainable Development and the
Small Island Developing States Unit of the Department for Policy Coordination
and Sustainable Development of the United Nations Secretariat to prepare
reports on the outstanding chapters of the Programme of Action for
consideration by the Commission's Ad Hoc Inter-sessional Working Group at its
meeting scheduled for 1998;

     3.   Decides that it will undertake the review of all the outstanding
chapters and issues of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development
of Small Island Developing States at its sixth session, in 1998;

     4.   Encourages Governments and participants at the high-level meeting of
the Commission at its sixth session to address, inter alia, matters related to
the sustainable development of small island developing States;

     5.   Urges all Governments, regional intergovernmental bodies or similar
arrangements, relevant United Nations organizations, bodies and agencies of
the United Nations system and major groups identified in Agenda 21 to commence
preparations for the full review and comprehensive assessment of progress made
in the implementation of the Programme of Action since its adoption at
Bridgetown, Barbados, in 1994 by the Global Conference on the Sustainable
Development of Small Island Developing States;

     6.   Recommends that the General Assembly convene a two-day special
session immediately preceding its fifty-fourth session for an in-depth
assessment and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action for
the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;

     7.   Decides that the Commission on Sustainable Development will carry
out the full review of the Programme of Action within its approved programme
of work at its seventh session.  That review will be considered as the
preparatory process for the special session of the General Assembly
recommended in paragraph 6 above;

     8.   Decides that the preparatory process for its seventh session, within
its agreed format and programme, shall assist the Commission in carrying out
the review and appraisal of the Programme of Action.


                                     Notes

1/ Report of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small
Island Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados, 25 April to 6 May 1994 (United
Nations publication, Sales No. 94.I.18 and corrigenda I and II), chap. I,
resolution 1, annex)

2/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio
de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the Conference
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.18), resolution 1, annex II.


            Decision 5/101.  Proposed programmed of work in the area of
                             sustainable development for the biennium
                             1998-1999*

                  (* For the discussion, see chap. IV below.)


     At its 12th meeting, on 25 April 1997, the Commission on Sustainable
Development took note of the proposed programme of work in the area of
sustainable development for the biennium 1998-1999 (E/CN.17/1997/CRP.1). 
Noting the preliminary nature of the proposed programme, the Commission
invited the Committee for Programme and Coordination, the Advisory Committee
for Administrative and Budgetary Questions and the Fifth Committee of the
General Assembly, in their deliberations on the programme budget for the
biennium 1998-1999, to take into account, as appropriate, the outcome of the
nineteenth special session of the General Assembly and the results of the
ongoing reform of the United Nations Secretariat.


           Decision 5/102.  Report of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel
                            on Forests on its fourth session*
                                       
                  (* For the discussion, see chap. II below.)


     At its 12th meeting, on 25 April 1997, the Commission on Sustainable
Development took note of the report of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on
Forests on its fourth session (E/CN.17/1997/12) (see also A/S-19/14,
sect. I.B.2).


          Decision 5/103.  Reports related to the work of the Commission
                           at its fifth session*

             (* For the discussion, see chaps. III and IV below.)


     At its 12th meeting, on 25 April, the Commission on Sustainable
Development took note of the following reports:

     (a)  Report of the Secretary-General on overall progress achieved since
the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (E/CN.17/1997/2
and Add.1-31);

     (b)  Report of the Secretary-General entitled "Global change and
sustainable development:  critical trends" (E/CN.17/1997/3 and Corr.1); 

     (c)  Report of the Secretary-General on assessment of activities that
pose a major threat to the environment (E/CN.17/1997/4); 

     (d)  Report of the Secretary-General on assessment of progress in the
implementation of Agenda 21 at the national level (E/CN.17/1997/5); 

     (e)  Report of the Secretary-General on an inventory of ongoing
energy-related programmes and activities of entities within the United Nations
system, on coordination of such activities, and on arrangements needed to
foster the linkage between energy and sustainable development within the
system (E/CN.17/1997 and Corr.1); 

     (f)  Report of the Secretary-General entitled "The Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development:  application and implementation"
(E/CN.17/1997/8); 

     (g)  Report of the Secretary-General on a comprehensive assessment of the
freshwater resources of the world (E/CN.17/1997/9);

     (h)  Report of the High-level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development
on its sixth session (E/CN.17/1997/10); 

     (i)  Report of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Inter-sessional Working Group of the
Commission on Sustainable Development (E/CN.17/1997/13); 

     (j)  Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the
Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States (E/CN.17/1997/14); 

     (k)  Report of the High-level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development
on its seventh session (E/CN.17/1997/17 and Add.1).

     (l)  Report of the Secretary-General on proposals for the streamlining of
requests for national reporting (E/CN.17/1997/6).


                                  Chapter II

            REPORT OF THE AD HOC INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON FORESTS


1.   The Commission considered item 3 of its agenda together with agenda item
4 (Preparations for the special session of the General Assembly for the
purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21)
at its 2nd to 7th and 12th meetings, on 8 to 11 and 25 April 1997.  For its
consideration of agenda item 3, the Commission had before it the report of the
Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests on its fourth session
(E/CN.17/1997/12).


                             High-level discussion

2.   The Commission held a high-level discussion on items 3 and 4 at its 2nd
to 6th meetings, from 8 to 10 April.

3.   At the 2nd meeting, on 8 April, statements were made by the
representative of the United Republic of Tanzania (on behalf of the States
Members of the United Nations that are members of the Group of 77 and China);
the Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment of the
Netherlands (on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are
members of the European Union, as well as Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia and Slovenia); the Secretary of Natural Resources of Argentina; the
Minister for the Environment of France; the Secretary of State for the
Environment of the United Kingdom; the Minister of Environmental Protection,
Natural Resources and Forestry of Poland; the Permanent Representative of the
United States of America; the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine;
the Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Korea; the Minister of the
Environment of Portugal; the Ambassador for Global Environment Affairs of
Japan; the Minister of Environment and Tourism of Zimbabwe, in his capacity as
President of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change; the Minister of the Environment of Sweden; the
Minister for the Environment of Morocco; the Federal Minister for the
Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany; the
Vice-Minister, Ministry of the Environment, Land Planning and Public Works of
Greece; and the Vice-Minister of the Environment of Colombia.

4.   Statements were also made by the observers for the following
non-governmental organizations on behalf of a number of non-governmental
organizations:  Women's Environment and Development Organization, Third World
Network and Canadian Environment Network Youth Caucus.

5.   At the 3rd meeting, on 9 April, statements were made by the State
Secretary for the Environment of Algeria; the Secretary of State for
Cooperation and Development and the Minister of the Environment of Spain; the
State Minister for Environment of Indonesia; the Minister for the Environment
of Norway; the Vice-Ministerial Representative and Permanent Representative of
China; the Minister for Environment, Water Resources and the Legal Amazon of
Brazil; the Minister for the Environment of Australia; the Minister of
Planning, Environment and Tourism of Gabon; the Federal Minister for the
Environment, Youth and Family of Austria; the Secretary of Environment,
Natural Resources and Fisheries of Mexico; the State Secretary, Director of
the Federal Office of the Environment of Switzerland; the Minister of
Environment and Tourism of Namibia; the Minister for the Environment of
Ireland; the Vice-Minister for Science and Technology and Environment of Cuba;
a member of the Senate of the Philippines; the Minister of the Environment of
Luxembourg; and the Vice-Minister, Ministry for Environment and Energy of
Costa Rica.

6.   Statements were also made by the observers for the following
non-governmental organizations on behalf of a number of major groups and
non-governmental organizations:  Asian Indigenous Women's Network (on behalf
of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus), Greenpeace International and the Local
Government Management Board of the United Kingdom (on behalf of the local
government major group).

7.   At the 4th meeting, on 9 April, statements were made by the Minister for
the Environment of Iceland; the Chief Executive Officer of the Egyptian
Environmental Affairs Agency; the Minister for Agriculture and Forestry of
Finland; the Sub-Director of the National Institute of Natural Resources of
Panama; the Minister for Environment and Regional Planning of Slovenia; the
Deputy Minister of the Environment of the Czech Republic; the Minister for the
Environment and Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs of New Zealand; the
Minister of the Environment of Slovakia; the Permanent Representative of
Trinidad and Tobago (in her capacity as Chairman of the Alliance of Small
Island States); the Permanent Representative of Benin (on behalf of the
francophone countries); the Minister of the State Committee on Environmental
Protection of the Russian Federation; the Minister for the Environment of
Belgium; the Deputy Minister of the Environment of Bulgaria; the Minister for
the Environment and Energy of Denmark; the Minister of the Environment of
Canada; the Minister of Environmental Protection of Lithuania; the Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Thailand;
the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism of South Africa; the Deputy
Minister of the Environment of Uruguay; the Adviser to the President of Guyana
on Science, Technology and Environment; the Permanent Representative of
Hungary to the United Nations; the Secretary-General for the Environment,
Science and Technology of Malaysia; the Director of Environment in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua; the representative of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Italy; the Permanent Representative of the Islamic
Republic of Iran; the representative of the State Planning Association of
Turkey; the Deputy Permanent Representative of Chile; and the Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Environment and Forests of India.

8.   The President of the General Assembly also addressed the Commission.

9.   The Director of Environment of the World Bank made a statement.

10.  Statements were also made by the observers for the following
non-governmental organizations:  Zanzibar Association of Progress and the
Metropolitan Solar Energy Society (on behalf of the energy caucus).

11.  At the 5th meeting, on 10 April, the Under-Secretary-General for Policy
Coordination and Sustainable Development of the United Nations Secretariat
made a statement.

12.  At the same meeting, statements were made by the Minister of Housing,
Spatial Planning and the Environment of the Netherlands (on behalf of the
States Members of the United Nations that are members of the European Union
and Bulgaria); the Minister of Natural Resources of Canada; the Director of
Project Management, Ministry of the Environment of Ghana; the Ambassador of
Environment of the Bahamas; the Minister for Coordination of the Environment
of Mozambique; the Deputy Administrator of the National Environmental
Protection Agency of China; the Minister for Primary Industry of Malaysia; the
Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
of Germany; the Permanent Representative of Belarus; the Assistant Secretary
of State for Oceans, International Environment and Scientific Affairs of the
United States of America; the Minister in Charge of Environmental Affairs of
Monaco; the Deputy Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea; the Joint
Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests of Bangladesh; the former
Minister of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources of Venezuela; the
Director-General of the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of
Norway; the head of the delegation of Saudi Arabia; the Minister of
Environment and Tourism of Zimbabwe; and the Permanent Representative of Malta
to the United Nations.

13.  The Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, in his capacity as a task manager of Agenda 21, made a
statement.

14.  Statements were also made by the observers for the following
non-governmental organizations on behalf of a number of major groups and
non-governmental organizations:  the International Chamber of Commerce (on
behalf of the business and industry major group) and the International Union
for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (on behalf of the
scientific and technological communities major group).

15.  At the 6th meeting, on 10 April, statements were made by the Minister
for the Environment of Australia; the representative of the Agenda 21
Commission of Peru; the representative of Mongolia; the Sub-Director of the
National Institute for Natural Resources of Panama; the Vice Minister,
Ministry for Environment and Energy of Costa Rica; the Adviser to the
President of Guyana on Science, Technology and the Environment; the
representative of Brazil; the Minister of the State Committee on Environmental
Protection of the Russian Federation; the Deputy Permanent Representative of
Ecuador; the Federal Minister for Environment, Youth and Family of Austria;
the Head of the Bureau for External Relations, Ministry of Forests of
Indonesia; the Permanent Representative of the Marshall Islands; the
Under-Secretary-General for Development Strategy in the Ministry of
Sustainable Development and Environment of Bolivia; the representative of
Israel; the Vice Minister of the Environment of Colombia; the Joint Secretary
for Environment and Forests of India; the Deputy Permanent Representative of
the Republic of Korea; the Deputy Director for the Environment, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of New Zealand; the Permanent Representative of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations; the Ambassador for Global
Environment Affairs of Japan; the Chief Executive Officer of the Egyptian
Environmental Affairs Agency; the representative of Iraq; the representative
of France; the National Director for the Environment of Uruguay; the Deputy
Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Forests of Turkey; the Director,
Metropolitan Region of the Forest Service of Chile; the Deputy
Director-General for Economic Planning of the Philippines and the Minister
Plenipotentiary of Argentina.

16.  The Director-General of the Environment of the European Commission also
made a statement.

17.  At the same meeting, statements were made by the observers for the
following non-governmental organizations on behalf of a number of
non-governmental organizations:  the Sierra Club (also on behalf of the three
conservation organizations of the Global Forest Project), the World Council of
Churches, the Siberian Forests and a women's caucus.

                                    *  *  *

18.  At the 7th meeting, on 11 April, the Commission heard presentations of
the results of various regional and other preparatory activities from the
Chairman of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the Elaboration of
an International Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa,
the Executive Director of the secretariat of the Convention on Biological
Diversity; the Executive Director of the secretariat for the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change; the representative of Israel to the
Workshop on Synergies among the Conventions and the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental
Panel on Forests; the Director, Environment and Natural Resources Management
Division, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific; the Chief,
Environment and Development Division, Economic Commission for Latin America
and the Caribbean (also on behalf of the Economic Commission for Europe); the
representative of the Food Security and Sustainable Development Division,
Economic Commission for Africa; the Manager for Social Programmes and
Sustainable Development of the Inter-American Development Bank; the Vice
Minister for Sustainable Development and Environment of Bolivia (on behalf of
the Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development); the Vice-Chairman of
the Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting on the Implementation of Special Measures for
the Least Developed Countries in Agenda 21; the Executive Director of the
Earth Council; the Director, Global Environment, Environment Agency of Japan
(on behalf of the Global Partnership Summit on the Environment); the President
of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety; the Director of the
International and European Division, Federal Ministry of Environment, Youth
and Family Affairs of Austria (on behalf of the Expert Workshop on Fostering
the Linkage between Energy and Sustainable Development within Institutional
Arrangements); the Deputy Minister of Environment of the Republic of Korea (on
behalf of the Round Table Meeting of World Environmental Leaders on
Environmental Ethics); the representative of the Russian Federation (on behalf
of an international seminar on the theme "Chernobyl and beyond:  humanitarian
assistance to victims of technological disasters"; and the representatives of
Sweden and Turkey.


                        ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION

19.  At its 12th meeting, on 25 April 1997, the Commission took note of the
report of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests on its fourth session
(E/CN.17/1997/12) (see chap. I, Commission decision 5/102; see also
A/S-19/14-E/1997/60, sect. I.B.2).


                                  Chapter III

         PREPARATIONS FOR THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
         FOR THE PURPOSE OF AN OVERALL REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF THE   
                          IMPLEMENTATION OF AGENDA 21


1.   The Commission considered item 4 of its agenda together with agenda item
3 (Report of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests), at its 2nd to 7th
and 12th meetings, on 8 to 11 and 25 April 1997.  The Commission held a
high-level discussion on the items at its 2nd to 6th meetings, from 8 to 10
April (see chap. II, paras. 2-17).  The Commission also held parallel meetings
of a working group established for the purpose of holding dialogue sessions
with major groups, which were chaired by the members of the Bureau (for other
action taken by the Commission under agenda item 4, see A/S-19/14-E/1997/60).

2.   For its consideration of agenda item 4, the Commission had before it the
following documents:

     (a)  Report of the Secretary-General on the overall progress achieved
since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(E/CN.17/1997/2 and Add.1-31);

     (b)  Report of the Secretary-General entitled "Global change and
sustainable development:  critical trends" (E/CN.17/1997/3 and Corr.1);

     (c)  Report of the Secretary-General on an assessment of activities that
pose a major threat to the environment (E/CN.17/1997/4);

     (d)  Report of the Secretary-General on an assessment of progress in the
implementation of Agenda 21 at the national level (E/CN.17/1997/5);

     (e)  Report of the Secretary-General on an inventory of ongoing
energy-related programmes and activities of entities within the United Nations
system, on coordination of such activities, and on arrangements needed to
foster the linkage between energy and sustainable development within the
system (E/CN.17/1997/7 and Corr.1);

     (f)  Report of the Secretary-General entitled "The Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development:  application and implementation"
(E/CN.17/1997/8);

     (g)  Report of the Secretary-General on a comprehensive assessment of the
freshwater resources of the world (E/CN.17/1997/9);

     (h)  Report of the High-level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development
on its sixth session (E/CN.17/1997/10);

     (i)  Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the
Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biodiversity on the implementation of
the Convention (E/CN.17/1997/11);

     (j)  Report of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests on its
fourth session (E/CN.17/1997/12);

     (k)  Report of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Inter-sessional Working Group of the
Commission on Sustainable Development (E/CN.17/1997/13);

     (l)  Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the
Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States (E/CN.17/1997/14);

     (m)  Note verbale dated 11 February 1997 from the Permanent
Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations transmitting the
report of the Forward-looking Assessment on the Implementation of the Action
Programme on Drinking Water and Environmental Sanitation (E/CN.17/1997/15);

     (n)  Letter dated 29 January 1997 from the Permanent Representative of
Austria to the United Nations transmitting the report of an expert workshop on
the theme "Fostering the linkage between energy and sustainable development
within the international institutions" (E/CN.17/1997/16);

     (o)  Report of the High-level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development
on its seventh session (E/CN.17/1997/17 and Add.1);

     (p)  Note verbale dated 18 February 1997 from the Permanent
Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations transmitting the
Chairman's summary of the fourth expert group meeting on financial issues of
Agenda 21 (E/CN.17/1997/18);

     (q)  Letter dated 18 February 1997 from the Permanent Representatives of
Brazil and Norway to the United Nations transmitting the conclusions of the
Brasilia Workshop on Sustainable Production and Consumption Patterns and
Policies (E/CN.17/1997/19);

     (r)  Letter dated 19 March 1997 from the Permanent Representative of
Canada to the United Nations transmitting the President's progress report for
the years 1994-1997 of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety
(E/CN.17/1997/20);

     (s)  Note by the Secretary-General on the contribution of the Conference
of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(E/CN.17/1997/21);

     (t)  Letter dated 8 April 1997 from the Charge' d'affaires a.i. of the
Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations transmitting the report
of an ad hoc expert group meeting on the implementation of special measures
for the least developed countries in Agenda 21 (E/CN.17/1997/22);

     (u)  Letter dated 1 April 1997 from the Chairperson of the Commission on
the Status of Women transmitting the agreed conclusions on women and the
environment adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women at its forty-
first session (E/CN.17/1997/23);

     (v)  Letter dated 21 April 1997 from the Permanent Representative of
Belarus transmitting the final document of the International Conference on
Sustainable Development of Countries with Economies in Transition
(E/CN.17/1997/24).


                        ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION

3.   At its 12th meeting, on 25 April, the Commission took note of the
reports related to the work of the Commission at its fifth session (see chap.
I, Commission decision 5/103).


                                  Chapter IV

                                 OTHER MATTERS


     The Commission considered item 5 of its agenda at its 8th and 12th
meetings, on 11 and 25 April 1997.  It had before it the following documents:

     (a)  Report of the Secretary-General on proposals for the streamlining of
requests for national reporting (E/CN.17/1997/6);

     (b)  Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the
Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States (E/CN.17/1997/14);

     (c)  Note by the Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work of
the Division for Sustainable Development for the biennium 1998-1999
(E/CN.17/1997/CRP.1).

2.   At the 8th meeting, on 11 April, the Director of the Division for
Sustainable Development, Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable
Development of the United Nations Secretariat, made an introductory statement
on the streamlining of national reporting.

3.   Statements were made by the representatives of Canada, the Netherlands
(on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the
European Union), the United States of America, Papua New Guinea, Benin, the
Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, Bangladesh, Mexico and Paraguay.

4.   The observer for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development also made a statement.

5.   At the same meeting, the Director of the Division for Sustainable
Development made an introductory statement on modalities of the 1999
comprehensive review of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable
Development of Small Island Developing States.

6.   Statements were made by the representatives of Trinidad and Tobago (on
behalf of the member countries of the Alliance of Small Island States who are
members of the United Nations), the United States of America, the Netherlands
(on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the
European Union), Barbados, Papua New Guinea, Jamaica, Japan, the Bahamas,
Cuba, Benin, Malta and Guyana.

7.   Also at the same meeting, the Director of the Division for Sustainable
Development introduced the proposed programme of work of the Division for the
biennium 1998-1999 (E/CN.17/1997/CRP.1).

8.   Statements were made by the representatives of the Netherlands (on
behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the
European Union), Australia and the United States of America.

9.   The Director of the Division for Sustainable Development responded to
points raised during the discussion.


                        ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION


Modalities for the full and comprehensive review of the Programme of Action
for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States

10.  At the 12th meeting, on 25 April, the Commission had before it an
informal paper containing the text of a draft resolution submitted by the
Chairman.

11.  At the same meeting, following a statement by the Secretary on programme
budget implications, the Commission adopted the draft resolution (for the text
of the resolution, see chap. I, Commission resolution 5/1).


Proposed programme of work in the area of sustainable development for the
biennium 1998-1999

12.  At the 12th meeting, on 25 April, on the proposal of the Chairman, the
Commission adopted a draft decision related to the proposed programme of work
under the Sustainable Development subprogramme for the biennium 1998-1999 (for
the text of the decision, see chap. I, Commission decision 5/101).


Report of the Secretary-General on proposals for the streamlining of requests
for national reporting

13.  At its 12th meeting, on 25 April 1997, the Commission took note of the
report of the Secretary-General on proposals for the streamlining of requests
for national reporting (E/CN.17/1997/6) (see chap. I, Commission
decision 5/103).


                                   Chapter V

          PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE SIXTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION


1.   In considering the preparations for the special session of the General
Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the
implementation of Agenda 21 (agenda item 4), the Commission took note of the
report of the Secretary-General on the overall progress achieved since the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (E/CN.17/1997/2) (see
chap. I, commission decision 5/103), which contained proposals for a
multi-year programme of work.  It was agreed that the agenda for the sixth
session of the Commission would be drafted in accordance with the multi-year
programme of work adopted by the General Assembly at its nineteenth special
session.


                                  Chapter VI

         ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON ITS FIFTH SESSION


1.   At the 12th meeting, on 25 April 1997, the Rapporteur introduced the
draft report of the Commission on its fifth session (E/CN.17/1997/L.1).

2.   At the same meeting, the Commission adopted the report and entrusted the
Rapporteur with its completion.


                                  Chapter VII

                          ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION


                    A.  Opening and duration of the session

1.   The Commission on Sustainable Development held its fifth session at
United Nations Headquarters from 7 to 25 April 1997.  The Commission held 12
meetings (1st to 12th meetings).

2.   The session was opened by the temporary Chairman, Mr. Rumen Gechev
(Bulgaria), who also made a statement.

3.   The Director of the Division for Sustainable Development, Department for
Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the United Nations
Secretariat, made a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General and the
Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development.


                                B.  Attendance

4.   The session was attended by representatives of 116 States. 
Representatives of organizations of the United Nations system and observers
for intergovernmental, non-governmental and other organizations also attended.
A list of participants is contained in annex I below.


                           C.  Election of officers

5.   At the 1st and 4th meetings, on 8 and 9 April 1997, the Commission
elected the following officers by acclamation:

     Chairman:       Mostafa Tolba (Egypt)

     Vice-Chairmen:  John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda)
                     Bagher Asadi (Islamic Republic of Iran)
                     Czeslaw Wieckowski (Poland)
                     Monika Linn-Locher (Switzerland)

6.   At the 10th meeting, on 24 April 1997, Czeslaw Wieckowski (Poland) was
elected to serve also as Rapporteur.


                      D.  Agenda and organization of work

7.   At the 1st meeting, on 8 April 1997, the Commission adopted its
provisional agenda, as contained in document E/CN.17/1997/1, and approved its
organization of work, as circulated in an informal paper.  The agenda was as
follows:

     1.   Election of officers.

     2.   Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.

     3.   Report of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests.

     4.   Preparations for the special session of the General Assembly for the
          purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of
          Agenda 21.

     5.   Other matters.

     6.   Provisional agenda for the sixth session of the Commission.

     7.   Adoption of the report of the Commission on its fifth session.


                               E.  Documentation

8.   The documents before the Commission at its fifth session are listed in
annex II below.


                                    Annex I

                                  ATTENDANCE


Algeria:                Ahmed Noui, Abdallah Baali, Abdelkader Mesdoua,
                        Mohammed Elhadi Bennadji, Abderrahmane Merouane,
                        Zineddine Birouk

Angola:                 Joao Maria Teixeira Fortes

Antigua and Barbuda:    John W. Ashe, Dornella M. Seth

Armenia:                Movses Abelian, Haik Papian

Australia:              Robert Hill, Howard Bamsey, Phillip Toyne, Ian
                        Forsyth, Mike Lee, Alan March, Atticus Fleming, Rod
                        Holesgrove, Gary Dolman, David Forsyth, Geoffrey
                        Tooth, Laurie Hodgman, Shayleen Thompson, Mark Gray,
                        Andrew Mitchel, Danny O'Neill, Frank McKinnell

Austria:                Martin Bartenstein, Ernst Sucharipa, Hans Peter Manz,
                        Heinz Schreiber, Helmut Wessely,
                        Irene Freudenschuss-Reichl, Georg Potyka, Rosi Weiss,
                        Ingrid Nemec, Ralf Boeckle, Hans-Peter Glanzer,
                        Magdalena Rauscher, Britta Blumencron, Gu"nther Siegel

Bahamas:                Lynn Holowsko, Harcourt L. Turnquest,
                        Sharon Brennen-Haylock, Allison P. Christie

Bangladesh:             Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, M. Abdul Latif Mondal,
                        Muhammad Ali Sorcar

Barbados:               Carlston Boucher, Betty Russell, Jane Brathwaite,
                        John Wilson, Francois Jackman

Belarus:                Alyaksandr Sychou, Rygor Barushka, Uladzimir Gerus

Belgium:                Jan Peeters, Alex Reyn, Nadine Gouzee, Jan
                        Verschooten, Marc Gedopt, Bernard Mazijn, Philippe
                        Pignolet, Hugo Brauwers, Jan De Mulder, Ulrik
                        Lenaerts, Eric Laitat

Benin:                  Fassassi Adam Yacoubou, Damien Houeto, Samuel Amehou,
                        Rogatien Biaou, Victorin Dossou-Sognon, Paul H.
                        Houansou

Bolivia:                Moise's Jamuz, Ramiro Ortego Landa, Jorge Rivera,
                        Marco A. Vidaurre, Nelson Mendoza, Gustavo Pedraza,
                        Mari'a Estela Mendoza, Vi'ctor Hugo Garci'a,
                        Alejandro F. Mercado

Botswana:               Legwaila J. M. J. Legwaila, Mushanana L. Nchunga,
                        D. C. M. Nkgowe, O. Motswagae, T. A. Boang

Brazil:

Bulgaria:               Emil Marinov, Tsvetolyub Basmadjiev, Valentin
                        Hadjiyski, Yoncho Pelovski, Mityo Videlov, Maya
                        Dobreva

Burkina Faso:           Gae"tan R. Oue'draogo, Dakar Djiri, Prosper Sawadogo,
                        Paul Robert Tiendre'be'ogo

Burundi:                M. Herme'ne'gilde Nkurabagaya, Gaspard Bikwemu,
                        Jean Baptiste Hajayandi

Cameroon:               Joseph Mbede, Ndjemba Endezoumou Jean-Simplice,
                        Evou Mekou Dieudonne, Ndimba Wenceslas de Boheme,
                        Mbassi Menye

Canada:                 Sergio Marchi, Anne McLellan

Central African
Republic:               Lambert Gnapelet, Fernand Poukre-Kono

Chile:                  Juan Somavi'a, Eduardo Ga'lvez, Carlos Weber

China:                  Qin Huasun, Wang Xuexian, Zhang Kunmin, Xia Kunbao,
                        Yu Qingtai, Su Wei, Zhang Xiao'an, Guo Risheng,
                        Yue Ruisheng, Huang Jing, Wang Qun, Bai Yongjie,
                        Sun Zhen, Zhou Guolin, Jiang Qiaofeng

Colombia:               Ernesto Guhl Nanneti, Alejandro Borda,
                        Maria Cristina Cardenas, Andrea Alba'n, Bibiana
                        Vargas, Paola Bettelli, Manuel Rodriguez Becerra

Congo:                  Daniel Abibi, De'sire' Nkounkou

Croatia:                Ivan Simonovic, Mirjana Mladineo, Ivan Nimac,
                        Kornelija Pintaric

Cuba:                   Ricardo Sa'nchez, Gisela Alonso, Jorge Mario Garci'a,
                        Pedro L. Pedroso Cuesta, Bernardo Guanche, Ramo'n
                        Hurtado

Cyprus:                 Nicos Agathocleous, James Droushiotis,
                        Kornelios S. Kornellou, Frances-Galatia Williams

Czech Republic:         Vladimir Bi'zek, Duþan Rovenskþ, Jaroslav Beneþ,
                        Jan Ka'ra, Jiþi' Dlouhþ, Karel þebrakovskþ

Denmark:                Svend Auken, Ellen Margrethe Lþj, Erik Fiil,
                        Ole Plougmann, Claus Jespersen, Jþrgen Hartnack,
                        Carl Christian Hasselbalch, Birgitte Wþhlk,
                        Thomas Becker, Thomas Kruse, Tina Fogh Aagaard,
                        Torleif Jonasson, Lars Georg Jensen

Djibouti:               Roble Olhaye, Badri Ali Bogoreh

Dominican Republic:     Eduardo Selman, Luis Lithgow, Jose' Manuel Castillo,
                        Elda Cepeda, Francisco Tovar, Emiliano Pe'rez,
                        Agregado Socrates Tejada, Sully Saneux

Ecuador:                Emilio Izquierdo, Fabia'n Pa'liz

Egypt:                  Moustafa Tolba, Salah Hafez, Mohamed Abdelrahman
                        Fawzy, Adel M. Abdellatif, Amany Fahmy, Yehia Oda,
                        Amr El-Sherbiny

Ethiopia:               Fesseha A. Tessema, Meheret Getahoun

El Salvador:            Ricardo G. Castaneda, Guillermo A. Mele'ndez,
                        Carlos E. Garci'a

Eritrea:                Tesfa Alem Seyoum

Estonia:                Trivimi Velliste, Toomas Lukk, T. Miller, A. Kratovitþ

Fiji:                   Sakiusa Rabuka, Jone Draunimasi

Finland:                Kalevi Hemila", Sirkka Hautoja"rvi,
                        Birgitta Stenious-Mladenov, Taisto Huimasalo,
                        Vappu Taipale, David Johansson, Markku Aho,
                        Vuokko Heikkinen, Sauli Rouhinen, Veikko Marttila,
                        Marit Huhta, Heikki Granholm, Leena Karjalainen-Balk,
                        Erja Fagerlund, Marjo Nummelin, Jukka Uosukainen,
                        Tuula Varis, Taru Jussila, Jaakko Ellisaari, Juka
                        Sihvo, Soili Kangaskorpi, Sirpa Hertell-Westerlund,
                        Eija Hiitio"

France:                 Corinne Lepage, Jacques Andreani, Jean de Gliniasty,
                        Herve' Ladsous, Christian Brohag,
                        Renaud Abord de Chantillon, Odile Roussel,
                        Philippe Serain, Janie Letrot, Michel Vandepoorter,
                        Philippe Delacroix, Ce'cile Sportis, Jacques
                        Villemain, Mauricette Steinfelder, Genevie`ve
                        Verbrugge, Bernard Chevalier, Marie-Noe"lle Sereni,
                        Maurice De Vaulx, Vincent Delbos, Jean David

Gabon:                  Jean Jing, Denis Dangue Rewaka, Jean Baptiste Mebiame,
                        Georges Rigondja, Wilfred Otchanga,
                        Athanase Boussienguet, Guy-Marcel Eboumy,
                        Ludovic Loussou, Andre' Jules Madingou

Germany:                Angela Merkel, Klaus-Ju"rgen Hedrich, Gerhard Henze,
                        Hendrik Vygen, Wolfgang Runge, Cornelia
                        Quennet-Thielen, Hans-Peter Schipulle, Bernd Wulffen,
                        Beate Baumann, Hagen Frost, Ulrich Hoenisch, Rainald
                        Roesch, Christiane Bo"gemann-Hagedorn, Peter Franz,
                        Reinhard Krapp, Karl-Goerg Schon, Elfriede Bierbrauer,
                        Thomas Zielke, Ulrike Metzger, Claudia Warning,
                        Andrea Kienle, Nicole Bosheck, Christa Ratte,
                        Peter Christmann, Marika Gavriilidis, Mechthild Fo"hr,
                        Gerd W. Adomeit, Birgit Engelhardt, Bernd Heins,
                        Bernd Dittman, Ju"rgen Wenderoth

Ghana:                  Jack Wilmot, E. P. D. Barnes, J. E. Aggrey,
                        Messie Y. Amoah

Greece:                 Theodoros Koliopanos, Leonidas Rokanas,
                        Emmanuel Kephalopoulos, Andreas Kambitsis,
                        Athena Mourmouri, Christos Dimitropoulos

Guatemala:              Julio Martini, Silvia Corado

Guinea:                 Camara Mahawa Bangoura, Balla Moussa Camara

Guyana:                 Navin Chanderpal, S. R. Insanally, Paulette Cornette,
                        George Talbot, Alison Drayton, Koreen Simon

Holy See:               Renato Martino, George Panikulam, David Malloy,
                        Carl Marucci, James M. Reinert, Franc'oise Cestac,
                        Ellen Lukas, John Bellingham, John Klink

Hungary:                Istva'n Na'thon, Tibor Farago', Sa'ndor Mo'zes,
                        Andra's Lakatos, Csaba Nemes, Gyula Holdampf,
                        Miklo's Kolosza'r, Jo'zsef Feiler

India:                  

Indonesia:              Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Surna T. Djajadiningrat,
                        Nugroho Wisnumurti, Kasumbogo Untung, Untung Iskandar,
                        Agus Pakpahan, Mochamad Slamet, Hidayat,
                        Eddi S. Hariyadhi, Bagas Hapsoro

Iran (Islamic           Kamal Kharrazi, Bagher Asadi, Mohammad Reza
Republic of):           Salamat, Mohammad Reza Hadji Karim Djabbari,
                        Mehdi Moini Meybodi, Hossein Fadaei,
                        Mohammad Alipour Jeddi

Ireland:                Brendan Howlin, John H. F. Campbell, Niall Callan,
                        Anne Byrne, James Humphries, Maurice Mullen,
                        Conor Murphy, Damien Boyle, Laura Behan, Noeleen
                        Behan, Geraldine Walsh, Sadhbh O'Neill

Italy:                  Edoardo Ronchi, F. Paolo Fulci, Giuseppe Jacoangeli,
                        Valerio Astraldi, Giulio Terzi, Corrado Clini,
                        Andrea Cappelli, Alberto Colella, Francesco Genuardi,
                        Marino Romualdi Vaccari, Valeria Rizzo,
                        Tiziano Pignatelli, Laura Manduzio, Paolo Soprano,
                        Maria Dalla Costa, Masimo Pieri, Paola Pettinari,
                        Giovannino Di Palma, Bonizella Biagini

Jamaica:                M. Patricia Durrant, Wayne McCook,
                        Sheila Sealy-Monteith, David Prendergast

Japan:                  Hisashi Owada, Toshiaki Tanabe, Takao Ohnishi,
                        Masaki Konishi, Nobuyasu Abe, Keishiro Fukushima,
                        Wataru Nishigahiro, Toshihide Tsumagari,
                        Kazuyoshi Okazawa, Masaharu Fujitomi, Shuzo Nishioka,
                        Hiroyasu Kobayashi, Hideki Ito, Kazuhiko Takemoto,
                        Ichiro Nomura, Hiroyuki Eguchi, Yoshihiro Natori,
                        Keiichi Nagae, Naomasa Murakoshi, Noriko Suzuki,
                        Hiroshi Mitsuya, Toshikatsu Aoyama, Tetsuo Kondo,
                        Kiroyasu Tokuda, Masami Tsuji, Takashi Kageyama,
                        Masamichi Saigo, Yoshimitsu Nishitani, Takeshi Goto,
                        Takashi Nakano, Kiyoshi Masumoto, Naomichi Numata,
                        Katsuyoshi Inagaki, Hiroko Omori, Shinichi Naganuma,
                        Yutaka Nakao, Hitoshi Yamada, Tomohiro Kajita,
                        Wataru Suzuki, Kiyofumi Kobayashi, Yutaka Yoshino,
                        Toshihiro Etou, Sayo Yamauchi

Kazakstan:              A. Arystanbekova, J. Akicheva

Kenya:                  Kipkorir Aly Azad Rana, Adam Adawa, Mwambia Wanyambura

Latvia:                 Aivara Baumanis, Maris Dinduns

Lebanon:                Samir Moubarak, Hassan Najem

Lesotho:                Lisema Walter Ralitsoele

Lithuania:              Imantas Lazdinis, Oskaras Jusys, Evaldas Vebra,
                        Rasa Ostrauskaiti

Luxembourg:             Johny Lahure, Jean-Louis Wolzfeld, Sylvie Lucas,
                        Henri Haine, Henri Schumacher, Jean Graff

Madagascar:             Jean-Pierre Ravelomanantsoa-Ratsimihah,
                        Jocelyne Lingaya, Michel Nicolas Rakotondrasoa

Malawi:                 David Rubadiri, Dorothy D. Thunyani, Zipangani
                        Vokhiwa, F. D. J. Matupa

Malaysia:               Dato' Seri Lim Keng Yaik, Datuk Hasmy Agam,
                        Dato' V. Danabalan, Tan Sri Wong Kum Choon,
                        Kanan Narayanan, Kamaruddin Mustafa, Shukri Ibrahim,
                        Hajah Rosnani bt Ibarahim, Tank Hooi Chew,
                        Abdullah Faiz Zain, Lim Eng Siang, Hiswani Harun,
                        Nor Azian bt Hj. Yahaya, H. S. Leng, Han Loke Fong,
                        Nik Adnan Nik Abdullah

Maldives:               Ahmed Khaleel

Malta:                  George Saliba, Victor Pace, Joanna Darmanin,
                        Elaine Miller, Anton Tabone

Marshall Islands:       Laurence N. Edwards, Espen Rþnneberg, Neijon R.
                        Edwards, Cathy O. Relang

Mexico:                 Julia Carabias, Enrique Provencio, Manuel Tello,
                        Jose' Luis Samaniego, Gerardo Lozano, Roberto Cabral,
                        Da'maso Luna Corona, Margarita Paras, Veronique Deli,
                        Ulises Canchola

Monaco:                 Bernard Fautrier

Morocco:                Nourdine Benomar Alami, Ahmed Snoussi, Bani Layachi,
                        Ahmed Amaziane, Mohamed Larbi Al Khiati, Younes Nejjar

Mozambique:             Bernardo Ferraz, Carlos dos Santos, Francisco
                        Mabdjaia, Cesar Gouveia, Alda Salomþo, Fernando
                        Juliþo, Fernando Chomar, Cristiano dos Santos

Myanmar:                Tint Deir, Thane Myint

Namibia:                Gert Hanekom, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Chris Brown

Netherlands             M. de Boer, J. P. Pronk, J. J. van Aartsen,
                        C. G. S. T. M. van Hellenberg Hubar, A. P. Hamburger,
                        H. van Zijst, P. de Jongh, Mr. Zoeteman, J. Peters,
                        A. Adriaansen, B. Betz, Mr. Lammers, P. Collette,
                        T. van der Schoor, H. van Weenen, H. Hoogeveen,
                        R. Lander, D. Pietermaat, H. Verheij, B. Oudshoorn,
                        J. Steeghs, M. K. de Jong, A. M. C. Wester, A. Braken,
                        A. Kohl, P. Maessen, P. v.d. Burg, S. Messerschmidt,
                        C. Boerma, D. A. Bourjaily, L. Docter

New Zealand:            Simon Upton, Michael Powles, Peter Rider, David
                        Bartle, Rob Ogilvie, Gerard Willis, Jeff Langley

Nicaragua:              Enrique Paguaga Ferna'ndez, Marina Stadthagen,
                        Mari'a Dreyfus

Niger:                  

Nigeria:                Ibrahim A. Gambari, Isaac E. Ayewah, A. D. Ojimba

Norway:                 Thorbjþrn Berntsen, Hans Jacob Biþrn Lian,
                        Ole Kristian Holthe, Oddmund Graham, Svein Aass,
                        Paul Hofseth, Oluf Aalde, Idunn Eidheim, Atle
                        Fretheim, Stein Owe, Armand Aardal, Tone Bratteli,
                        Inger Marie Bjþnnes, Kirsten Bjþru, Johnny Almestad,
                        Terje Nervik, Trond K. Botnen, Geir Sjþberg,
                        Unni Klþvstad, Ulla Hegg, Anne Kari Hansen Ovind

Pakistan:

Panama:                 Ruth Decerega Smith, Dimas Arcia, Hernan Tejeira Jaen,
                        Vanessa Bernal, Ligia Castro de Doens,
                        Erick Cajar Grimas, Judith M. Cardoze, Vanessa Bernal

Papua New Guinea:       Utula U. Samana, Adam V. Delaney, Jimmy U. Ovia

Paraguay:               Ramo'n Diaz Pereira, Mari'a Teresa A. de Laterza,
                        Luis Jose' Gonzalez

Peru:                   Fernando Guille'n, Marcela Lo'pez de Ruiz,
                        Maritza de Rodri'guez, Alexandra Cugler,
                        Ingeniero Jorge Lescano, Ana Pen~a, Italo Acha

Philippines:            Felipe H. Mabilangan, Jr., Leticia R. Shahani,
                        Raphael P. M. Lotilla, Delfin J. Ganapin, Jr.,
                        Ofelia M. Templo, Cecilia B. Rebong,
                        Libran N. Cabactulan, Bernarditas C. Muller,
                        Narcisa R. Umali, Beatrice del Rosario,
                        Leonora P. Gonzales, Jimmy D. Blas, Serafin M.
                        Benaldo, Glenn F. Corpin, Uldarico Malicse, Jr., Roger
                        Birosel, Jose Pepito Cunanan, Elenita Dan~o

Poland:                 Stanislaw Zelichowski, Zbigniew M. Wlosowicz,
                        Czeslaw Wieckowski, Mieczyslaw S. Ostojski,
                        Joanna Wronecka, Leszek Banaszak, Antoni Miklaszewski,
                        Anna Raduchowska-Brochwicz, Kazimierz Rykowski

Portugal:               Elisa Ferreira, Anto'nio Monteiro, Jose' Tadeu Soares,
                        Miguel Jero'nimo, Catulina Soares Guerreiro,
                        Maria Paula Santos, Jose' Guerreiro,
                        Manuel Marques Ina'cio, Aristides Leitþo, Isabel
                        Me'rtens, Lui's Leal, Grac'a Telles, Joaquim Lopes
                        Pissarra, Conceic'þo Ferreira, Manuela Camara Falcþo,
                        Li'gia Figueiredo

Republic of Korea:      Hyon-Wook Kang, Myung-Chul Hahm, Chin-Seung Chung,
                        Kyul-Ho Kwak, Rae-Kwon Chung, Ha-Yong Moon,
                        Seok-Young Choi, Jae-Yoon Ko, Young-Ju Oh,
                        Chong-Sik Chin, Beom-Sik Yoo, Il-Chyun Kwak,
                        Joong-Myung Kim, Jong-Gie Kim, Jong-Soo Lim,
                        Myung-Ja Kim

Republic of Moldova:    Igor Ciobanu, Gheorghe Leuca

Romania:                Ion Gorita, Sorin Tanasescu

Russian Federation:     Victor Ivanovich Danilov-Danilyan,
                        Nikolai Vacilievich Chulkov, Sergei Nikolaievich
                        Kuraev, Aleksandr Michailovich Gudima,
                        Vacilii Alekseyevich Nebenzya, Yuri Viktorovich
                        Maltzev, Oleg Vladimirovich Rudenskii,
                        Aleksandr Anatolievich Pankin,
                        Dmitrii Igorevich Maksimichev,
                        Aleksandr Vasilievich Davidenko,
                        Nikolai Pavlovich Ovsyenko

Saudi Arabia:           Abdullah Al-Fawaz, Hatim Al-Metairi, Mohamed
                        Al-Zahrani, Nasser Al-Watban, Saad Al-Majid,
                        Abdul-aziz Al-Huwaish, Anwar Abul Ila, Abdullah
                        Mahraji, Hashim Niazi, Mohamed Zahrani, Yusuf
                        Al-Hafez, Ibrahim Al-Jehaimi, Mohamed S. Soroor
                        Al-Sabban, Ayman Abalkhail, Salah Sarhan, Ali
                        Bahaitham, Mohammad Khayyat

Saint Lucia:            Sonia R. Leonce-Carryl

Samoa:                  Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Andrea Williams-Stewart

Senegal:                

Singapore:              Sidek Saniff, Karen Tan, Khoo Seow Poh, Eng Wee Hua,
                        Crispian Tan, Foo Chi Hsia

Slovakia:               Jozef Zlocha, Ja'n Varþo, Jozef Klinda, Ivan Moji'k,
                        Milan Dubþek, L'ubica Mikula'þkova'

Slovenia:               Pavel Gantar, Danilo Tu"rk, Emil Ferjanþiþ, Eva Tomiþ

South Africa:           Z. P. Jordan, K. J. Jele, C. Cameron, C. Badenhorst,
                        L. Dikeni, J. Hugo, H. van Vliet, R. Du Randt,
                        M. Diseko, M. Seaton

Spain:                  Isabel Tocino, Fernando Villalonga, Carlos Westendorp,
                        Arturo Laclaustra, Maria Teresa Bernedo, Roman
                        Oyarzun, Carlos Domi'nguez, Francisco Rabena, Amparo
                        Rambla, Salvador Maspoch, Jose Roma'n Martin, Marta
                        Betanzos, Ramiro Puig

Sri Lanka:              H. L. de Silva, J. B. Nakkawita, E. R. M. Perera,
                        W. Hettiarachchi

Sudan:                  Hamid Ali Eltinay

Suriname:               Natasha E. M. Halfhuid, Joyce P. Alson-Kross

Syrian Arab Republic:   Mikhail Wehbe, Tammam Sulaiman, Hussam Edin A'ala

Sweden:                 Anna Lindh, Bo Kjelle'n, Malin Ka"rre, Sture Persson,
                        Michael Odevall, Hans Lundborg, Stellan Kronvall,
                        Eva Franchell, Agneta Bergquist, Susanne Jacobssonm,
                        Per Enarsson, Ulf Ottoson, Karin Sjo"lin, Helen
                        Eduards, Rolf Lindell

Switzerland:            Philippe Roth, M. Jean-Franc'ois Giovannini,
                        Monika Linn Locher, Beat Nobs, Maria Peyro,
                        Juliette Voinov, Daniel Rychner, Urs Herren,
                        Salome Spillmann, Manuela Jost Ernst, Rosmarie Baer

Thailand:               Kasem Snidwongs, Asda Jayanama,
                        Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya, Surapong Posayanond,
                        Plodprasop Suraswadi, Charivat Santaputra,
                        Chirawan Pipitphoka, Sonthi Vannasaeng,
                        Apichai Chvajarernpun, Prakorn Virakul,
                        Apiwat Sretarugsa, Orapin Wongchumpit,
                        Manop Mikprayoonthong, Oopatham Pawaputanon,
                        Atchara Wongsaengchan, Wannee Chetsuttayangul,
                        Samana Krisanathevin, Wanna Tanunchaiwatana,
                        Benjawan Aransawan, Arunrung Phothong

The former Yugoslav     Naste Calovski, Slobodan Tasovski, Igor Dzundev,
Republic of Macedonia:  Donka Gligorova

Trinidad and Tobago:    Annette des Iles, Roslyn Khan Cummings, Rajiv Ramlal

Tunisia:                Abderrazak Azaiez

Ukraine:                Volodymyr D. Khandogy, Yuriy V. Bohaievs'ky,
                        Olexandr I. Zakrevskiy, Svitlana M. Homanovska,
                        Volodymyr M. Reshetnyak

United Kingdom of       John Gummer, Tom Burke, Dinah Nichols, 
Great Britain           Ian Donaldson, Michael Dudley, Michael Massey,
and Northern Ireland:   Sheila McCabe, Brian Oliver, Derek Osborn, Alan
                        Simcock, Anthony Smith, Chris Tompkins, Richard
                        Robson, John Harman, Peter Soulsby, Tony Hams,
                        Christine Brookfield, John Smyth, Tom Bigg

United Republic of      Bakari Mbonde, Daudi N. Mwakawago, E. Mugurusi,
Tanzania:               Mr. Muyingi, Msuya Mangachi, Katinda E. Kamando,
                        Arthur Mwakapugi, Joel Kisiri

United States of        Mark G. Hambley, Timothy E. Wirth, Eileen B. Claussen,
America:                Mr. Victor Marrero, Seth Winnick, Adela Backiel,
                        William Breed, Donald Brown, Robert J. Ford,
                        David Hales, Jennifer Haverkamp, Alan Hecht,
                        John P. McGuinness, Franklin Moore

Uruguay:                Juan Gabito Zoboli, Ine's Rodriguez,
                        Carlos Serrentino Bachini, Victor Canton

Venezuela:              Roberto Perez Lecuna, Ramo'n Escovar Salom,
                        Oscar de Rojas, Isabel Bacalao, Amadeo Volpe,
                        Mari'a Rincones, Mari'a Angonieta Febres, Gonzalo
                        Vivas, Evelyn Bravo, Lui's Fernando Pe'rez Segnini,
                        Judith Musso, Lisett Herna'ndez

Viet Nam:               Ngo Quang Xuan, Than Nhan Khang, Pham Thi Nga

Zimbabwe:               C. Chimutengwende, J. G. Moyo, N. Sengwe, M.
                        Mukahanana, M. Munemo, A. Mutiwazuka


                                United Nations

     Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic
Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean


                Specialized agencies and related organizations

     International Labour Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, World Health Organization, World Bank, International
Telecommunication Union, World Meteorological Organization, World Intellectual
Property Organization, United Nations Industrial Development Organization,
World Trade Organization


                        Intergovernmental organizations

     European Community, Inter-American Development Bank, International
Tropical Timber Organization, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development, South Pacific Forum


                        Non-governmental organizations

     A large number of non-governmental organizations in consultative status
with the Economic and Social Council or accredited to the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development also attended the session.


                                   Annex II

                LIST OF DOCUMENTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT ITS
                                 FIFTH SESSION


Document symbol        Agenda item              Title or description

E/CN.17/1997/1              2          Provisional agenda

E/CN.17/1997/2              4          Overall progress achieved since the
                                       United Nations Conference on
                                       Environment and Development:  report of
                                       the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.1        4          International cooperation to accelerate
                                       sustainable development in developing
                                       countries and related domestic
                                       policies:  report of the Secretary-
                                       General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.2        4          Combating poverty:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.3        4          Changing consumption patterns:  report
                                       of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.4        4          Demographic dynamics and
                                       sustainability:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.5        4          Protecting and promoting human health: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.6        4          Promoting sustainable human settlement
                                       development:  report of the Secretary-
                                       General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.7        4          Integrating environment and development
                                       in decision-making:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.8        4          Protection of the atmosphere:  report
                                       of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.9        4          Integrated approach to the planning and
                                       management of land resources:  report
                                       of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.10       4          Combating deforestation (chapter 11 of
                                       Agenda 21) and the Non-Legally Binding
                                       Authoritative Statement of Principles
                                       for a Global Consensus on the
                                       Management, Conservation and
                                       Sustainable Development of All Types of
                                       Forests:  report of the Secretary-
                                       General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.11       4          Managing fragile ecosystems:  combating
                                       desertification and drought:  report of
                                       the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.12       4          Managing fragile ecosystems: 
                                       sustainable mountain development: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.13       4          Promoting sustainable agriculture and
                                       rural development:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1996/2/Add.14       4          Conservation of biological diversity: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.15       4          Environmentally sound management of
                                       biotechnology:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.16       4          Protection of the oceans, all kinds of
                                       seas, including enclosed and
                                       semi-enclosed seas, and coastal areas
                                       and the protection, rational use and
                                       development of their living resources: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.17       4          Protection of the quality and supply of
                                       freshwater resources:  application of
                                       integrated approaches to the
                                       development, management and use of
                                       water resources:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.18       4          Environmentally sound management of
                                       toxic chemicals, including prevention
                                       of illegal international traffic in
                                       toxic and dangerous products:  report
                                       of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.19       4          Environmentally sound management of
                                       hazardous wastes, including prevention
                                       of illegal international traffic in
                                       hazardous wastes:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.20       4          Environmentally sound management of
                                       solid wastes and sewage-related issues:
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.21       4          Safe and environmentally sound
                                       management of radioactive wastes: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.22       4          Role and contribution of major groups: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.23       4          Financial resources and mechanisms: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.24       4          Transfer of environmentally sound
                                       technologies, cooperation and capacity-
                                       building:  report of the Secretary-
                                       General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.25       4          Science for sustainable development: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.26       4          Promoting education, public awareness
                                       and training:  report of the Secretary-
                                       General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.27       4          National mechanisms and international
                                       cooperation for capacity-building in
                                       developing countries:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.28       4          International institutional
                                       arrangements:  report of the Secretary-
                                       General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.29       4          International legal instruments and
                                       mechanisms:  report of the Secretary-
                                       General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.30       4          Information for decision-making: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.31       4          Financial flow statistics:  adjustments
                                       for monitoring the financing of Agenda
                                       21 and the Programme of Action for the
                                       Sustainable Development of Small Island
                                       Developing States:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/3              4          Report of the Secretary-General 
and Corr.1                             entitled "Global change and sustainable
                                       development:  critical trends"

E/CN.17/1997/4              4          Assessment of activities that pose a
                                       major threat to the environment: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/5              4          Assessment of progress in the
                                       implementation of Agenda 21 at the
                                       national level:  report of the
                                       Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/6              5          Proposals for the streamlining of
                                       requests for national reporting: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/7              4          Report of the Secretary-General on an
and Corr.1                             inventory of ongoing energy-related
                                       programmes and activities of entities
                                       within the United Nations system, on
                                       coordination of such activities, and on
                                       arrangements needed to foster the
                                       linkage between energy and sustainable
                                       development within the system

E/CN.17/1997/8              4          Report of the Secretary-General
                                       entitled "The Rio Declaration on
                                       Environment and Development: 
                                       application and implementation"

E/CN.17/1997/9              4          Comprehensive assessment of the
                                       freshwater resources of the world: 
                                       report of the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/10             4          Report of the High-level Advisory Board
                                       on Sustainable Development on its sixth
                                       session

E/CN.17/1997/11             4          Note by the Secretary-General
                                       transmitting the report of the
                                       Executive Secretary of the Convention
                                       on Biological Diversity on the
                                       implementation of the Convention

E/CN.17/1997/12              4         Report of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental
                                       Panel on Forests on its fourth session

E/CN.17/1997/13              4         Report of the Ad Hoc Open-ended
                                       Inter-sessional Working Group of the
                                       Commission on Sustainable Development

E/CN.17/1997/14           4 and 5      Implementation of the Programme of
                                       Action for the Sustainable Development
                                       of Small Island Developing States

E/CN.17/1997/15              4         Note verbale dated 11 April 1997 from
                                       the Permanent Representative of the
                                       Netherlands to the United Nations
                                       transmitting the report of the Forward-
                                       looking Assessment on the
                                       Implementation of the Action Programme
                                       on Drinking Water and Environmental
                                       Sanitation

E/CN.17/1997/16              4         Letter dated 29 January 1997 from the
                                       Permanent Representative of Austria to
                                       the United Nations transmitting the
                                       report of an expert workshop on the
                                       theme "Fostering the linkage between
                                       energy and sustainable development
                                       within the international institutions"

E/CN.17/1997/17              4         Report of the High-level Advisory Board
                                       on Sustainable Development on its
                                       seventh session

E/CN.17/1997/17/Add.1        4         Report of the High-level Advisory Board
                                       on Sustainable Development for the 1977
                                       review of the Rio commitments, entitled
                                       "Critical issues and policies for
                                       sustainable development:  energy,
                                       transport and water"

E/CN.17/1997/18              4         Note verbale dated 18 February 1997
                                       from the Permanent Representative of
                                       the Netherlands to the United Nations
                                       transmitting the Chairman's summary of
                                       the fourth expert group meeting on
                                       financial issues of Agenda 21

E/CN.17/1997/19              4         Letter dated 18 February 1997 from the
                                       Permanent Representatives of Brazil and
                                       Norway to the United Nations
                                       transmitting the conclusions of the
                                       Brasilia Workshop on Sustainable
                                       Production and Consumption Patterns and
                                       Policies

E/CN.17/1997/20              4         Letter dated 19 March 1997 from the
                                       Permanent Representative of Canada to
                                       the United Nations transmitting the
                                       President's progress report for the
                                       years 1994-1997 of the
                                       Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical
                                       Safety

E/CN.17/1997/21              4         Contribution of the Conference of the
                                       Parties to the United Nations Framework
                                       Convention on Climate Change:  note by
                                       the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/22              4         Letter dated 8 April 1997 from the
                                       Charge' d'affaires a.i. of the
                                       Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the
                                       United Nations transmitting the report
                                       of an ad hoc expert group meeting on
                                       the implementation of special measures
                                       for the least developed countries in
                                       Agenda 21

E/CN.17/1997/23              4         Letter dated 1 April 1997 from the
                                       Chairperson of the Commission on the
                                       Status of Women transmitting the agreed
                                       conclusions on women and the
                                       environment adopted by the Commission
                                       on the Status of Women at its forty-
                                       first session

E/CN.17/1997/24              4         Letter dated 21 April 1997 from the
                                       Permanent Representative of Belarus
                                       transmitting the final document of the
                                       International Conference on Sustainable
                                       Development of Countries with Economies
                                       in Transition

E/CN.17/1997/L.1             7         Draft report of the Commission on its
                                       fifth session

E/CN.17/1997/L.2             4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with children and youth

E/CN.17/1997/L.3             4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with scientific and technological
                                       communities

E/CN.17/1997/L.4             4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with workers and trade unions

E/CN.17/1997/L.5/Rev.1       4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with women

E/CN.17/1997/L.6             4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with indigenous people

E/CN.17/1997/L.7             4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with non-governmental organizations

E/CN.17/1997/L.8/Rev.1       4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with farmers

E/CN.17/1997/L.9             4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with local authorities

E/CN.17/1997/L.10            4         Summary report of the dialogue session
                                       with business and industry

E/CN.17/1997/L.11            4         Summary report of the synthesis session

E/CN.17/1997/L.12            4         Proposed draft political statement
                                       submitted by the Chairman and
                                       Vice-Chairperson of the Commission

E/CN.17/1997/CRP.1           5         Proposed programme of work of the
                                       Division for Sustainable Development
                                       for the biennium 1998-1999:  note by
                                       the Secretary-General

E/CN.17/1997/CRP.2           4         Draft declaration by heads of State and
                                       Government to be made at the June 1997
                                       special session of the General Assembly

E/CN.17/1997/CRP.3           5         Chairman's summary of the high-level
                                       segment of the fifth session of the
                                       Commission on Sustainable Development


 


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Date last posted: 10 December 1999 17:25:35
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