United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development Decision 4-15 on Protection of the atmosphere and protection of the oceans and all kinds of seas, New York, 1996
Done at New York 3 May 1996
Primary source citation: Copy of text provided by the United Nations
Decision 4/15. Protection of the
atmosphere and protection of the oceans and all kinds of seas* (* Chapters 9 and 17 of Agenda 21. For the discussion, see chapter VI below).
A. Interlinkages 1. The Commission notes that a number of issues are common to both chapters
under review - chapter 9 (Protection of the atmosphere) and chapter 17
(Protection of the oceans, all kinds of seas, including enclosed and
semi-enclosed seas, and coastal areas and the protection, rational use and
development of their living resources). It also notes that both these chapters
have interlinkages with several other chapters of Agenda 21. Indeed, the
broad-based nature of chapters 9 and 17 can be seen to encompass all important
aspects of sustainable development. 2. The Commission stresses the close interrelationship between protection of
oceans and all kinds of seas and protection of the atmosphere, in view of the
exchange of matter and energy that takes place between the atmosphere and oceans
and their influence on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. It therefore calls for
the integration of protective measures in order to address effectively the
problems of adverse impacts of human activity on the atmosphere and the oceans.
To this end, in particular, the Commission considers that there is a need to
further strengthen coordination mechanisms between regions and subregions for
better exchange of information and experience gained. B. Protection of the atmosphere 3. The Commission welcomes, with reservations, the proposals contained in the
report of the Secretary-General on protection of the atmosphere (E/CN.17/1996/22
and Add.1). It stresses the need for broad international action to address
global atmospheric problems, taking into full account principle 7, 16/ of the
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and paragraph 4.3, 17/ of chapter
4 of Agenda 21 (Changing consumption patterns) in developing measures to protect
the atmosphere on a global scale. It furthermore stresses that atmospheric
protection measures to reduce air pollution, combat climate change and prevent
ozone layer depletion should be undertaken at the national, subregional,
regional and international levels. 4. The Commission notes the risk of exacerbating other environmental, as well
as socio-economic, problems through actions to address an individual issue, and
stresses the need to address atmosphere-related problems in an integrated and
comprehensive way. It emphasizes that an essential component of measures to
protect the atmosphere, environment and human health is the reduction of local
emissions - especially urban air pollution - which must be dealt with at the
local, regional and international levels on the basis of common but
differentiated responsibilities. In addition, it stresses the importance of
combating all kinds of land degradation, deforestation, forest degradation and
desertification, which have adverse impacts on human health and the environment,
and the importance of improved land use management. In this context, the
Commission refers to principle 15, 18/ of the Rio Declaration and principle 3,
19/ of article 3 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(A/AC.237/18 (Part II)/Add.1, annex I), which reflect the precautionary
principle approach. The Commission recommends the application of this approach,
taking into account related uncertainties and risks. 5. The Commission stresses the importance of a sound scientific and
socio-economic knowledge base upon which appropriate responses to atmospheric
pollution can be formulated, and encourages national participation in, and
support for, international programmes of relevant scientific, technical and
socio-economic research, monitoring and assessment, taking into account the
precautionary principle referred to in paragraph 4 above. The Commission
welcomes the Second Assessment Report (SAR) adopted by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in December 1995 as the most comprehensive
assessment of climate change issues to date. The report states, among other
conclusions, and in the full context of the report, that the balance of evidence
suggests a discernible human influence on global climate. 20/ The report
emphasizes that the scientific and technical expertise required by the
developing countries and by countries with economies in transition to protect
the atmosphere needs further strengthening and, to this end, requires the
financial and technical support of the international community. It supports the
initiative of a number of international organizations to establish an integrated
international framework for climate-related programmes. 6. The Commission urges countries that have not yet done so to sign and
ratify the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, with special
emphasis on the successful conclusion of the Berlin Mandate process; the Vienna
Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, its Montreal Protocol and
subsequent amendments and adjustments; and the United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification, Particularly in Africa, and fully implement their commitments
therein. 7. The Commission encourages parties to the United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification, as well as those countries in the process of
ratification, to coordinate activities with those undertaken under relevant
international agreements, including the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the work of the Ad
Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. 8. The Commission asserts that the production, conversion and use of energy
has been and will continue to be one of the fundamental requirements for
economic growth and social improvement. Non-sustainable development and use in
the energy and other sectors is linked to environmental and societal problems,
including air and water pollution, health impacts and global warming. 9. The Commission welcomes the outcome of the Seminar on Decentralized
Electrification of Rural Areas (Marrakesh, Morocco, 13-17 November 1995) and
calls upon Governments as well as international organizations and
non-governmental organizations to consider supporting, as appropriate, the
recommendations of the Seminar. 10. The Commission calls on Governments to consider the broad spectrum of
cost-effective policy instruments - economic and fiscal, regulatory and
voluntary - available to them, including environmental cost internalization and
removal of environmentally damaging subsidies, to improve energy efficiency and
efficiency standards and to promote the use of sustainable and environmentally
sound renewable energy sources, as well as the use of energy sources with low
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in all relevant sectors; and encourages
Governments and relevant institutions and organizations to cooperate, as
appropriate, in the implementation of policy and economic instruments aimed at
minimizing adverse effects on international competitiveness and at optimizing
the allocation of resources, and to cooperate in minimizing the possible adverse
economic impacts on developing countries resulting from the implementation of
those policies and measures. 11. The Commission urges Governments and relevant institutions and
organizations to utilize education and training, information dissemination,
enhancement of knowledge and voluntary agreements to improve efficiency in the
production, distribution and use of energy and other natural resources. 12. The Commission urges multilateral financial institutions to use their
investment strategies, in cooperation with interested recipient countries, for
the development and dissemination of environmentally sound technologies,
provided that such considerations do not constitute new barriers and conditions
to accessing financial resources. 13. With regard to international cooperation, the Commission refers to
paragraph 2 of its decision on financial resources and mechanisms (decision
4/14). 14. The Commission urges Governments and the private sector to increase their
research into energy and material efficiency and more environmentally sound
production technologies, including improved GHG sequestration technologies, and
to actively participate in technology transfer and capacity- building in
developing countries and countries with economies in transition. It also urges
the industrial sector to take full account of concerns related to the protection
of atmosphere and the use of cost-effective environmentally sound technologies
in their investment strategies. 15. The Commission notes the rapid growth in the transport sector resulting
in a concomitant increase in energy requirements in both industrialized and
developing countries. It urges Governments to consider appropriate options, such
as the different measures mentioned in paragraph 64 of the report of the Ad Hoc
Inter-sessional Working Group on Sectoral Issues (E/CN.17/1996/6). The
Commission notes that a Conference on Environment and Transport will be held in
1997 under the auspices of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), as
suggested in paragraph 9.15 (f) of chapter 9 of Agenda 21 (Protection of the
atmosphere). 16. The Commission recommends that Governments and organizations actively
support the Montreal Protocol and the efforts of its parties to eliminate the
illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances; continue, within existing financial
mechanisms, to provide adequate financial and technical support to developing
countries and countries with economies in transition, to assist them in phasing
out production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, in accordance with
their obligations under the Montreal Protocol; consider the total environmental
impact of alternatives to ozone-depleting substances; and give priority to
solutions that provide the greatest overall benefit in terms of both ozone
protection and prevention of global warming. This will be consistent with an
integrated approach to the protection of the atmosphere. The Commission
expresses concern about the financial state of the Multilateral Fund of the
Montreal Protocol, and calls upon States to make contributions thereto. 17. The Commission urges Governments and organizations, in considering
transboundary air pollution issues, to take measures to reduce emissions of
acidifying substances with the aim of not exceeding critical loads and levels
and to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds; and urges developed
countries to enhance programmes that share management expertise, scientific
expertise and information on technical mitigation options with developing
countries and countries with economies in transition. 18. The Commission encourages Governments to address the growing problem of
transboundary air pollution and, in particular, risks caused by persistent
organic pollutants. The Commission notes, in particular, the pollution affecting
the Arctic. In this respect the Commission reaffirms the need for effective
transboundary air pollution agreements such as the ECE Convention on Long-range
Transboundary Air Pollution and its protocols in all affected regions. It urges
Governments, as appropriate, to develop and implement policies and programmes,
in a cooperative manner, to control emissions and prevent transboundary air
pollution in their regions, through, inter alia, increased technology transfer
and shared technical information. The Commission stresses the need for research
and evaluation of endocrine disrupting chemicals. 19. The Commission requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report for
consideration by the Commission at its fifth session, in 1997, covering an
inventory of ongoing energy-oriented programmes and activities within the United
Nations system, as well as proposals for arrangements as appropriate, that might
be needed to foster the linkage between energy and sustainable development
within the United Nations system. C. Protection of the oceans, all kinds of seas, including enclosed and
semi-enclosed seas, and coastal areas and the protection, rational use and
development of their living resources 20. The Commission takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on
protection of the oceans, all kinds of seas, including enclosed and
semi-enclosed seas, and coastal areas and the protection, rational use and
development of their living resources (E/CN.17/1996/3 and Add.1). 21. The Commission reaffirms the common aim of promoting the sustainable
development, conservation and management of the coastal and marine environment.
It stresses that action at the national, subregional and regional levels must
play the prime role, but that effective arrangements are needed within global
institutions for establishing their coherent priorities for action. It affirms
that decisions on questions affecting the marine environment must be the result
of an integrated approach taking into account all relevant environmental, social
and economic factors, including the special requirements of developing
countries, and the best available scientific evidence. To this end, it supports
collaboration between the holders of such information and those concerned with
the formulation of policies including national policy makers. Such collaboration
should reflect a precautionary approach taking into account the uncertainties in
the information available and the related risks for people and resources. The
Commission therefore states that international arrangements for decision-making
must recognize the importance of financial resources, transfer of
environmentally sound technology, capacity-building, resource ownership and
management, and the exchange of information as well as know-how, among
developing and developed countries and countries with economies in transition.
22. The Commission welcomes the considerable progress in recent
intergovernmental negotiations related to oceans and seas. The entry into force
in 1994 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 21/ was a
fundamental achievement and provides the framework for the protection of the
marine environment. Other recent successes include, inter alia, the Agreement to
Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by
Vessels Fishing in the High Seas; 22/ the Agreement relating to the
Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
of 10 December 1982; 23/ the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions
of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea relating to the
Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish
Stocks; 24/ the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries; 25/ and the Global
Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based
Activities (UNEP, November 1995) (A/51/116, annex II). The immediate need is for
the Governments concerned to participate in and implement these agreements. 23. The Commission also welcomes the Jakarta initiative entitled
"Conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biological diversity"
(decision II/10 of the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the
Convention on Biological Diversity), adopted in November 1995, 26/ and the Kyoto
Declaration and Plan of Action, adopted in December 1995 by the International
Conference on the Sustainable Contribution of Fisheries to Food Security. 24. The Commission recognizes the importance of coral reefs and other related
ecosystems as a life-support system of many countries, particularly small island
developing States, and as a rich source of biodiversity. The Commission
emphasizes the need for development and implementation of integrated coastal and
marine area management plans to deal with issues relating to the coastal and
marine environment. To this end the Commission welcomes the Call to Action of
the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) of June 1995 as a means to
address threats to coral reefs and related ecosystems and the inauguration of
the 1997 International Year of the Reefs (IYR). The Commission likewise
acknowledges that other marine ecosystems such as mangroves, estuaries and
seagrass beds gather a broad variety of biodiversity and productivity and also
deserve special attention. The Commission requests organizations of the United
Nations system to contribute to public education on coral reefs and other
coastal marine ecosystems. It urges the international community to strengthen
existing institutional mechanisms and knowledge bases in these areas. The
Commission further urges concerned Governments, entities within the United
Nations systems, multilateral development banks, donor institutions, local
communities, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the
scientific community to support the implementation of the ICRI Call to Action,
launching local or national coral reef initiatives as part of their plans for
integrated coastal development and management. 25. The Commission encourages States, individually and through the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other relevant United Nations
organizations and programmes, to continue taking measures to address the
environmental effects of shipping. 26. The Commission takes note that with regard to offshore oil and gas
activities, IMO conclusions on harmonized environmental regulations have been
and are being developed in specific regional programmes. The Commission also
notes that IMO supported this approach and encouraged its wider adoption, and
concludes that there is no compelling need at this time to further develop
globally applicable environmental regulations in respect of the exploitation and
exploration aspects of offshore oil and gas activities. 27. The Commission encourages States to continue relevant national and
regional reviews of the need for additional measures to address the issue of
degradation of the marine environment, as called for in paragraph 17.30 of
Agenda 21, taking into account the relevant expertise of IMO, the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of
the Sea of the United Nations Secretariat. To this end, it calls for
partnership, within specific regions, between Governments and the private
sector. 28. The Commission encourages relevant and competent international and
regional bodies to make available appropriate inputs to expert meetings to be
held in the Netherlands on offshore oil and gas activities, in which national
and regional experiences could be exchanged, and invites the Netherlands and
Brazil, where a regional meeting recently took place on this subject, to make
available to Commission members and other interested States the outcome of these
expert meetings. 29. The Commission urges countries that have not yet done so to sign, ratify
and implement the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships (MARPOL), the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping
from Ships and Aircraft (London Convention) (1972) and the Basel Convention on
the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
(1989). 30. The Commission calls on States to adopt, according to their national
policies and priorities and with appropriate financial and technical support,
appropriate measures to ensure that the management of their watercourses, inland
waters and the related catchments are consistent with the aims of their
integrated coastal area management. It also calls for account to be taken of the
potential impact of decisions on freshwater management systems upon the coastal
seas into which relevant rivers drain. It requests States and entities within
the United Nations system to promote programmes to guide management and
corrective actions to control pollution in the larger coastal urban settlements,
and requests the World Bank and regional development banks to continue
developing effective means for their implementation. 31. The Commission welcomes the successful outcome of the Intergovernmental
Conference to Adopt a Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the
Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, held in Washington, D.C., in
1995, and decides to submit to the Economic and Social Council at its
substantive session of 1996 a draft resolution to be considered by the General
Assembly at its fifty-first session on the institutional arrangements for the
implementation of the Global Programme of Action (see chap. I, sect. A). 32. The Commission endorses the request contained in the Washington
Declaration on the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based
Activities, adopted by the Intergovernmental Conference, for the Executive
Director of UNEP, in close partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO),
the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) and other relevant organizations, to prepare
proposals for a plan to address the global nature of the problem of inadequate
management and treatment of waste water and its consequences for human health
and the environment, and to promote the transfer of appropriate and affordable
technology drawn from the best available techniques, and referred to in the
Global Programme of Action. Such proposals are to be considered by the Governing
Council of UNEP at its nineteenth session. 33. The Commission further recognizes the intention of the Governments
participating in the Washington Intergovernmental Conference to take action to
develop, in accordance with the provisions of the Global Programme of Action, a
global, legally binding instrument for the reduction and/or elimination of
emissions, discharges and, where appropriate, the elimination of the manufacture
and use of the persistent organic pollutants identified in decision 18/32
adopted by the Governing Council of UNEP at its eighteenth session (see A/50/25,
annex). The nature of the obligations undertaken must be developed, recognizing
the special circumstances of countries in need of assistance. Particular
attention should be devoted to the potential need for the continued use of
certain persistent organic pollutants to safeguard human health, sustain food
production and alleviate poverty in the absence of alternatives and the
difficulty of acquiring substitutes and transferring technology for the
development and/or production of those substitutes. 34. The Commission urges, as mentioned in paragraph 113 (d) of the Global
Programme of Action, consideration by all Governments and international
organizations that have expertise in the field of clean-up and disposal of
radioactive contaminants to giving appropriate assistance as may be requested
for remedial purposes in adversely affected areas. 35. The Commission stresses the fact that the insufficiency of research
capacity and information systems is particularly noticeable in the developing
world and in small island developing States. It expresses its support for the
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), established by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization/Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO/IOC), and notes the initiative to develop the
EuroGOOS system. 1. Implementation of international fishery instruments 36. The Commission on Sustainable Development notes with concern that
significant fish stocks are depleted or overexploited, and considers that urgent
corrective action is needed to rebuild depleted fish stocks and to ensure the
sustainable use of all fish stocks. The Commission therefore welcomes the major
steps that have been made towards fulfilling the goals of Agenda 21 as a result
of the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
in November 1994 and the adoption of two agreements: (a) The Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and
Management Measures by Vessels Fishing in the High Seas (1993); (b) The Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the
Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish
Stocks (1995); and the voluntary instrument: (c) The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (1995). 37. The Commission also welcomes the successful adoption, in 1995, of the
following: (a) The Rome Consensus on World Fisheries of the FAO Ministerial Meeting on
Fisheries (Rome, March); (b) The Jakarta Mandate on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine and
Coastal Biological Diversity (decision II/10 of the second meeting of the
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity), adopted in
November; (c) General Assembly resolutions 50/23, 50/24 and 50/25 relating to the law
of the sea and the sustainable use and conservation of marine living resources,
adopted on 5 December; (d) The Kyoto Declaration and Plan of Action on the Sustainable Contribution
of Fisheries to Food Security (Kyoto, December). 38. The Commission recalls Agenda 21, according to which the ability of
developing countries to fulfil the objectives of chapter 17, programme area D is
dependent upon their capabilities, including the financial, scientific and
technological means at their disposal. Adequate financial, scientific and
technological cooperation should be provided to support actions by them to
implement these objectives, as well as the provisions of the Agreement for the
Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of
Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (1995) and the FAO Code
of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (1995). 39. The Commission agrees that sustainable world fisheries, including
aquaculture, contribute significantly to the food supply and to achieving
social, economic and development goals. The Commission stresses the importance
of effective conservation and management of fish stocks and to this end
recommends implementing the recently adopted international instruments in order
to: (a) Prevent or eliminate overfishing and excess fishing capacity; (b) Apply the precautionary approach as referred to in the Agreement for the
Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of
Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks and the FAO Code of
Conduct for Responsible Fisheries; (c) Rebuild fish stocks throughout their entire range of distribution and
protect vital habitats; (d) Strengthen/create regional and subregional fisheries management
organizations and arrangements in accordance with the Agreement for the
Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of
Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks and the FAO Code of
Conduct for Responsible Fisheries; (e) Strengthen fishery research and increase cooperation in this field; (f) Promote environmentally sound fisheries technologies, prohibiting
dynamiting, poisoning and other comparable destructive fishing practices; (g) Minimize waste, discards, catch by lost or abandoned gear, catch of
non-target species, both fish and non-fish species, and impacts on associated or
dependent species, in particular endangered species, in accordance with the
Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the
Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish
Stocks and the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries; (h) Protect fisheries from harmful sea- and land-based activities; (i) Deter, in accordance with the instruments referred to in paragraph 36
above and international law, the activities of vessels flying the flag of
non-members or non-participants which engage in activities which undermine the
effectiveness of subregional or regional conservation and management measures;
(j) Increase efforts to ensure full compliance with applicable conservation
and management measures; (k) Increase consultations among all local parties affected by fishery
management decisions; (l) Avoid adverse impacts on small-scale and artisanal fisheries consistent
with the sustainable management of fish stocks, while protecting the rights of
fishers, including subsistence, small-scale and artisanal fishers. 40. The Commission notes that the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible
Fisheries, in paragraph 6.14, states that international trade in fish and
fishery products should be conducted in accordance with the principles, rights
and obligations established in the World Trade Organization Agreement and other
relevant international agreements. States should ensure that their policies,
programmes and practices related to trade in fish and fishery products do not
result in obstacles to this trade, environmental degradation or negative social,
including nutritional, impacts. 41. The Commission recommends that in the preparations for the World Food
Summit, the crucial contribution of sustainably managed fisheries should be
taken into consideration. 42. The Commission further recommends that States and entities that have not
yet done so should be called upon to sign/ratify/implement and promote awareness
and understanding of the instruments referred to in paragraph 36 (a) to (c)
above. 43. The Commission also recommends that FAO, as the competent specialized
agency for fisheries, should be invited to prepare a report, based on
information provided by its member States, on the actions listed above and, more
generally, on progress made in improving the sustainability of fisheries, for
consideration by the FAO Committee on Fisheries and for submission to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations. Such a report would be relevant to the
review of ocean issues recommended by the Commission in subsection 2 below. 2. International cooperation and coordination 44. The Commission on Sustainable Development, in order to enhance
implementation of the commitment set forth in section F of chapter 17 of Agenda
21 to promote regular intergovernmental review and consideration, within the
United Nations system, of general marine and coastal issues, including
environment and development matters, agrees on the need: (a) To better identify priorities for action at the global level to promote
conservation and sustainable use of the marine environment; (b) For better coordination among the relevant United Nations organizations
and intergovernmental financial institutions; (c) To ensure sound scientific, environmental, economic and social advice on
these issues. 45. The Commission therefore recommends that the Economic and Social Council
approve the following conclusions as regards addressing these issues, subject to
the outcome of the special session of the General Assembly in 1997 at which the
Assembly will, inter alia, decide on the future work programme of the
Commission: (a) There should be a periodic overall review by the Commission of all
aspects of the marine environment and its related issues, as described in
chapter 17 of Agenda 21, and for which the overall legal framework is provided
by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 21/ This review should
cover other chapters and provisions of Agenda 21 directly related to the marine
environment. This review should draw upon reports of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), and those of other relevant United Nations bodies
and international organizations in their respective fields, coordinated by the
Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) Subcommittee on Oceans and
Coastal Areas. Other modalities for the review should be decided by the
Commission on Sustainable Development. The results of such reviews should be
considered by the General Assembly under an agenda item entitled "Oceans and the
law of the sea"; (b) In order to address the need for improved coordination, the
Secretary-General should be invited to review the working of the ACC
Subcommittee on Oceans and Coastal Areas, with a view to improving its status
and effectiveness, including the need for closer inter-agency links between,
inter alia, the secretariat of the Subcommittee and UNEP; (c) The Secretary-General and the executive heads of the agencies and
organizations of the United Nations system sponsoring the Joint Group of Experts
on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) should be
invited to review the Group's terms of reference, composition and methods of
work, with a view to improving its effectiveness and comprehensiveness while
maintaining its status as a source of agreed, independent scientific advice.