B4-1048/95

Resolution on the integration of population and environmental policies and programmes

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its resolution of 11 March 1994 on the demographic situation and development,

-having regard to its resolution of 29 September 1994 on the outcome of the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development,

-having regard to the ACP-EU Joint Assembly resolution of 3 February 1995 on the results of the Cairo World Conference on Population and Development,

-having regard to the Programme of Action agreed at the Cairo Conference by 179 delegations present, including the European Union,

-having regard to its resolution of 15 June 1995 on the fourth Conference on Women in Beijing "Equality, Development and Peace",

A.whereas population and development are integral and inter-related elements in the consideration of the promotion of peace and security, justice in international relations, the eradication of poverty, the protection of our common environment and the realisation of human rights and equal opportunities for women and men,

B.acknowledging our collective responsibility to hand over to future generations a diverse and healthy environment; noting that this task is made more difficult because of a combination of high population growth in developing countries and wasteful production and consumption patterns in developed countries,

C.noting that the effects of both population growth and unfettered economic growth are endangering the environment and therefore make the switch to sustainable development urgent,

D.acknowledging that several studies point out that the 30 % "rich" of the world population use much more of the material resources like fossil fuel and raw materials than the 70 % "poor" of the world population; whereas, in the case of energy and several raw materials, the "rich" inhabitants of the world use ten times more per unit than the "poor" inhabitants of the planet,

1.Calls on the Commission to initiate and support measures and policies which will break the mutually reinforcing relationships between poverty, population growth and environmental degradation worldwide;

2.Calls on the Commission and the ACP countries to address the issue of population and health education more effectively;

3.Expects the Council to take the lead in ensuring that the first steps taken at the Cairo Conference in recognizing the role of women in development will be preserved and strengthened at the UN World Conference on Women in Beijing; supports emphatically a woman's right to self-determination over her own body, including reproductive and sexual rights;

4.Reminds the Council of its commitment made at the Cairo Conference to a 'substantial increase' of funds for population programmes; urges the Council to increase available funds up to ECU 300 m in 2000, as proposed by the Commission; calls on the Commission to submit a European 'emergency aid plan' to improve the situation of women in the poorest developing countries;

5.Urges the Council and the Commission to ensure more effective coordination and monitoring to maximize the effectiveness of international assistance to population programmes; advocates the recognition of women's objectives and demands on development and cooperation in the context of a multidisciplinary approach and equal participation of women in planning, implementation, supervision and evaluation;

6.Urges the Commission to provide it with a yearly update on its progress with regard to the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action;

7.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the ACP countries, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly and the governments of the Member States.