§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the specific objectives of Her Majesty's Government at the Earth summit in relation to each item in the proposed "Agenda 21" action plan.
§ Mr. MacleanThe 40 or so chapters of the Agenda 21 action plan all contain numerous proposals for action by Governments, international bodies, non-governmental organisations, business, local authorities and individual citizens. It is not feasible to set out the United Kingdom's objectives on every specific item. The Government are working with the other participants in the Earth summit to ensure that agenda 21 is given a high level of political commitment in Rio. It will then need to be adapted to the circumstances of individual countries and regions and to evolve over time.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government will press for the inclusion of(a)the polluter pays principle, (b) and extension of environmental impact assessment and (c) encouragement properly to evaluate environmental costs in the market place, to be included in the Earth summit declaration on the environment and development, the earth charter; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanThe latest draft of the Rio declaration, which has sometimes been referred to as the earth charter, is the product of long and detailed negotiations. It contains satisfactory language, much of it proposed by the United Kingdom, on environmental impact assessment and on internalising environmental costs, taking into account the polluter pays principle. The United Kingdom will strive to ensure that these references are retained in the final text.