Resolution on Institutional and Financial Arrangements1]

(1). Institutional and financial arrangements

The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment,

Convinced of the need for prompt and effective implementation by Governments and the international community of measures designed to safeguard and enhance the human environment for the benefit of present and future generations of Man,

Recognizing that responsibility for action to protect and enhance the human environment rests primarily with Governments and, in the first instance, can be exercised more effectively at the national and regional levels,

Recognizing that environmental problems of broad international significance fall within the competence of the United Nations system,

Bearing in mind that international cooperative programmes in the environment field must be undertaken with due respect to the sovereign rights of States and in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and principles of international law,

Mindful of the sectoral responsibilities of the organizations of the United Nations system,

Conscious of the significance of regional and sub regional cooperation in the field of the human environment and of the important role of the regional economic commissions and other regional intergovernmental organizations,

Emphasizing that problems of the human environment constitute a new and important area for international cooperation and that the complexity and interdependence of such problems requires new approaches,

Recognizing that the relevant international scientific and other professional communities can make an important contribution to international cooperation in the field of the human environment,

Conscious of the need for processes within the United Nations system, which would effectively assist developing countries to implement environmental policies and programmes compatible with their development plans, and to participate meaningfully in international environmental programmes,

Convinced that, in order to be effective, international cooperation in the field of the human environment requires additional financial and technical resources,

Aware of the urgent need for a permanent institutional arrangement within the United Nations for the protection and improvement of the human environment,

Governing Council for Environmental Programmes

1. Recommends that the General Assembly establish the Governing Council for Environmental Programmes composed of 54 members, elected for three-year terms on the basis of equitable geographical distribution;

Recommends further that the Governing Council have the following main functions and responsibilities:

1. To promote international co-operation in the environment field and to recommend, as appropriate, policies to this end;

2. To provide general policy guidance for the direction and coordination of environmental programmes within the United Nations system;

3. To receive and review the periodic reports of the Executive Director on the implementation of environmental programmes within the United Nations system;

4. To keep under review the world environmental situation in order to ensure that emerging environmental problems of wide international significance should receive appropriate and adequate consideration by Governments;

5. To promote the contribution of the relevant international scientific and other professional communities to the acquisition, assessment and exchange of environmental knowledge and information and, as appropriate, to the technical aspects of the formulation and implementation of environmental programmes within the United Nations system;

6. To maintain under continuing review the impact of national and international environmental policies and measures on developing countries, as well as the problem of additional costs that might be incurred by developing countries in the implementation of environmental programmes and projects, to ensure that such programmes and projects shall be compatible with the development plans and priorities of those countries;

7. To review and approve annually the programme of utilization of resources of the Environment Fund referred to in section Ill below;

3. Recommends further that the Governing Council report annually to the General Assembly through the Economic and Social Council, which would transmit to the General Assembly such comments on the report as it may deem necessary, particularly with regard to questions of coordination and to the relationship of environment policies and programmes within the United Nations system to over-all economic and social policies and priorities;

Environment Secretariat

4. Recommends that a small secretariat [be established] in the United Nations to serve as a focal point for environmental action and coordination within the United Nations system in such a way as to ensure a high degree of effective management;

5. Recommends further that the environment secretariat be headed by the Executive Director, who shall be elected by the General Assembly on the nomination of the Secretary-General, and who shall be entrusted, inter alia, with the following responsibilities:

1. To provide substantive support to the Governing Council;

   (b)Under the guidance of the Governing Council, to coordinate environmental programmes within the United Nations system, to keep under review their implementation and assess their effectiveness;

2. To advise, as appropriate and under the guidance of the Governing Council, intergovernmental bodies of the United Nations system on the formulation and implementation of environmental programmes;

3. To secure the effective cooperation of, and contribution from, the relevant scientific and other professional communities from all parts of the world;

4. To provide, at the request of all parties concerned, advisory services for the promotion of international cooperation in the field of the environment;

5. To submit to the Governing Council, on his own initiative or upon request, proposals embodying medium and long-range planning for United Nations programmes in the environment field;

6. To bring to the attention of the Governing Council any matter which he deems to require consideration by it;

7. To administer, under the authority and policy guidance of the Governing Council, the Environment Fund;

8. To report on environment matters to the Governing Council;

9. To perform such other functions as may be entrusted to him by the Governing Council;

Environment Fund

6. Recommends that, in order to provide for additional financing for environmental programmes, a voluntary fund be established in accordance with existing United Nations financial procedures;

7. Recommends further that, in order to enable the Governing Council to fulfill its policy guidance role for the direction and coordination of environmental activities, the Environment Fund finance wholly or partly The established costs of the new environmental initiatives undertaken within the United Nations system. These will include the initiatives envisaged in the Action Plan 1 adopted by the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, with particular attention to integrated projects, and such other environmental activities as may be decided upon by the Governing Council. The Governing Council shall review these initiatives with a view to taking appropriate decisions as to their continued financing;

8. Recommends that the Fund be used for financing such programmes of general interest as regional and global monitoring, assessment and data-collecting systems, including, as appropriate, costs for national counterparts; improvement of environmental quality management; environmental research; information exchange and dissemination; public education and training; assistance for national, regional and global environmental institutions; promotion of environmental research and studies for the development of industrial and other technologies best suited to a policy of economic growth compatible with adequate environmental safeguards; and start other programmes as the Governing Council may decide upon. In the implementation of such programmes due account should be taken of the special needs of the developing countries;

9. Recommends that the costs of servicing the Governing Council and providing the small core secretariat be borne by the regular budget of the United Nations. Operational programme costs, programme support and administrative costs of the Fund shall be borne by the Fund;

10. Recommends that, in order to ensure that the development priorities of developing countries shall not be adversely affected, adequate measures should be taken to provide additional financial resources on terms compatible with the economic situation of the recipient developing country. To this end, the Executive Director, in cooperation with competent organizations, will keep this problem under continuing review;

11. Recommends that the Fund, in pursuance of the objectives stated in paragraphs 7 and 8 above, be directed to the need for effective coordination in the implementation of international environmental programmes of the organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations;

12. Recommends that, in the implementation of programmes to be financed by the Fund, organizations outside the United Nations system, particularly those in the countries and regions concerned, also be utilized as appropriate, in accordance with the procedures established by the Governing Council; such organizations are invited to support the United Nations environmental programmes, by complementary initiatives and contributions;

13. Recommends that the Governing Council formulate such general procedures as are necessary to govern the operations of the Fund;