UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE: CLIMATE CHANGE, UNEP,

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001105 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ECIN UNGA UNEP SUBJECT: UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE: CLIMATE CHANGE, UNEP, AGENDA 21 AND SIDS REF: A. STATE 161170 ¶B. USUN 001091 ¶C. STATE 161819 ¶1. Summary. Four resolutions were adopted by consensus during the November 30 session of the UN General Assembly's Second Committee. Per Ref A on the climate change resolution, the U.S. requested a vote on a budgetary paragraph, which lost 160-2 (U.S. and Japan),and the U.S. joined consensus on the resulting resolution. Resolutions on the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), implementation of Agenda 21, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) were also passed by consensus. End summary. ¶2. As noted in Ref B, the committee considered today the previously postponed draft resolution A/C.2/62/L.38 entitled, "Protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind." In accordance with Ref A, the U.S. called for a vote on operative paragraph 11 and provided the Explanation of Vote (EOV). Japan also gave an EOV, stating that since not every UN member is a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the conference costs of the Convention should not come from the UN budget. With a vote of 160-2(U.S. and Japan)-0, the paragraph was included in the resolution. U.S. joined consensus and the resolution was adopted. Portugal, on behalf of the EU, expressed in a general statement that while the EU welcomes the adoption of the resolution and the positive message it sends before the Bali climate change talks next week, it wished greater emphasis had been placed on the importance of the scientific findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). ¶3. The committee also considered draft resolution A/C.2/62/L.39 entitled, "Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on its twenty-fourth special session," submitted under Agenda item 54 (g). The Committee secretary delivered an oral statement concerning the Program Budget Implication (PBI) of the resolution, stating that for the 2007-2008 budget and the proposed 2008-2009 budget, no additional budgetary provisions would result from passage of this resolution. The resolution was adopted by consensus. ¶4. In accordance with Ref C, the U.S. joined consensus on the remaining two draft resolutions. Under Agenda item 54 (a),A/C.2/62/L.40 entitled, "Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development" contained no PBI and was adopted by consensus. Under Agenda item 54 (b),A/C.2/62/L.41 entitled, "Follow-up to and implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States" contained no PBI and was adopted by consensus. Khalilzad