Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly for Overall Review and
Appraisal of the Implementation of Agenda 21
Brazil comes to this Special Session of the General Assembly to state its willingness to remain at the forefront of the process that led to one of the more meaningful moments in international understanding.
Rio-92 paved the way
for a new global partnership in economic growth based on social justice and the
sustainable use of natural resources.
This international accord founded on the ethics of co-responsibility and cooperation is
none other than the "spirit of Rio", the most important legacy of the
Conference, which we must strive to rekindle.
The five years that elapsed since the Rio Conference have clearly shown that changes in
the global political and economic structure have not been followed through by commensurate
progress in the fight against poverty and the predatory use of natural resources.
In order to advance this agenda, more will have to be done than merely looking
complacently to the past. We must once again uphold sustainable development as a priority
in international relations.
Not to accuse. Not to intervene. Not for hegemony or power. But to cooperate.
We must correct the imbalance that has emerged between advances in the agenda of political
and economic freedom, on one hand, and that of sustainable development, on the other.
Mr. President,
Environmental awareness bas become an inseparable dimension of citizenship. Protection of
the environmental has been incorporated into the domestic political agenda of countries.
The Rio+5 Conference, held this past March, was an eloquent example of the positive action
of NGO's on environmental issues. It gave renewed thrust to the debate on sustainable
development and marked a resurgence of environmental awareness.
To create a focal point for international public opinion with regard to sustainable
development, Brazil is prepared to host in Rio de Janeiro a "Rio Forum on
Environmental and Development". This is one way to keep the "spirit of Rio"
alive, making the city the international capital of sustainable development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In this Session, we must identify, objectively and judiciously, the areas in which no
progress has been made and recognize that today's challenges are even greater than those
of five years ago.
We have moved forward in the consideration of critical issues, such as climate change,
biodiversity, forests, and desertification. Progress, however, has been hindered by a lack
of efficient means of implementation and financing. In some cases, we have yet to overcome
stalemate in negotiations. Brazil has presented concrete proposals regarding climate,
biodiversity, and forests.
Poverty and environmental degradation, particularly in urban areas, continue to affect the
living standards of hundreds of millions of people all over the world. There is an
environmental urban agenda as important as the so called "green agenda".
It is necessary to expand awareness with regard to the importance of protecting the
oceans, which are the basis of life itself. We must stimulate initiatives such as the
Independent World Commission on the Oceans, headed by ex-President Mario Soares.
Water has already become one of the most pressing issues in the agenda for the next
century.
Unsustainable patterns of production and consumption still abound.
Lack of consistency in honoring commitment to international cooperation undermines the
spirit of the partnership forged in Rio de Janeiro.
It has become easier to blame and accuse than to act. The environmental is now used as a
pretext for protectionist practices that weaken the foundations of an open and
non-discriminatory international economic system.
We must regain the balance achieved in the Rio Conference. We must not sacrifice
sustainable development for the sake of an illusory economic efficiency.
Mr. President,
Brazil, a country endowed with environmental assets that rank among the planet's largest
and most diversified, is firmly, committed to the vision of the future designed in Rio de
Janeiro.
Our Constitution enshrines the basic concepts of sustainable development.
We are in the progress of developing, aside from our National Agenda 21, regional and
local agendas, which reflect the challenge posed by the continental proportions of our
territory.
We have modern environmental legislation, which we continue to complement and enhance.
We have emphasized coordination of economic and environmental policies. An example is our
"Green Protocol", designed to dovetail financing resources with environmental
protection.
We have sought the participation of civil society in environmental management and we have
decentralized resources and action.
We have set aside 5.22% of the Brazilian territory, the equivalent of 446 thousand km2,
for national parks and ecological sanctuaries, remarkable figures by any standard.
The new Integrated National Policy for the Amazon aims at redirecting economic growth and
fostering the development of the Amazonian people. The Pilot Program for the Protection of
the Tropical Forests of Brazil is presently one of the most noteworthy examples of
international cooperation for sustainable development.
Within MERCOSUL, we are in the process of completing a unified legal instrument on the
environment.
We have considerable experience in many areas of interest to environmental preservation,
and we are ready to make them available to our partners.
This is why Brazil joined in an initiative with Germany, Singapore and South Africa in
order to contribute to the common effort of defining priorities for action in the near
future. We want to set an example of how countries in differing stages of development can
demonstrate, through creativity and concerted action, the political will to render Agenda
21 a concrete reality.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The challenges we must face to reach this goal are manifold.
- Renewing our efforts in the war on poverty;
- Broadening the environmental agenda to include urban environment;
- Strengthening the structure of the United Nations in the area of environment, making it
more efficient;
- Promoting the constructive participation of NGO's in the social debate, engaging the
working and business sectors;
- Recognizing that the commitments made in 1992 require a substantial flow of new and
additional resources, as well as the transfer of environmentally sound technology;
- Giving priority to basic education and, in particular, to environmental education, as an
inherent manifestation of citizenship and as a mainstay of sustainable development.
Then, and only then, will we be able to rekindle the "spirit of Rio".
Let us do it together, in cooperation and in peace.
Thank you.