International co-operation in the field of the environment.

35. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE
74. International co-operation in the field of the environment

The General Assembly, Having considered the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on the work of its eighth session[1] and the proposals of the high-level group of experts on the interrelationships between population, resources, environment and development, annexed thereto, Taking into account the note by the Secretary-General on international conventions and protocols in the field of the environment,[2] Noting Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/49 of 23 July 1980 concerning international co-operation in the field of the environment, Endorsing that resolution in which the Economic and Social Council reaffirmed that environmental considerations should be viewed in the context of national plans and priorities and the development objectives of all countries, in particular the developing countries, Having in mind the importance which the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade attaches to an ecologically sustainable development process,[3]

1. Takes note of the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on the work of its eighth session-and of the decisions contained therein;

2. Takes note with appreciation of the efforts and progress made in the development of a broad System-Wide Medium-Term Environment Programme and a Perspective Document;[4]

3. Requests all appropriate organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to continue to co-operate with the United Nations Environment Programme in the preparation of the System-Wide Medium-Term Environment Programme and the Perspective Document;

4. Requests the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme to take into consideration in its programme activities the provisions of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade and, through its coordinating and catalytic role, to continue to promote the concept of sustainable ecological development, in particular through the promotion and further elaboration of ways and means for the integration of environmental concerns in development programmes and projects;

5. Endorses the recommendations of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on the work of the United Nations system on the interrelationships between resources, environment, people and development, as they appear in the annex to its report on the work of its eighth session, as well as those put forward by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1980/49, and requests the Secretary-General to take the requisite steps for their implementation;

6. Stresses the importance of the United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy, to be held in 1981, and calls upon the United Nations Environment Programme to contribute actively to and participate in the preparatory work for the Conference;

7. Welcomes the growing co-operation between the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and urges them to intensify that co-operation through, inter alia, joint meetings of their bureaux with the Executive Directors of both organizations on an annual basis,

8. Also welcomes the decision of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme to convene, prior to its tenth session, an ad hoc meeting of governmental experts in environmental law, welcomes the offer by the Government of Uruguay to serve as host for the meeting and urges Governments and the Governing Council to take all the necessary measures for the preparation of that meeting, including the provision of adequate consultancy;

9. Further welcomes the launching, in March 1980, of the World Conservation Strategy and urges all Governments and international organizations, as well as organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, to take it into account in developing their policies and programmes;

10. Requests the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme to take the necessary measures, in particular within the context of the system-wide medium-term environment programme, to safeguard, inter alia, the efficient use of the Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme and the stimulating, co-ordinating and catalytic role played by the United Nations Environment Programme in reviewing the financial support to ongoing activities and through its careful and selective policy with respect to new commitments for a balanced programme;

11. Strongly appeals to all contributing Governments to make every effort to pledge, in 1980, substantial increases in their contributions for 1981 and to those Governments that have not yet contributed to the Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme to pledge to do so in 1980, in order that the agreed target for the period 1978-1981 may be reached;

12. Invites Governments to consider proposals whereby additional contributions to the Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme would be used for measures dealing with serious environmental problems in developing countries, taking into account the relevant provisions of General Assembly resolution 34/188 of 18 December 1979, and requests the Governing Council of the Programme to report thereon to the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1981;

13. Decides to convene, in 1982, a session of a special character of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme, open to all States, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held at Stockholm from 5 to 16 June 1972, at the same place and immediately prior to the tenth regular session of the Governing Council, and invites Governments to be represented at that session at a high political level;

14. Decides that at the session of a special character the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme should review the major achievements in the implementation of the Action Plan for the Human Environment, adopted at Stockholm,[5] and make recommendations with respect to the major environmental trends to be addressed by the Programme over the forthcoming ten years;

15. Invites the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to proceed, in consultation with Governments, with the preparation of the above-mentioned session and to present to the Governing Council, at its ninth session, a comprehensive report on all matters relevant to the organization, agenda and financial implications of the session, including proposals as to the dates and venue of the two sessions.

83rd plenary meeting
5 December 1980

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[1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 25 (A/35/25). [2] A/35/359. [3] See resolution 35/56 above, annex, para. 41. [4] Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 25 (A/35/25), paras. 171 and 172. [5] See Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.73.II.A.14 and corrigendum), chap. II.