Differing approaches to ratification

The Rio conference has been a real success. The EC and the G-7 now need to maintain the momentum, and to take the lead in doing so.

I propose that leaders of the EC/G-7 countries should make a political commitment to an eight-point plan for follow-up action by their countries by the end of 1993:

-- to ratify the Climate Change Convention and publish national plans for implementing it;

-- to publish national plans for action on biodiversity, and to establish the basis for ratification of the Convention;

-- to publish national plans for the implementation of the forestry principles;

-- to publish national plans for the implementation of the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21;

-- to give financial support to developing countries for the implementation of Agenda 21 through Official Development Assistance and for the replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF); -- to take the lead at the 1992 UN General Assembly in

the establishment of the Sustainable Development Commission; -- to put our weight behind establishing an international review process for the forestry principles;

-- to take the lead in the restructuring of the GEF so that it can in time be established as the permanent financial mechanism for the Climate Change and Biodiversity Conventions.