Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 5

Written Answers. - World Environment Conference.

Jim Mitchell

Question:

20 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the representation proposed for Ireland at the World Environment Conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992; if he will give details of the contribution Ireland proposes to make at the conference and the results he hopes for the conference; and the extent to which there will be a joint EC approach to the conference.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) will take place in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 on the twentieth anniversary of the first world environment conference held in Stockholm in 1972. The composition of the Irish delegation at the conference will be arranged in due course, having regard to the recommendation of the UN General Assembly that representation should be at the highest level.

Ireland has paticipated fully in the UNCED preparatory process both directly and under EC co-ordination. Our national report on sustainable development will be submitted to the UNCED secretariat shortly. In addition, Ireland will be making a special contribution to UNCED by hosting a major United Nations Conference on Water and the Environment in Dublin in January, 1992. This conference has been mandated by UNCED to develop a strategy for sustainable management of freshwater resources, which will be integrated into the overall UNCED action programme, Agenda 21, for sustainable development.

While the UNCED agenda is extremely wide and ambitious, and progress in a number of areas has been slow, Ireland hopes for a valuable outcome under all of the main agenda headings — particularly on Agenda 21, the practical action programme for sustainable development.

The EC has played a major and constructive role so far in the UNCED negotiations. It is now intensifying its co-ordination on UNCED through a high levelad hoc group which has recently been set up. Community preparations for UNCED were discussed in a preliminary way at an Informal Environment Council of 12 October which I attended and the matter will feature substantially on the Environment Council agenda between now and June 1992.