1/31/2017 A/RES/42/187ReportoftheWorldCommissiononEnvironmentandDevelopment

UnitedNations A/RES/42/187

GeneralAssembly
96thplenarymeeting
11December1987

42/187.ReportoftheWorldCommissiononEnvironmentand
Development

TheGeneralAssembly,

Concernedabouttheacceleratingdeteriorationofthehumanenvironment
andnaturalresourcesandtheconsequencesofthatdeteriorationforeconomic
andsocialdevelopment,

Believingthatsustainabledevelopment,whichimpliesmeetingtheneeds
ofthepresentwithoutcompromisingtheabilityoffuturegenerationstomeet
theirownneeds,shouldbecomeacentralguidingprincipleoftheUnited
Nations,Governmentsandprivateinstitutions,organizationsandenterprises,

Recognizing,inviewoftheglobalcharacterofmajorenvironmental
problems,thecommoninterestofallcountriestopursuepoliciesaimedat
sustainableandenvironmentallysounddevelopment,

Convincedoftheimportanceofareorientationofnationaland
internationalpoliciestowardssustainabledevelopmentpatterns,

Recallingthat,initsresolution38/161of19December1983onthe
processofpreparationoftheEnvironmentalPerspectivetotheYear2000and
BeyondtobepreparedbytheGoverningCounciloftheUnitedNations
EnvironmentProgramme,itwelcomedtheestablishmentofaspecialcommission,
whichlaterassumedthenameWorldCommissiononEnvironmentandDevelopment,

tomakeavailableareportonenvironmentandtheglobalproblematiquetothe
year2000andbeyond,includingproposedstrategiesforsustainable
development,

Recognizingthevaluableroleplayedinthepreparationofthereportof
theWorldCommissionbytheIntergovernmentalIntersessionalPreparatory
CommitteeoftheGoverningCounciloftheUnitedNationsEnvironment
Programme,asenvisagedbytheGeneralAssemblyinitsresolution38/161,

Recallingthatinresolution38/161itdecidedthat,onmatterswithin
thepurviewoftheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme,thereportofthe
CommissionshouldinthefirstinstancebeconsideredbytheGoverningCouncil
oftheProgramme,fortransmissiontotheGeneralAssemblytogetherwiththe
commentsoftheCouncilandforuseasbasicmaterialinthepreparation,for
adoptionbytheAssembly,oftheEnvironmentalPerspective,andthatonthose
matterswhichwereunderconsiderationorreviewbytheAssemblyitself,it
wouldconsidertherelevantaspectsofthereportoftheCommission,

TakingnoteofGoverningCouncildecision14/14ofl9Junel987
transmittingthereportoftheCommissiontotheGeneralAssembly,

NotingthattheEnvironmentalPerspectivetotheYear2000andBeyond
hastakenaccountofthemainrecommendationsintheCommission'sreport,
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RecognizingtheinstrumentalroleoftheCommissioninrevitalizingand
reorientingdiscussionsanddeliberationsonenvironmentanddevelopmentand
inenhancingtheunderstandingofthecausesofpresentenvironmentaland
developmentproblems,aswellasindemonstratingthewaysinwhichthey
transcendinstitutionalfrontiersandinopeningnewperspectivesonthe
interrelationshipbetweenenvironmentanddevelopmentasaguidetothefuture,

Emphasizingtheneedforanewapproachtoeconomicgrowth,asan
essentialprerequisiteforeradicationofpovertyandforenhancingthe
resourcebaseonwhichpresentandfuturegenerationsdepend,

1.WelcomesthereportoftheWorldCommissiononEnvironmentand
Developmententitled"OurCommonFuture";

2.Noteswithappreciationtheimportantcontributionmadebythe
CommissiontoraisingtheconsciousnessofdecisionmakersinGovernments,
intergovernmentalandnongovernmentalinternationalorganizations,industry
andotherfieldsofeconomicactivity,aswellasofthegeneralpublic,in
regardtotheimperativeneedformakingthetransitiontowardssustainable
development,andcallsuponallconcernedtomakefulluseinthisregardof
thereportoftheCommission;

3.AgreeswiththeCommissionthatwhileseekingtoremedyexisting
environmentalproblems,itisimperativetoinfluencethesourcesofthose
problemsinhumanactivity,andeconomicactivityinparticular,andthusto
provideforsustainabledevelopment;

4.Agreesfurtherthatanequitablesharingoftheenvironmentalcosts
andbenefitsofeconomicdevelopmentbetweenandwithincountriesandbetween
presentandfuturegenerationsisakeytoachievingsustainabledevelopment;

5.ConcurswiththeCommissionthatthecriticalobjectivesfor
environmentanddevelopmentpolicieswhichfollowfromtheneedfor
sustainabledevelopmentmustincludepreservingpeace,revivinggrowthand
changingitsquality,remedyingtheproblemsofpovertyandsatisfyinghuman
needs,addressingtheproblemsofpopulationgrowthandofconservingand
enhancingtheresourcebase,reorientingtechnologyandmanagingrisk,and
mergingenvironmentandeconomicsindecisionmaking;

6.DecidestotransmitthereportoftheCommissiontoallGovernments
andtothegoverningbodiesoftheorgans,organizationsandprogrammesofthe
UnitedNationssystem,andinvitesthemtotakeaccountoftheanalysisand
recommendationscontainedinthereportoftheCommissionindeterminingtheir
policiesandprogrammes;

7.CallsuponallGovernmentstoasktheircentralandsectoral
economicagenciestoensurethattheirpolicies,programmesandbudgets
encouragesustainabledevelopmentandtostrengthentheroleoftheir
environmentalandnaturalresourceagenciesinadvisingandassistingcentral
andsectoralagenciesinthattask;

8.Callsuponthegoverningbodiesoftheorgans,organizationsand
programmesoftheUnitedNationssystemtoreviewtheirpolicies,programmes,
budgetsandactivitiesaimedatcontributingtosustainabledevelopment;

9.Callsuponthegoverningbodiesofotherrelevantmultilateral
developmentassistanceandfinancialinstitutionstocommittheirinstitutions
morefullytopursuingsustainabledevelopmentinestablishingtheirpolicies
andprogrammesinaccordancewiththenationaldevelopmentplans,priorities
andobjectivesestablishedbytherecipientGovernmentsthemselves;

10.RequeststheSecretaryGeneral,throughtheappropriateexisting
mechanisms,includingtheAdministrativeCommitteeonCoordination,toreview
andcoordinateonaregularbasistheeffortsofalltheorgans,
organizationsandbodiesoftheUnitedNationssystemtopursuesustainable
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organizationsandbodiesoftheUnitedNationssystemtopursuesustainable
development,andtoreportthereontotheGeneralAssemblythroughthe
GoverningCounciloftheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgrammeandtheEconomic
andSocialCouncil;

11.StressestheessentialroleoftheUnitedNationsEnvironment
Programme,withinitsmandate,incatalyzingthesustainabledevelopment
effortsoftheUnitedNationssystem,whilefullytakingintoaccountthe
coordinatingresponsibilitiesoftheEconomicandSocialCouncil,andagrees
withtheCommissionthatthatrole
shouldbestrengthenedandthattheresourcesoftheEnvironmentFundshould
besubstantiallyenlarged,withgreaterparticipation;

12.ConsidersthattheGoverningCounciloftheUnitedNations
EnvironmentProgramme,withinitsmandateandwithparticipation,when
appropriate,attheministeriallevel,shouldexamineonaperiodicbasisthe
longtermstrategiesforrealizingsustainabledevelopment,andshouldinclude
theresultsofitsexaminationsinitsreportstobesubmittedtotheGeneral
AssemblythroughtheEconomicandSocialCouncil;

13.AgreesthatthecatalyticandcoordinatingroleoftheUnited
NationsEnvironmentProgrammeintheUnitedNationssystemshouldbe
reinforcedinitsfutureworkonenvironmentalandnaturalresourceissues;

14.Reaffirmstheneedforadditionalfinancialresourcesfromdonor
countriesandorganizationstoassistdevelopingcountriesinidentifying,
analysing,monitoring,preventingandmanagingenvironmentalproblemsin
accordancewiththeirnationaldevelopmentplans,prioritiesandobjectives;

15.Reaffirmstheneedfordevelopedcountriesandappropriateorgans
andorganizationsoftheUnitedNationssystemtostrengthentechnical
cooperationwiththedevelopingcountriestoenablethemtodevelopand
enhancetheircapacityforidentifying,analysing,monitoring,preventingand
managingenvironmentalproblemsinaccordancewiththeirnationaldevelopment
plans,prioritiesandobjectives;

16.InvitesGovernments,incooperationwiththeregionalcommissions
andtheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgrammeand,asappropriate,
intergovernmentalorganizations,tosupportandengageinfollowup
activities,suchasconferences,atthenational,regional,andgloballevels;

17.CallsuponGovernmentstoinvolvenongovernmentalorganizations,
industryandthescientificcommunitymorefullyinnationalandinternational
activitiestosupporteffortstowardssustainabledevelopment;

18.Invitesthegoverningbodiesoftheorgans,organizationsand
programmesoftheUnitedNationssystemtoreport,asappropriate,throughthe
EconomicandSocialCouncil,totheGeneralAssembly,notlaterthanatits
fortyfourthsession,onprogressmadeintheirorganizationstowards
sustainabledevelopment,andtomakesuchreportsavailabletotheGoverning
CounciloftheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgrammeatitsnextregular
session;

19.AlsoinvitestheGoverningCounciloftheUnitedNationsEnvironment
Programmetoprovidecommentsonmattersconcerningprogressonsustainable
developmentthatfallwithinitsmandate,ontheabovementionedreportsand
onotherdevelopments,forsubmissiontotheEconomicandSocialCouncilat
itssecondregularsessionof1989andtotheGeneralAssemblyatits
fortyfourthsession;

20.RequeststheSecretaryGeneraltosubmittotheGeneralAssemblyat
itsfortythirdsession,throughtheEconomicandSocialCouncil,aprogress
reporton
theimplementationofthepresentresolutionandtotheAssemblyatits
fortyfourthsessionaconsolidatedreportonthesamesubject;
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21.Decidestoincludeintheprovisionalagendaofitsfortythird
sessionasubitementitled"Alongtermstrategyforsustainableand
environmentallysounddevelopment"undertheagendaitementitled"Development
andinternationaleconomiccooperation".

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Datelastposted:16December199913:50:10
Commentsandsuggestions:esa@un.org

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