Chapter 5
China's Basic Principles and Position
on Some International Issues Relating to Sustainable Development
Section 1 China's Assessment of the International Community's Activities in the Realm of Environment and Development
I. The Concept of the Indivisibility of Environment and Development has Begun to Take Root in People's Hearts5.1 The successful convening of the UNCED in 1992 and the consensus reached by the Conference marks the deepening understanding of environment and development by the international community. The 27 Principles, as stipulated in the Rio Declaration and unanimously adopted by the Conference, constitute guidelines for international cooperation in the realm of environment and development to promote global sustainable development. In addition the Agenda 21 as adopted by the Conference, constitutes an international framework document for the realisation of global sustainable development and for promotion of international cooperation in environment and development.
5.2 China maintains that during the five years since the UNCED held in Rio, the international community and relevant international organisations have attached great importance to the issues of environment and development, and have taken a series of actions towards implementing Agenda 21 at different levels. This has achieved positive progress, as manifested in the following aspects:
II. Sustainable Development Is Becoming an Important Element Guiding Every Nation's Formulation of Social and Economic Development Strategies5.3 The World Conference on Human Environment held in 1972 played an important role in raising public awareness and drawing people's attention to environmental protection. However, the Conference failed to attach due importance to the vital issue of the social and economic development of developing countries - accounting for the overwhelming majority of the world population - and failed to identify the major causes of the continuing deterioration of the global environment. Consequently, in the ensuing 20 years the global environment, instead of improving, has kept deteriorating. Meanwhile the number of poverty-stricken people worldwide has increased to 100 million towards the end of the 1980s, with the poor countries getting poorer and rich countries getting richer. All this led people to think anew and reflect deeply. Then, in the course of "substantive preparations" for the UNCED and through extensive and in-depth discussions, the international community arrived at an important consensus on the indivisibility of environment and development, as stated in Principle 4 of the Rio Declaration: "environmental protection shall constitute an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it." The international community has further recognised that "the major cause of the continuing deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption" (UNGA Res. 44/228) and has recognised that development should not be viewed only as economic growth in the narrow sense but should be a process whereby to coordinate economic growth, social progress, and environmental protection, thus taking full account of both the short-term and long-term interests,and "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". These consensus views have been reaffirmed by major international conferences held in recent years and have laid a foundation for people's understanding of the coordination of the development of economy, society, and environment.
III. Relevant International Legislation Work Is Progressing5.4 Since the UNCED, proceeding from their country-specific conditions, many countries have integrated environmental protection into their overall strategy for national social and economic development, and have taken a series of measures to implement sustainable development strategies, including formulating and refining laws and regulations, adjusting institutions, and increasing input. Seventy four nations have submitted their national report on the implementation of Agenda 21 to the UN Sustainable Development Commission (CSD) and described their progress and achievements towards sustainable development. These countries, especially many developing countries, have overcome great difficulties and have, mainly relying on their own efforts, taken major steps towards sustainable development. As a large developing country with a population of 1.2 billion, China has long since made environmental protection one of her basic State policies and has taken the lead in formulating China's Agenda 21 following the Rio Conference. Moreover, China's Agenda 21 has been incorporated into the mid- and long-term plans for national social and economic development. All these demonstrate that China adheres to a responsible and earnest attitude in fulfilling its commitments make at the UNCED in Rio.
IV. International Cooperation in "Environment and Development" Has Started, Although Limited Headway Has Been Made5.5 The "UN Framework Convention On Climate Change" and the "Convention on Biological Diversity" have entered into force, and new rounds of negotiation are underway to implement the convention provisions and to supplement relevant articles on specific commitments. The "Convention to Combat Desertification" has gone into effect and the negotiations over the protection and management of the trans-boundary and highly-migrating fisheries have reached some agreement. All this progress will contribute to the promotion of international legislation relating to environment and development, as well as the implementation of relevant international agreements.
5.6 Following its restructuring and its last replenishment, the GEF has been in normal operation. Though its size is limited, the GEF has played a useful role. Moreover the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), which is the UN Commission for monitoring the implementation of Agenda 21, has convened four sessions and has completed the first round of review on the implementation of Agenda 21, with the participation of high-level officials from Member States of the UN. Furthermore, various forms of regional and bilateral environment and development cooperation have been initiated and have achieved some progress.
5.7 While affirming the certain degree of achievements in the follow-up actions to the 1992 UNCED, it has to be noted that international cooperation on "environment and development" has only made limited progress, is still confronted with many difficulties and challenges, and falls far short of the requirements for the effective implementation and realisation of the goals of Agenda 21. In several major areas, developed countries, especially some major developed countries, have regressed from their professed position at the UNCED, or even deviated from the principles adopted there, with a growing tendency of refusing to honour their commitments. These are mainly manifested as follows:
In respect of financial resources
The developed countries, except for five, have not only failed to honour their commitments of providing "new and additional financial resources" to the developing countries, but have also curtailed their ODA levels in terms of their GNP percentage. Thus their ODA level has dropped to its lowest in the past 20 years. Besides, deviating from their commitments made in Chapter 33 of Agenda 21, quite a few developed countries are increasingly emphasising the role of private capital and advocating some unfeasible "new and innovative" financial mechanisms to shirk their government responsibilities and commitments. This course of action can hardly give them credibility in the eyes of the world's people.
In respect of technology transfer
Again, deviating from their commitments made in Chapter 34 of Agenda 21, quite a few developed countries are attempting to shirk their government commitments on transfer of environmentally sound technology to the developing countries on favourable terms under the pretext of "intellectual property rights protection" and are trying to turn technology transfer into commercial transactions for profit-making. This is simply unacceptable to the vast number of the developing countries.
In respect of trade
Using "environmental protection" as a pretext, some developed countries have attempted to introduce the so-called "environment clauses" or "social clauses" into world trade that are biased against, and restricting, developing countries. This harmful tendency is not only running counter to fair and open trade but is also completely violating the relevant principles set out in the Rio Declaration.
In respect of international cooperation
The principle that, in international cooperation on environment and development, "the special situation and needs of developing countries shall be given special priority" is far from duly respected. On the contrary, developed countries disregard the economic and technological limitations of the developing countries: some developed countries are trying to introduce some "standards", "indicators", and "labelling" that are aimed at imposing on the developing countries obligations incompatible with their economic development level. Furthermore certain developed countries even attempt to use their development "model" and their so-called values of "good governance" at international fora to bully weaker countries, oppress the poor countries, and to interfere in the internal affairs of developing countries.
5.8 The above testifies to the fact that developing countries' unfavourable external environment has not yet been improved, and that the "new global partnership" advocated by the UNCED is far from being realised. To enhance international cooperation and coordination within the framework of Agenda 21, in accordance with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" as reiterated in the Rio Declaration, is an objective necessity. Also, protection of the environment and promotion of global sustainable development, as a common goal of humankind, requires the unswerving common endeavour of the international community as a whole.
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