§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Commission on Sustainable Development meeting in New York between 18 April and 3 May, with particular reference to ocean pollution; [28124]
(2) who represented the United Kingdom Government at the Commission on Sustainable Development meeting in New York between 18 April and 3 May. [28123]
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 7 May 1996]: I led the United Kingdom's delegation to the fourth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development. As well as my Department, the delegation included officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Overseas Development Administration and the Department of Trade and Industry, and representatives from the non-governmental sector and local government. The commission agreed recommendations on a range of topics including oceans, atmosphere, finance, consumption and production, trade and environment and education.
In particular, we were successful in reaching agreement on the need for changes in the international machinery for taking decisions at the global level on the world's oceans so that environmental concerns are fully taken into account, and to promote the sustainable use of marine resources. The international workshop on the oceans which the UK and Brazil governments co-hosted in London last November played a major role in paving the 139W way for the agreement. We also set in hand preparations for the 1997 special session of the General Assembly, which reviews progress since the Rio earth summit. I emphasised that it was essential that the special session should decide on the key issues which CSD should address in its future work.
I am placing in the Library copies of the chairman's summary of the meeting and of my speech to the session.