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Expert Meeting on Synergies among the Conventions |
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Expert Meeting on Synergies among the Conventions |
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held
in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, generated a common understanding on the
need to devise integrated strategies to halt and reverse the negative
impact of human behavior on the bio-physical environment and promote
environmentally sustainable economic development in all countries. The
realization that the protection of the environment and the achievement of
sustainable development must be shared as global responsibilities, gave a
new impetus to international cooperation.
The negotiation of the
Convention on Biological Diversity, the
Framework Convention on Climate Change and the
Convention to Combat Desertification
and Drought, as well as the agreements reached through the Rio Declaration,
the Non-Legally Binding Authoritative Statement of Principles for a Global
Consensus on the Management, Conservation and Sustainable Development of
All Types of Forests
(
Forest Principles) and
Agenda 21,
are aimed at
establishing new global partnerships to ensure sustainability of
development interventions. This expressed concern on the part of so many
governments, and their stated commitment for reversing the present alarming
trends, provide a unique opportunity to address the nexus between
protection of the environment and promotion of sustainable development.
Through these instruments, which respect the interests of all and protect
the integrity of the global environment, the world is now witnessing
substantial changes which have ushered in a new era for international
cooperation for sustainable development. The movement to turn the world
from its self-consumptive course to one of renewal and sustenance is
spreading and the fulfillment of the hopes and aspirations engendered by
Rio is now a priority on the international agenda.
The commonalties of issues under the Rio Conventions and the Forest
Principles, especially as regards commitments, obligations, mitigations and
operating requirements, may result in a duplication of efforts. As
countries embark on the preparation of national reporting which is
essential to assessing the implementation of the Conventions, many have
felt the need for rationalizing this often burdensome process. Therefore,
there is a need to identify mechanisms and processes which effectively can
promote synergies among many of the measures suggested by the instruments
individually. Implementation of the conventions must also be founded in the
overall plans and strategies for sustainable development in each country.
To address some of the key issues, the Governments of Israel, Japan,
Denmark and Norway in cooperation with
UNDP
have sponsored a three and a
half days expert meeting. This meeting will provide an opportunity to
discuss key aspects of the Rio conventions/principles; and recommend
measures to promote the synergies in their implementation.
Approximately 40 experts with a scientific and legal background, and policy
and decision makers involved with the implementation of the
Conventions/principles at the national and international levels have been
invited. They come from various Government entities, academia, non
governmental organizations, financial institutions and representatives from
the various Convention Secretariats.
The meeting will take place at the Blaustein Institute for Desert Research,
Sede Boqer Campus of Ben Gurion University. The institute is located in the
heart of the Negev Desert, at the transition between the arid and the
hyper-arid belt, and not far from a semiarid region.