Organization of American States Summits of the Americas
     
Follow-up and Implementation: Mandates
  

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ENVIRONMENT: Environmental Protection
 MANDATES

  1. To advance the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use, national deforestation and conservation commitments, and regional efforts to halt and reverse deforestation and conserve, sustainably manage, and use ecosystems, we commit to strengthen our efforts to:

    • a. Work, with the support of regional and subregional organizations, to stimulate sustainable development and promote equal opportunity for populations affected by climate change, including indigenous peoples and local communities, respecting, preserving, and maintaining knowledge, innovations, and practices embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, subject to domestic legislation;

    • b. Develop national plans and new initiatives, as appropriate, with the participation of civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders, to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation and to conserve or protect 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030 (30x30), aligned with each country’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) and net zero emissions target, as applicable;

    • c. Adopt, as appropriate, national initiatives to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation, which includes the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, implementing more ambitious actions in keeping with science and the goal of pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels;

    • d. Strengthen the role of all stakeholders in the agricultural sector in international and national climate efforts, and invite them to present their recommendations at a meeting of ministers of agriculture of the Americas before the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27), to be organized by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture;

    • e. Cooperate, as appropriate, including in digital formats, in investigating, developing, and applying biotechnologies that contribute to the conservation, restoration, and promotion of sustainable use of biodiversity, while respecting relevant domestic legislation governing access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their utilization;

    • f. Strengthen the protection of human rights defenders, particularly indigenous peoples and local communities working on environmental matters, in collaboration with stakeholders, to draw up and approve plans by the Tenth Summit of the Americas to: 1) respond to and collect information from environmental defenders about threats or incidences of violence, in keeping with domestic legislation; 2) enact, as appropriate, and enforce laws to protect human rights defenders working on environmental matters and the resources they defend; and 3) carry out and implement environmental assessments, according to existing domestic legislation;

    • g. Encourage scientific cooperation and step up investigation to increase knowledge and understanding of the importance of forest areas for preserving ecosystems that interact on the planet. Promote educational campaigns and programs to disseminate information regarding preservation of the environment and forest ecosystems and thereby make all peoples in the Americas familiar with these issues;

    • h. Achieve significant increases in finance and investments from a wide variety of public and private, and international cooperation sources to enhance sustainable forest management, forest conservation and restoration, and support for Indigenous peoples and local communities. (Our Sustainable Green Future, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. To decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere from agricultural, forestry, mining, and other land-use sectors, we commit to:

    • a. Promote policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the adaptation and resilience of the agricultural sector to climate change, and enhance food security, as well as the development of sustainable agricultural practices that prioritize the health and wellbeing of local communities and stakeholders;

    • b. Seek to increase aggregate public investment in agricultural innovation for climate-smart agriculture and food systems over the next five years, including with the support of the private sector and multilateral mechanisms;

    • c. Pursue policies and develop mechanisms to improve the sustainable use and management of chemicals and technological practices, to promote the development of sustainable agriculture practices that maintain productivity and food security, and avoid negative impacts on local communities, rural producers, and consumers, and that support healthy terrestrial ecosystems, water systems, and the health of human populations and of fauna and flora in general;

    • d. Support indigenous peoples, farmers, and/or other people working and living in rural communities in strengthening their capacities to improve adaptation and mitigation, to counter the consequences of climate change, fostering actions to reduce emissions, promoting actions that have a beneficial impact on ecosystems, and promoting climatesmart and sustainable farming;

    • e. Promote environmental justice, protection, and conservation, and prevention of environmental degradation in our communities, in keeping with domestic legislation;

    • f. Sustainably use and foster the conservation and restoration of ecosystems, including those with high capacity of carbon capture and storage, such as wetlands, moorlands, grasslands, mangroves, secondary forests, and tropical forests and in general terrestrial, marine, and coastal ecosystems, in consultation with stakeholders;

    • g. Promote policies and actions that contribute to the implementation of sustainable solutions, such as nature-based solutions, ecosystem-based approaches, and other management and conservation approaches, pursuing efforts to limit the increase in average global temperature to 1.5oC with the support of countries and relevant institutions;

    • h. Promote economic recovery, in a socially inclusive manner, fostering low greenhouse gas emitting economies, with a view to conserving, managing, and ensuring sustainable use of natural resources with key actors implementing joint synergies among countries in the region. (Our Sustainable Green Future, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. To harness the role of oceans and other bodies of water to mitigate and adapt to climate change and to contribute to global efforts to combat plastic pollution, we commit to:

    • a. Coordinate efforts and facilitate exchanges among governments and stakeholders to support the environmentally-sound management of plastic waste to take action against plastic pollution and the discharging of plastic into oceans, and welcoming the process launched at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) to negotiate a legally-binding international instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment;

    • b. Reduce plastic pollution by promoting sustainable consumption and production, as well as environmentally-sound practices such as, circular economy and waste management solutions, and supporting strong stakeholder engagement, including from populations in situations of vulnerability;

    • c. Foster the implementation of pathways, including in the International Maritime Organization, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, inter alia, by establishing green corridors that use cleaner fuels and collaborating on reducing greenhouse gas emissions of regional sea ports;

    • d. Strive to conserve, protect, and restore coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass beds, and river grass beds that function as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gas emissions, thereby helping to capture and store carbon as an ecosystemic service for oceans;

    • e. Engage and actively participate in the ocean-climate change dialogue within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) framework to promote adaptation and mitigation actions. (Our Sustainable Green Future, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. To accelerate measures on climate change adaptation, taking into account different national circumstances, we intend to:

    • a. Continue to scale up and enhance finance and investments in climate action from a wide variety of sources and to work towards enhancing capacity to access and benefit from these investments and finance flows, particularly by the most vulnerable countries;

    • b. Support the implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in all States, particularly in developing countries and with consideration for the particular vulnerabilities of small island developing states, by enhancing opportunities for training to strengthen adaptation capacities and climate resilience across the Hemisphere, through cooperation among States and the work of the Joint Summit Working Group institutions, and report on these efforts through the Summit Implementation Review Group;

    • c. Enhance environmental education, through research and active and inclusive participation from all stakeholders to build capacities for climate change adaptation and mitigation for current and future generations, including youth, indigenous peoples, persons of African descent, civil society, women’s organizations, the private sector, policymakers, practitioners, and persons working in related industries;

    • d. Redouble efforts to incorporate climate risks in plans, policies, operations, and sectoral budgets in order to generate resilience in strategic sectors and reduce vulnerability to climate change;

    • e. Develop efficient, transparent, exact, coherent, and comparable systems for monitoring and evaluating climate change adaptation and mitigation actions;

    • f. Enhance and promote delivery of climate information services, decision-making support tools, and early warning systems to improve understanding and response to climate impacts and minimize loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change across sectors and different scales. (Our Sustainable Green Future, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. To strengthen and integrate regional cooperation networks to assist governments and for the building of resilience by means of using appropriate methodologies to:

    • a. Assess risk to mitigate and reduce the destructive impacts of disasters caused by earthquakes, droughts, hurricanes, storms, floods, and sea-level rise, among others;

    • b. Assess the efficacy of adaptation measures;

    • c. Monitor in real time emergency disaster preparedness. (Our Sustainable Green Future, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. To promote responsible production and consumption patterns, consistent with domestic laws, through the strengthening of government procurement systems and the inclusion of sustainability criteria, as appropriate, in the procurement of goods, services, and public works; as well as through the promotion of initiatives to strengthen market capacities that reduce adverse effects on the environment. (Our Sustainable Green Future, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Promote energy efficiency in new public and private infrastructure plans as well as encourage the rational, efficient use of energy, contemplating the opportunities for energy integration to facilitate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, considering all relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG7, promoting the use of efficient energy-saving and energy-labeling technologies to achieve net zero emissions, as appropriate, following the requirements, circumstances, and each state’s legislation. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Emphasize the need to incorporate an inclusive approach in the processes of digitalization, democratization, and decentralization, within the sustainable and just energy transition strategies of our countries, taking into account gender equity and equality, empowerment of women, and respect for the rights of indigenous peoples, people of African descent, and persons with disabilities. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Advance implementation among participants of the Global Methane Pledge, through international cooperation including by strengthening technical and financial support, and the development of comprehensive and sectoral, transparent, and verifiable country-level methane mitigation action plans. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Recall that the Glasgow Climate Pact calls upon Parties to accelerate the development, deployment, and dissemination of technologies, and the adoption of policies to transition towards low-emission energy systems, including by rapidly scaling up the deployment of clean power generation and energy efficiency measures, including accelerating efforts towards the phasedown of unabated coal power and phase-out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, while providing targeted support to the poorest and most vulnerable in line with national circumstances and recognizing the need for support towards a just transition. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Work towards implementing 2030 emission mitigation targets and develop, as far as possible, country-level roadmaps to accelerate the process of energy transition toward a low carbon economy, in line with nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, in a timeline consistent with a pathway toward the objectives set forth in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Share best practices on inclusive and equitable energy-efficient transportation infrastructure and urban designs. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Support and promote cooperation to increase the share of all forms and types of renewable energy in the countries of the Americas, according to their national strategies, including wind, solar, offshore wind, bioenergy, geothermal, hydroelectricity, and other low-carbon emissions energy, particularly in the electric, industrial, transportation, and housing sectors, along with carbon capture, storage, and removal technologies, and emission abatement mechanisms, as well as low carbon hydrogen that may contribute to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Promote multilateral cooperation to increase the use of all forms and types of renewable energy in the countries of the Hemisphere, including programs such as those of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), the Renewable Energy in Latin America and the Caribbean (RELAC) Initiative, and the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), among others, to include the participation of all States, as appropriate. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Encourage multilateral development banks and other key regional financing entities, including the World Bank, the IDB, the CDB, CAF, and CABEI, to consider identifying, developing, and advancing specific and distinct efforts to improve the mobilization of climate financing to increase the implementation of all forms of renewable energy, and reduce climate vulnerability in countries of the Americas, and to promote reporting on the implementation of these initiatives by the Joint Summit Working Group by the X Summit of the Americas. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Advance sustainable, sustained, and responsible mining sector governance principles, particularly for those minerals and metals powering the energy transition and secure the integration of mineral supply chains within our Hemisphere. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Work with the private sector and other stakeholders to identify opportunities for manufacture or trade in clean energy goods and services, including through regulations, financing, and facilitation of trade and investments, and identify actions to facilitate reverse supply chains including recovery, recycling, and remanufacturing of post-consumer use clean energy goods. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Work with the private sector, multilateral development banks, and multilateral climate funds, as appropriate, to identify, facilitate access to, and finance quality energy efficiency and clean and sustainable energy infrastructure plans and projects, which use innovative technologies and follow international best practices for environmental and procurement standards that promote respect for human rights and reach underserved communities and public entities, considering the level of development and the mechanisms that best adapt to the reality of each country. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Set goals for the scale-up of renewable energy, where deemed appropriate, depending on each state’s availability of natural resources. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Create favorable and fair conditions for the participation of public and private capital, both domestic and foreign, and multilateral organizations in the development of new, clean, and renewable energy sources, as well as the promotion of knowledge sharing in matters of energy efficiency and disruptive technologies that enable mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, such as the incorporation of the use of sustainable biofuels, and of low-carbon hydrogen and electric mobility. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Work towards developing just and inclusive energy transition strategies with a gender perspective that take into account specific geographic circumstances in the region, in particular the vulnerable situation of small island developing states, which face economic and environmental resilience challenges, in addition to technical limitations to interconnecting their energy infrastructures. (Accelerating the Clean, Sustainable, Renewable, and Just Energy Transition, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Strengthen regional cooperation in support of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, including through the following measures, among others:

    • c. Recognize the provisions adopted by States Parties to the Escazú Agreement and invite the countries of the region to join efforts to act in keeping with it, as appropriate. (Inter-American Action Plan on Democratic Governance, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

  1. Take concrete actions, with the participation and collaboration of civil society, to improve the promotion and protection of human rights defenders, including those working on environmental matters, to include:

    • a. The development of consultative processes, particularly regarding the enactment of laws, public policies, development projects, and the creation of a safe and enabling environment for civil society to work;

    • b. Public and inclusive participation and access to judicial and administrative procedures and to information on public policies;

    • c. The development and implementation of protection mechanisms for human rights defenders in high-risk situations;

    • d. The conduct of investigations and criminal proceedings, where appropriate, regarding complaints and allegations of human rights violations or abuses. (Inter-American Action Plan on Democratic Governance, IX Summit of the Americas, Los Angeles, 2022).

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  1. We recognise that social and economic development and protection of the environment, including the sustainable management of natural resources, are mutually reinforcing, interdependent pillars of sustainable development. We therefore reaffirm our strong commitment to sustainable development, as set out in the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Declaration on Environment and Development, the 1994 Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA), the 1996 Declaración de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the 2002 Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development, the 2005 Mauritius Strategy for the implementation of the BPOA, the 2006 Declaration of Santa Cruz + 10 and the objectives of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. (Declaration of Port of Spain, 2009).

  1. We will continue to work towards promoting good environmental governance by, inter alia, advancing conservation efforts and strengthening, implementing and effectively enforcing national environmental laws, in accordance with our sustainable development priorities and international law. (Declaration of Port of Spain, 2009).

  1. We will collaborate to promote environmental sustainability through regional cooperation, in accordance with national legislation and applicable international law, in the areas of human and institutional capacity building, transfer on mutually agreed terms of environmentally sound technology, and effective mobilisation of new and additional human and financial resources, as appropriate, including innovative public and private financing mechanisms and instruments, for inter alia:

    1. the sustainable management of forests, including efforts for reducing deforestation;
    2. the sustainable management of protected areas and World Heritage Sites;
    3. protecting endangered and migratory species;
    4. combating illegal international trafficking of biodiversity;
    5. promoting the exchange of scientific knowledge on biodiversity, such as through the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network; and,
    6. recognising and sharing the benefits arising from access to and use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. (Declaration of Port of Spain, 2009).

  1. We recognise that the conservation of marine resources and the protection of marine ecosystems, including estuaries and coastal areas, throughout the Americas are vital for the continued economic and social well-being of those who live near or otherwise depend on the sea. We will seek to secure the wider adoption and implementation of existing regional and international marine conservation and marine pollution agreements. We further recognise that the wider Caribbean is a marine area of unique biodiversity and highly fragile ecosystems, and we will continue to work together along with other countries and relevant regional and international development partners to continue to develop and implement regional initiatives to promote the sustainable conservation and management of Caribbean coastal and marine resources. In this regard, we take note of the ongoing efforts to consider the concept of the Caribbean Sea as a Special Area in the context of sustainable development without prejudice to relevant national legislation and international law. (Declaration of Port of Spain, 2009).

  1. We acknowledge the challenge of environmental management in the Hemisphere. We commit our governments to strengthen environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources with a view to ensuring a balance among economic development, social development and the protection of the environment, as these are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Our goal is to achieve sustainable development throughout the Hemisphere (Declaration of Québec, 2001).

  1. Recognizing that the protection of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources are essential to prosperity and to the sustainability of our economies, as well as the quality of life and health for present and future generations; and committed to advancing sustainable development throughout the Hemisphere consistent with our 1994 and 1998 Summit of the Americas Declarations and Plans of Action and the 1996 Santa Cruz de la Sierra Declaration and Plan of Action:(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Promote the adoption, implementation and enforcement of national legislation , regulations, standards and policies that provide for high levels of environmental protection , recognizing the right of each country to set its own levels of environmental protection and, to this end, reinforce cooperative partnerships, placing particular emphasis on achieving cleaner air, enhancing access to safe water and sanitation services, and strengthening national and regional capacities for integrated water resources management and for waste management;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Advance hemispheric conservation of plants, animals and ecosystems through, as appropriate: capacity building, expanding partnership networks and information sharing systems, including the Inter American Biodiversity Network; cooperation in the fight against illegal trade in wildlife; strengthening of cooperation arrangements for terrestrial and marine natural protected areas, including adjacent border parks and important areas for shared species; support for regional ecosystem conservation mechanisms; the development of a hemispheric strategy to support the conservation of migratory wildlife throughout the Americas, with the active engagement of civil society; and the promotion the objectives and the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification; (Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Promote the adoption of concrete and urgent actions towards the implementation of sustainable forest management; promote policies, practices, incentives and investment in support of sustainable forest management, building on existing hemispheric initiatives and cooperation, as well as support the UN Forum on Forests and its program of work; (Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. Reaffirm our commitment to advancing environmental stewardship in the area of energy by advancing policies, practices, transference of and access to technologies, that are economically efficient and take the environmental impacts of energy development and use into account; and endorse and support the work of the Hemispheric Energy Initiative in this area;(Plan of Action Québec, 2001).

  1. We will strengthen national, hemispheric, and international efforts aimed at environmental protection as a basis for sustainable development that provides human beings a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature. The commitments undertaken at the Miami Summit and the Summit on Sustainable Development held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, provide a solid basis for strengthening our actions. As parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, we underscore the importance of working together to further fulfillment of the agreement reached at the Conference in Kyoto, Japan, and to promote its ratification in our countries. Moreover, we will work closely to make preparations for a Conference of the Parties to be held in November of this year in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Declaration of Santiago, 1998).

  • Initiative12. Promote the conservation and restoration of soils through the application of technologies and economic policies to reverse soil degradation processes and to remedy the problems of significant soil erosion including in mountainous areas and, when applicable, problems that result from misuse of natural resources. Promote also hemispheric cooperation for implementation, as appropriate, at the national and regional levels, of the 1994 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, with special attention to the appendix related to our region.(Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative18. Seek to establish, implement, and monitor, as appropriate, national plans and programs for the conservation and sustainable management of forests. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative23. As appropriate, seek the ratification of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, and seek the adoption of legislative, administrative, and other policy measures to implement the provisions or promote the objectives of these conventions. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative25. Promote, as appropriate and in accordance with existing legislation and agreements, and with appropriate input from local stakeholders, the identification of cross-border protected areas and national parks which the respective neighboring countries consider to be critical sites for biodiversity conservation. Further, promote cooperation among those countries with a view to improving the sustainable management of those areas. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative26. Promote research and training programs on conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative27. Promote the exchange of innovative experience on partnerships for the management of protected areas. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative28. Consider, in accordance with the terms of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, ways and means for the effective protection and use of traditional knowledge, innovations, and practices of indigenous people and other local communities relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, as well as for fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from such knowledge, innovations, and practices. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative41. Develop strategies that encourage policies and programs for prevention of and protection against pollution, cleaning up of the environment, and waste treatment, strengthening sustainable urban development. These policies may include public-private sector associations, market-based programs, and other volunteer programs. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative42. Develop a hemispheric framework for the exchange of information on and experiences in successful pollution prevention and waste treatment efforts as an appropriate means of managing the environment so as to support national policies in these areas. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative43. Promote the exchange of information and experiences among the mayors of the Hemisphere on the most appropriate practices for urban environmental stewardship, promotion of non-polluting consumer practices, sustainable transportation, environmental impact, and sewage treatment. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • II.4. Water Resources and Coastal Areas
    Recognizing that the primary challenges to the attainment of sustainable development in this area include:

    • Assurance and improvement of the conservation, sustainable management and utilization of water resources, including the development of integrated programs and institutional capacity;
    • Prevention of the contamination of water resources and assurance that drinking water supplies are safe and adequate;
    • Promotion of cooperation among countries at bilateral, subregional, regional, and hemispheric levels on water resources issues;
    • Promotion of user participation in the decision-making process on water resources management;
    • Conservation and utilization, in a sustainable manner, of inland, coastal, and marine water resources, including wetlands, in the region;
    • Promotion of the integrated management and sustainable development of the marine environment and coastal areas; and
    • Prevention and control of environmental degradation caused by pollution and the unsustainable use of inland, coastal, and marine water resources that threaten human health and the economic viability and environmental integrity of these resources,
    Taking into consideration the social, economic, and environmental value of inland, coastal, and marine water resources, the Governments will carry out the following initiatives (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative49. Develop, strengthen, implement, and coordinate at the national or local level, as appropriate, water resources policies, laws, and regulations to ensure the protection and conservation of water resources. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative50. Promote hemispheric cooperation at all levels, including through the use of existing transboundary agreements and initiatives, in the conservation, management, and sustainable use of water resources and biological diversity. This would include the exchange of information and experiences on issues related to inland watersheds, river basins, and sub-basins. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  • Initiative56. Promote the development or strengthening, as appropriate, of institutional capabilities at the national level or, where specific agreements exist, at the subregional level, especially in land use planning, coastal zone management, coastal engineering, environmental impact assessment, environmental protection and natural resource management laws, hydrography, fisheries and marine affairs management. This should be supported by promoting the establishment of a marine environment center for the Caribbean and the design and development of model legislation which could serve as the basis for national legislation that would provide an integrated and sustainable approach to the management of coastal and marine resources. Such model legislation should be consistent with relevant international treaties to which states are party and enhance the effectiveness of government policies and programs. (Plan of Action Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1996).

  1. Social progress and economic prosperity can be sustained only if our people live in a healthy environment and our ecosystems and natural resources are managed carefully and responsibly. To advance and implement the commitments made at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, and the 1994 Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held in Barbados, we will create cooperative partnerships to strengthen our capacity to prevent and control pollution, to protect ecosystems and use our biological resources on a sustainable basis, and to encourage clean, efficient and sustainable energy production and use. To benefit future generations through environmental conservation, including the rational use of our ecosystems, natural resources and biological heritage, we will continue to pursue technological, financial and other forms of cooperation (Declaration of Principles Miami, 1994).

  • 22.1 Our Hemisphere contains over half the world's biodiversity. To sustain the Hemisphere's social and economic development, we must intensify efforts to understand, assess, and sustainably use this living resource base. We must act now to increase the technical and management capacity and public awareness of national and international efforts in this area. Agenda 2l, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and other related international instruments recognize these needs and call for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources. (Plan of Action Miami, 1994).

  • 22.2 Seek to ensure that strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are integrated into relevant economic development activities including forestry, agriculture, and coastal zone management, taking into account the social dimension and impact of these activities. (Plan of Action Miami, 1994).

  • 22.5 Support democratic governmental mechanisms to engage public participation, particularly including members of indigenous communities and other affected groups, in the development of policy involving conservation and sustainable use of natural environments. The forms of this participation should be defined by each individual country (Plan of Action Miami, 1994).

  • 22.7 Build capacity for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, through programs on management of parks and protected areas, forests and wetlands management, the Small Islands Developing States Action Plan, the Coral Reef Initiative, CITES support projects, and the Caribbean Regional Marine Pollution Action Plan, among others. (Plan of Action Miami, 1994).

  • 23.1 As recognized in Agenda 21, sound environmental management is an essential element of sustainable development. Cooperative efforts are needed to develop or improve, in accordance with national legislation and relevant international instruments: (1) frameworks for environment protection; and (2) mechanisms for implementing and enforcing environmental regulations. To achieve this goal, a new partnership will promote cooperative activities for developing environmental policies, laws, and institutions; increasing technical capacity; promoting public awareness and public participation; continuing to pursue technological, financial and other forms of cooperation; and facilitating information exchange, including on environmentally sound technologies. The activities of the partnership will build on and advance the implementation of international agreements and principles including those agreed to at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the 1994 Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, in areas identified as priorities by countries of the Hemisphere. (Plan of Action Miami, 1994).

  • 23.4 Strengthen national environmental protection frameworks and mechanisms for implementation and enforcement, and include sustainability criteria and objectives in national and other development strategies. (Plan of Action Miami, 1994).

  • 23.11 Develop compatible environmental laws and regulations, at high levels of environmental protection, and promote the implementation of international environmental agreements.
    Discuss progress on implementation of international and national activities described above at the 1996 Summit Conference on Sustainable Development in Bolivia and at subsequent annual sustainable development ministerials. (Plan of Action Miami, 1994).

 

 
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