A new agreement among eight South American countries has been signed on January 27, 2005 to promote sustainable development of the Amazon Basin's resources between the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO). Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname are the signatory countries of this treaty that encompasses more than 7.7 million square kilometers and a population of over 250 million people

That treaty called for a joint commitment to cooperate in managing the world's largest freshwater river basin network, containing one of the world's most important areas of biological diversity, a term which describes the number and variety of plants, animals and other living organisms. The strategic plan of action of this plan has identified six priority areas of urgent action: water-including the development of harmonized quality standards-, forests, floors, and natural protected areas. Also, conserve biological diversity, protect indigenous populations, improve health care and education, and cooperation in such areas as transportation, electricity, and communication, are taken into account.

The ACTO and the OAS will develop projects in the areas of environment and sustainable development, centering its efforts on themes such as water resources, environment and health, protection of the environment, trade integration, and conservation of biodiversity.

In this first stage, the OAS will contribute US 700.000 for the World Fund for Environment – known as GEF (Global Environment Facility)-, and will give technical assistance. The ACTO will coordinate the Project regionally.
 

 

The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) took place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 26^th, 2002 to September 4^th, 2002.   The Summit gathered 21,340 participants from 191 governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, the private sector, civil society, academia and the scientific community.   The high-level Round Table discussions were on the theme, “Making It Happen.”

At the Summit two main documents were negotiated and adopted: the Plan of Implementation and the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development.  The Plan of Implementation is a framework for action, which has eleven chapters: an introduction; poverty eradication; consumption and production; the natural resource base; health; small island developing states; Africa; other regional initiatives; means of implementation; and institutional frame work.  The Johannesburg Declaration highlights present challenges such as the growing gap between the rich and the poor, expresses a commitment to sustainable development, and emphasizes the need for implementation of the Plan of Implementation.

For more information please click here: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/  http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/2002/wssd/

Section Nine paragraph four of the Quebec Plan of Action, “Support the preparatory process for the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development to review progress achieved in the implementation of the outcome of the UN Conference on Environment and Development, focusing on areas where further efforts are needed to implement Agenda 21 and explore ways to reinvigorate the global commitment to Sustainable Development” has been accomplished. Presentations were made at the World Summit by the following countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

The Spanish and French versions of the Johannesburg Summit will be coming soon to the UN website.

On July 26 and 27, 2002, the Second Meeting of Presidents of South America was held in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. In this meeting the Presidents adopted the "Guayaquil Consensus on Integration, Security and Infrastructure for Development". Also, taking into consideration the importance of the World Summit on Sustainable Development that will take place in Johannesburg in 2002, the Presidents decided to adopt a Declaration on the subject.

For more information on the Second Summit of South American Presidents please click here.

On March 4-5, 2002, the Meeting of Ministers of Health and Environment took place in Ottawa, Canada.  Thirty-one countries and several governmental and non-governmental organizations were present at the meeting, which was hosted by the Canadian government and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).  The speakers, who included Ann McLellan (Canadian Minister of Health), George Alleyne (Director of PAHO), Ricardo Sánchez Sosa (Regional Director of UNEP for Latin America and the Caribbean) and Maureen O’Neil (President of the IDRC of Canada), reviewed the activities that have taken place in the areas of health and the environment, in order to work towards developing policies for the future. 

The meeting began with a recount of what has been accomplished to date on the implementation of the Pan American Charter on Health and Environment in Sustainable Human Development.  Here, it was suggested that, instead of creating new mechanisms to address this issue, future initiatives ought to make use of existing mechanisms, such as those of the OAS.  Participants then discussed and agreed upon the most important areas of concern: clean air and water, basic sanitary measures, chemical safety, the need to understand the health implications of climate vulnerability and health impacts of natural disasters.  They also discussed the importance of knowledge and the exchange of information when forced to confront threats to health or the environment.  The importance of information accessibility and sharing of experiences was highlighted, especially for those in charge of decision-making.

Please click here to see the agenda from this meeting, as well as the presentation that the OAS gave during the conference.

On February 11-12, 2002, the Third Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Commission on Sustainable Development (CIDS III) took place at OAS headquarters in Washington DC.  A total of 147 people attended the meeting, of which 78 served to represent 26 Member States.  Other participants included Ministers and other high level delegates from the countries of the hemisphere, as well as observers from international organizations and civil society. 

As an introduction to the meeting, César Gaviria, the Secretary General of the OAS, and Richard Meganck, Director of the Unit on Sustainable Development and Environment each spoke, noting that there has been important progress in the fulfillment of the Summit mandates, particularly in each individual sector.

The rest of the meeting was dedicated to presentations from experts in the specific areas of sustainable development, including health, sustainable agriculture, education, sustainable cities, forests and biodiversity, energy, mining, coastal areas, the strengthening of institutions, financial mechanisms and scientific and technological transference.

For more information on this meeting, please click here.

The Regional Preparation Process in Latin America and the Caribbean for the World Summit on Sustainable Development includes the execution of four Sub-Regional Preparatory Meetings, two previous events and two principal events, which will be explained in the following paragraphs.

Sub-regional Preparatory Meetings

Latin American and Caribbean countries have developed four Sub-regional Preparatory Meetings in order to identify regional issues and contributions in the area of the environment. At these meetings, countries agreed on the following points: to strengthen the commitments established in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol; to facilitate putting into effect the Cartagena Protocol on Biotechnology Security; to define the financial mechanisms that will support sustainable development implementation processes; to involve civil society in the planning of public policies; and to reject pressure for paying external debts.

At the same time, contributions from each sub-region will be presented at the next world conference, which will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.

Southern Cone Preparatory Meeting, Santiago, Chile, June 14-15, 2001-10-15

At this meeting, participating countries expressed the importance of participating in the Basle Agreement on the control of border movements and strengthening the Vienna Agreement on the protection of the ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol related to exhaustive substances for the ozone layer.

Preparatory Meeting from the Caribbean Sub-group, Habana, Cuba, June 28-29, 2001

The countries in this meeting condemned the deterioration of the coastal region’s maritime deterioration, the natural disasters common to the Caribbean and the inability to overcome poverty.

Preparatory Meeting from the Andean Sub-group, Quito, Ecuador, July 2-3, 2001

The countries that participated in this meeting requested that studies be conducted in order to evaluate the social and environmental costs and benefits of the insertion of countries into the processes of economic integration and globalization. They also asked for support for the activities of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). Countries highlighted, as well, the importance of developing a sustainable development strategy for mountain ecosystems and voiced their concern for: the increase in the quantity and intensity of natural disasters, the consequences of abusing the soil and the urgency in confronting the costs of the decontamination of water resources. Finally, the group found it necessary to revise the structure of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

Sub-Regional Meeting for Mesoamerica, San Salvador, El Salvador, July 16-17, 2001

At this meeting, participants supported what was established by the Alianza Centroamericana para el Desarrollo Sostenible (ALIDES) and pronounced that they will share the following principals at the next Summit on Sustainable Development: the human being as the center of sustainable development, the eradication of poverty, shared but differentiated responsibility in sustainable development, a change in production and consumption models, co-responsible social participation and a focus on preventive principals and information. The group also supported the creation of a Work Group on International Environmental Governability and the establishment of intersectoral policies.

Prior Events

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) will develop two prior events to the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The first, called the Reunión de Redes de Grupos Principales de América Latina y el Caribe, will take place on October 18-20, 2001, and will invite civil society organizations to participate in a process of strengthening and cooperation among these organizations. The second meeting, entitled the Foro International Río+10: Dónde estamos – hacia donde vamos," will take place on October 19-20, 2001 and will seek to unite companies and representatives of the private sector so that they can discuss and analyze issues related to their participation in and contribution to sustainable development and the environment.

Principal Events

Two principal events will also take place in preparation for the World Summit. The XIII Meeting of the Forum of Environmental Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean will take place on October 21-23, 2001 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The objective of this meeting is to set forth strategies and action areas for sustainable development in the region. Participants will include not only delegates from each country, but also representatives from other sectors such as economy, planning and urban development, as well as non-governmental organizations and the private sector. The Chair of the forum for the next period will be the Environmental Minister of Brazil.

As soon as this meeting is finalized, the Regional Preparatory Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean on the World Summit on Sustainable Development will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on October 23-24, 2001. This event will serve as the culmination of the regional preparatory process for the World Summit on Sustainable Development and was put forth by the Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), in cooperation with the governments of the region and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). At this forum, governments will be able to examine both an informative document on the advances made in carrying out Agenda 21 and a platform for future action based on the resulting contributions from each of the four sub-regional meetings.

For more information on the action taken in preparation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, please click here.

The Organization of American States, through its Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment, has developed a Matrix for Reviewing Progress of Implementation of Bolivia Summit Plan of Action on Sustainable Development (1996).  The main objectives of this matrix are: to gather data on those advances made in the implementation of the initiatives from the Santa Cruz Plan of Action; to guide future consultations; and to open an inter-American dialogue on the issues of sustainable development and the environment.

 The study seeks to accomplish the following: recognize the progress made during the years 1992-2000; note the opportunities for the period between 2002 and 2012 and the changes that ought to be made in order to achieve those opportunities; and suggest recommendations on the regional and international policies needed to carry out an effective sustainable development strategy. 

The matrix has three main axes, including issues, implementation mechanisms and actors.   Health and education, sustainable agriculture and forestry, sustainable cities and communities, water resources and coastal areas, and energy and minerals are among those issues that are included in the matrix.  It examines four implementation mechanisms, as well: institutional, legal and policy arrangements; sustainable financing; technology transfer; and public participation.  The actors that are participating in implementation are the states and the states’ counterparts, including Civil Society and international organizations.

These actors have all made progress in this process.  States have adopted measures directed towards mandate implementation through the approval and/or ratification of multilateral agreements, the carrying out of conventions and institutional/legal adjustments in every country.  The counterparts have sought deliberation on sustainability questions and have developed a joint project.

The tools that contribute to the dissemination of this matrix have included various fora and networks that have promoted the sensitization towards and accessibility to this information.  The participation of the affected community, which has helped define the incentives for ecosystem protection and management, has also contributed to the matrix’s distribution.  Finally, the United States Congress, the World Bank and the United Nations have all elaborated indicators to help in the evaluation process.  The United States Congress issued a report on water quality, the World Bank on main sources of water and air contamination and the United Nations on the costs and benefits of regulation; planning for the land-use and public transportation; waste management; the expansion of “green” zones; a combined program on solid waste and the creation of jobs; and the construction of modern public libraries.

On August 22-23, 2001, the Working Sub-Group on Environment of MERCOSUR met in Montevideo, Uruguay, to examine the design of a Environmental Information System (SIAM). This project has been carried out by the OAS, through its Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD), and the OAS Office in Uruguay and included the participation of environmental institutions from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Funding for the SIAM will come from the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP).

In its meeting on August 1, 2001, the Working Group of the Inter-American Commission on Sustainable Development (CIDS) took note of the Bolivian government's decision to withdraw its offer to host the Ministerial meeting for Sustainable Development/CIDS/Santa Cruz+5, which had been convened for the end of the year. Because of this, the Commission agreed to recommend to the CEPCIDI that the meeting tentatively take place at the end of January, 2002, at the OAS main building. At its next session, the CIDS Working Group will consider the draft agenda for the Ministerial meeting.

The Working Group also agreed to distribute to the countries' corresponding authorities a matrix to examine the advances made in the implementation of the Bolivia Summit initiatives (1996). The main objectives of this matrix are: (1) to provide comparable data to facilitate the analysis of the advances made by countries to implement the Plan of Action initiatives from Santa Cruz (Bolivia); (2) to guide future consultations that will drive the Santa Cruz+5 and the Rio+10, and (3) to establish a basis to begin an Inter-American dialogue on these issues.

In this regard, a study would be developed and then presented at the ministerial meeting that addresses advances made, recommendations for regional and international policies and the institutional mechanisms necessary to achieve an aggressive sustainable development strategy.

A meeting of the Working Group from the Inter-American Committee for Sustainable Development (CIDS) was held on Thursday April 5, 2001. The Agenda included discussions on: a replacement for the Chair of the CIDS Working Group, the outcome of the Consultation with Bolivia about dates and an agenda for the High Level Ministerial Meeting in Santa Cruz and a review of the final input to the Draft Matrix to Review Progress of Implementation of Bolivia Summit (1996) Initiatives.

The outcome of the consultations with Bolivia on dates and an agenda for the High Level Ministerial Meeting in Santa Cruz was a proposal to hold the meeting at the end of November or the first week of December. The proposed Agenda for the meeting includes: a CIDS meeting on the first day, the High Level Ministerial Meeting on day two and, for the final day, an analysis of the Matrix to Review Progress of Implementation of Bolivia Summit (1996) Initiatives.

Several countries informed the group that they are in preparing commentaries and lists of officials that could be appropriate for filling out the Matrix on Bolivia Summit Implementation. Other possible officials were also mentioned, included some from the IABIN, ISP and FIDA.