1. We are deeply concerned about the accelerating degradation of the global environment. This is largely on account of unsustainable development models and life styles. As a result, the basic elements indispensable for human life--land, water and atmosphere--are gravely threatened.

2. We affirm that environmental protection and sustainable development is a matter of common concern to humankind, which requires effective actions by the international community and provides an opportunity for global co-operation. Against this background and out of a strong concern for the present and future generations, we hereby reaffirm our solemn commitment to participating actively, on the basis of differentiated responsibilities and to the best of our ability, in the global efforts for environmental protection and sustainable development, keeping in view the general principles and broad approach set out below.

I. General principles

3. Changes in the environment are closely related to economic and social activities. Environmental problems must not be viewed in isolation and need to be addressed together with the process of development, by integrating environmental concerns with the imperatives of economic growth and development. In this connection, the right to development of the developing countries must be fully recognized, and the adoption of measures for the protection of the global environment should support their economic growth and development. In particular, the international community must actively support the efforts of developing countries to strengthen their institutional and technical capacities.

The special situation and needs of developing countries need be fully taken into account. Each country must be enabled to determine the pace of transition, based on the adaptive capacity of its economic, social and cultural ethos and capabilities. The environmental barriers or discrimination on trade against them.

6. International co-operation in the field of environmental protection should be based on the principle of equality among sovereign states. The developing countries have the sovereign right to use their own natural resources in keeping with their developmental and environmental objectives and priorities. Furthermore environmental considerations should not be used as an excuse for interference in the internal affairs of the developing countries, nor should these be used to introduce any forms of conditionality in aid or development financing or to impose trade barriers affecting the export and development efforts of the developing countries.

7. While the protection of the environment is in the commo n interest of the international community, the developed countries bear the main responsibility for the degradation of the global environment.

8. The developed countries, in view of their main responsibility for environmental degradation and their greater financial and technological capabilities, must take the Lead in eliminating the damage to the environment as well as in assisting the developing countries to deal with the problems facing them.

9. The developing countries need , new and additional financial resources to be able to address effectively the environmental and developmental problems confronting them. There should be preferential and non-commercial transfer of environmentally sound technologies to the developing countries.

10. On their part, the developing countries will contribute to the proc ess of environmental protection and enhancement, inter alia, stepping up technical co-operation and transfer of technology] among themselves.

ll. Land degradation, desertification~cation, floods and droughts, marine and coastal resources deterioration, worsening quality and supply of fresh water resources, soil loss, which contribute both to their economic development and to the efforts to tackle the problem of climate change, without prejudicing their growing energy needs. In addition, the developing countries must be provided with the full scientific, technical and financial co-operation necessary to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.

14. We further agree that the purpose pose and principles of the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substance~ that Deplete the Ozone Layer, as amended in June 1990, are positive in nature. The implementation by the developing countries of the obligations under the amended Protocol is subject to the effective implementation by the states parties to the Protocol of the arrangements for the provision offinancialresourcesandtransferof technology to the developing countries.

15. We are concerned at the accelerating 1099 of biodiversity. Most living organisms and their habitats in the world belong to the developing countries and they have borne the cost of conserving them over the ages. ~Such effort~ should be recognized and supported by the international community and in international conventions and subsequent protocols. Each state has sovereignty over its biological resources thus conservation measures should be compatible with its national plans and priorities. The international }legal instrument on biodiversity now being negotiated must clearly recognize, inter alia, the linkage between access to genetic material and transfer of biotechnology, re.search and development in the country of origin, sharing of the fruits of scientific research and the commercial profits. Issues of intellectual property rights must be satisfactorily resolved so that they do not become an obstacle to the transfer of technology, including biotechnology. Furthermore, the international legal instrument must recognize and reward the innovative work done by rural populations, largely in developing countries, in protecting and utilizing biodiversity.

. We note that though control and management of hazardous wastes and toxic substances require international co-operation, the Basel Convention adopted two year

therefore urge those ~states which have not ratified the Convention to consider the possibility of becoming parties to it. We urge all states to take steps to provide for a liability 9nd rnmnsncs ~ n r~oin~n ms ~

improve their rational utilization based on better knowledge and information. Discharge of toxic and nuclear wastes at seas and oceans must be banned, and that of other wastes should be strictly regulated.

20. In the densely populated cities of develop;ng countries, insufficiency of resources causes inefficiency of the basic public services high marginality, and degradation of the urban environment. The urban planning, including mcchanisms for financing sustainable development. must contribute to enhancing the quality of life in the urban anc ~rural settlements. In this context, t,~la new mechanisms for financing 3sustainable development should g~ priority to those problems.

III. Cross-sectoral issues

21. The key to the success of the global efforts for the protection of the environ,ment is the broadest ~possible pa rticipation of the international com munity; this depends to a large extent t on whether substantial progress c n be made on cross-sectoral issues, including in particular the availability31i~of adequate, new and additional financial resources and transfer of ~technology on preferential and non-commercial terms to the develop~ng countries.

22. With regard to global environmental issues, every international legal instrument, should include provisions for adequate, new ~and additional f~mLs, which should lay down in explicit terms the commitments of th- ~developed countries in this regard . key factor is the adequacy of fir, Nancial rcsources, which should be suff!cient for the developing countries.~ to cover the incremental costs involved in addressing the issues and in implementing their relevant con-L~commitment~s derived from internation~l Legal instrument.s. Contribution by the developed countries should hc sufficient to cover the costs not only of prevention but also of mitigating the cumulative effects of past actions )n9. I)developing countries could also contribute.c, on a voluntary basis5 to the funds.

23. In order to deal with the long existing but now rapidly aggravating~o environmental Problems of

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12. We are gravely concerned with the continuous increase in the greenhouse gases leading to climate change and its likely implications for the global ecological system, especially the threat that they pose to the developing countries, and to the island and low-lying developing countries in particular. Responsibility for the emission of greenhouse gases should be viewed both in historical and cumulative terms, and in terms of current emission. On the basis of the principle of equity, those developed countries which have contaminated more must contribute more.

17. Multilateral measures to protect forests and promote their sustainable management, including the proposal for a global consensus OD forestry, should ;e aimed at enhancing the economic, social and environmental potentials of forest. Management plans should integrate living resource conservation and development priorities and goals taking into account the needs of ¨he local communities, including their habitats. In this respect, efforts, including special projects of developing countries to promote the utilization of the tropical forests on a sustainable basis, should be recognized and supported. It should take the form of financial and technical assistance as well as ensuring better market access for higher value-added timber products. It is equally important to ensure financial co-operation by the world community for forest conservation and development.

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18. We are deeply concerned about the spread of desertification process and continuity of prolonged drought cycles, which have been recognized by the international community as major environmental problems. Hence there is an urgent need to accord high priority to these problems to take all necessary measures including the provision of appropriate financial, scientific and technical resources in order to stop and reverse the process of desertification and drought, with the aim of contributing to the preservation of the global ecological balance.

19. The marine and coastal resources deterioration resulting from irrational exploitation and pollution, mostly by developed countries, constitutes a serious development constraint for those countries that depend on them. It is necessary to enlarge co-operation on the protection and use of regional seas and to

improve tlleir rational utilization based on better knowledge and information. Discharge of toxic and nuclear wastes at seas and oceans must be banned, and that of other wastes should be strictly regulated.

20. In the densely populated cities of developing countries, insuff~ciency of resources causes inefficiency of the basic pub.;ic services, high margina,;ity, and deFadation of the urban environment. The urban plmining, including mcchanisms for tinancing sustainable development. must contribute to enhancing the quality of life in the urban anc ;~ural settlements. In this context, the new mechanisms for fmancing sustainable development should gi-e priority to those problems.

III. Cro~s-sectoral issues

21. The k.?y to the success of thc global effort~s for the protection of the environment is the broadest ~ossible pa ticipation ofthe international corn:nunity; this depends to a large extent on whether substantial progress crn be made on cross-sectoral issues~ including in particular, the availabilityofadequate, new and additional fmancial resources and transfer of lechnology on preferential and ncn-commercial terrns to the developing countries.

22. With regard to global environmental issues, evcry intcrnational legal instrument should include provisions ¡or adequate, ncw and additional fimLs, which should lay down in explicit terms the commitments of th- ~leveloped countrics in this rcgard . key factor is thc adequacy of rlr, Incial rcsourccs, which should be sn.r~cient ~or the devcloping countr¡c s to covcr thc incrementa,; costs involvcd in addrcssing the issues and in implcmenting their relcvant conirnitmcnts dcrived from internationdl lcgal instruments. Contributioll by the dcvcloped countries should be sufficicnt to covcr thc costs not onl; of prcvcntion bnt also of mitigating the cumulalivc cilccts of past act¡ )ns. Dcvcloping countries could also contributc, on a voluntary basis, to Lhe funds.

27. We also believe that poverty is at the root of the environmental problems of the developing world. The Conference could provide new strength and momentum to the proposed launching of a huge world programme against poverty and its effects on world environment.

V. Co-ordination and Cooperation among Developing Countries on Environment and Development

28. We agree that environmentrelatcd efforts at various international fora, particularly in the preparatory process for the 1992 Conference, will have direct and farreaching implications for the developing countries. We emphasize that it is a pressing task for us as developing countries to intensify consultations and co-ordination among our.selves in an effort to prcsent our positions at international fora more cffectively so as to safeguard better the interests ofthe developingcountries as a whole.

29. We decide to strenglhen further consultations and co-ordination among developing countries in the preparatory process for the 1992 Conference and at other international fora, along the lines of the New Delhi Conference in 1990 and the Beijing Conference.

30. We believe that measures should be taken to explore the ways and means and modalities for econornic and technical co-operation among developing countries in the sphere of environment and development. In this regard, developing countries will also endeavour to set appropriate environmental goals for attaining better quality of life and environmental well-being, while at the same time idcntify and assess the financial and technological needs for achieving such goals.

13. The framework convention on climate change currently being negotiated should clearly recognize that it is thc developed countries which are mainly responsible for excessive emissions of greenhouse gases, historically and currently, and it is these dcveloped countries which must take immediate action to ~stabilize and reduce such emissions. Developing countries cannot be expected to accept any obligations in the near future. However, they should be cncouraged through technical and Gnancial co-operation to undertake measures within their plans, priorities and programmes

18. We are deeply concerned about add the spread of desertification process and continuity of prolonged drought cycles, which have been recognized by the international community as major environmental problems. Hcnce there is an urgent need to accord high priority to these problems to take all necessary measures including the provision of appropriate fmancial, scientific and technical resources in order to stop and reverse the process of desertification and drought, with the aim of contributing to the preservation of the global ecological balance.

19. The marine and coastal resources deterioration resulting from irrational exploitation and pollution, mostly by developed countries, constitutes a serious development constraint for those countries that depend on them. It is necessary to enlarge co-operation on the protection and use of regional seas and to

20. now rapidly a~graduating environmental problems of immediate concern to the developing countries, a ~special Green Fund should be established to provide adequate and additional financial assistance ~ them. This Fund should be used to address problems which are not covered by specific international agreements, such as water pollution, coastal population affecting mangrove forests, shortages and degradation of fresh water resources, deforestation, soil 1088, land degradation and desertification. This Fund should be managed on the basis of equitable representation from developing and developed countries, and should ensure easy access for developing countries.

24. We emphasize the important role of science and technology in protecting the global environment, and reaffirm that measures need to be taken to ensure the transfer of environmentally sou nd technologies to the developing countries on preferential, most favourable, concessional and non-commercial terms The transfer of these technologies to the developing countries should be regarded as a contribution to the common interests of humankind.

IV. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

25. In accordance with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 44/228, we emphasize that the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 should not only discuss the global environmental issues such as climate change and ozone layer depletion and the related response strategies. It should also be a forum to address other global issues confronting the developing countries, particularly those development issues related to environment. The relevant agreements reached at the Conference must provide guidance to international deliberations on trade, finance, technology and other similar issues. The interlinkages where relevant, should be incorporated in each.

26. We believe that the proposed Earth Charter and Agenda 21 resulting from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development should be compatible with the principles embodied in relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly. The agenda should be action-oriented to solve the environmental problems and meet the needs of the developing countries with the aim of integrating environmental concerns with development--to achieve a world in which nuclear weapons would be impotent and nuclear disarmament pervasive.

In its 1984 study entitled "An Arms Race in Outer Space Must Be Prevented" (5/9/94 7/9/92). The World Federation of Scientific Workers gave a detailed exposition of the dangers involved in armament in space. We, the undersigned, oppose an arms race in space as threatening and destabilizing, and a perverse use of human and material resources.

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