17 December 1981

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 ninth session, including annex II thereto, Noting Economic and Social Council resolutions 1981/73 of 24 July 1981, concerning international co-operation in the field of the environment, and 1981/51 of 22 July 1981 on the interrelationships between resources, environment, people and development,

Taking into account the note by the Secretary-General on international conventions and protocols in the field of the environment,

Bearing in mind the importance which the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade attaches to an ecologically sustainable development process and the need for further international co-operation in the field of the environment, and considering that environmental considerations should be viewed in the context of national plans and priorities and development objectives of all countries, in particular the developing countries,

Welcoming the convening of an Ad Hoc Meeting of Senior Government Officials, Expert in Environmental Law at Montevideo from 28 October to 6 November 1981,

Stressing the need for additional resources to be made available to the Environment Fund for the developing countries to deal with their most serious environmental problems, such as soil degradation and deforestation, which are examples of very severe deterioration of natural resources that call for particular attention,

Recognizing that environmental deficiencies generated by the conditions of underdevelopment pose grave problems and can best be remedied by accelerated development through the transfer of substantial quantities of financial and technical assistance as a supplement to the domestic effort of the developing countries and such timely assistance as may be required,

1. Takes note of the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme, as adopted, on the work of its ninth session and the decisions adopted by the Governing Council at that session;

2. Takes note also of the efforts of the United Nations Environment Programme with regard to the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, as reflected in its medium-term plan for 1982-1983 and in the objectives of the System-Wide Medium-Term Environment Programme for 1984-1989, as endorsed by the Governing Council;

3. Requests organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to take into account the view of the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination that the System-Wide Medium-Term Environment Programme should be seen not only as a document of use to the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme but also as a document of basic interest to their governing bodies, to the extent that they deem appropriate and to the extent relevant to their particular mandates, and expresses its appreciation for the continued efforts made by the United Nations Environment Programme, in co-operation with the entire United Nations system, in the development of the System-Wide Medium-Term Environment Programme;

4. Calls upon the United Nations Environment Programme to continue to play its role fully in the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade and stresses the need for all Governments and bodies of the United Nations system to take environmental considerations fully into account when participating in negotiations and conferences organized by the United Nations on subjects other than the environment;

5. Welcomes the recommendations of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme as contained in section II of its decision 9/1 of 26 May 1981, as well as those made by the Economic and Social Council, in its resolutions 1981/51 and 1981/73, concerning the system-wide programme of work on the interrelationships between resources, environment, people and development and the important role which the United Nations Environment Programme should assume in this regard consistent with its mandate, and requests the Director-General for Development and International Economic Co-operation to take the requisite steps for their implementation;

6. Stresses the importance it attaches to the development of the Environmental Perspective to the year 2000 and beyond and invites the Governing Council, at its session of a special character and at its tenth session, to make such recommendations as may be appropriate;

7. Reaffirms the catalytic mandate and role of the United Nations

Environment Programme, recognizes the desirability of mobilizing voluntary resources for meeting the most serious environmental problems of developing countries, welcomes the consultations being undertaken by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme on possible means of providing additional resources for developing countries, and notes that the Economic and Social Council has agreed to consider at its second regular session of 1982 the report of the Governing Council on this subject, as requested in paragraph 12 of General Assembly resolution 35/74 of 5 December 1980;

8. Welcomes the stress placed by the United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy on the environmental effects of the production and use of various renewable sources of energy and calls upon the United Nations Environment Programme to play an active role in the implementation of the Nairobi Programme of Action for the Development and Utilization of New and Renewable Sources of Energy, as regards the relationship between new and renewable sources of energy and the environment;

9. Also welcomes the growing co-operation between the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat);

10. Takes note of the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on marine pollution;

11. Takes note also of the report of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization on marine pollution;

12. Expresses its appreciation to the Governments that continue to contribute generously to the Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme;

13. Appeals to all Governments to increase substantially their contributions to the Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme and to make, before the end of 1981, firm pledges of contributions to the Fund for the period 1982-1983, taking into account decision 9/23 of 26 May 1981 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme, as adopted;

14. Reiterates its appeal to Governments that have not yet contributed to the Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme to do so before the end of 1981 and to those Governments still contributing amounts below their means to increase their contributions for the period 1982-1983.