English Abstract Five years have passed since the 'United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)'. An interim balance has
now been drawn up to see what has been done to meet the ambitious challenges
adopted in Agenda 21 during this conference? Such a balance is presented in
this report and the complementary brochure, 'Developments in
Sustainability', reflecting societal developments and changes in
environmental quality, as well as changes in responses to environmental
concerns. Many countries, in most global regions, have experienced growth
in their national incomes during the past five years. However, this has
increased inequity between countries. A smaller proportion of the global
population now lives below the absolute poverty line, but the absolute
numbers are larger than in the 1980s. Not much progress can be reported on
the state of the global environment. Emissions of carbon dioxide have
increased, inter alia, as a result of slowing down the rate of improvement
in energy efficiency. Scarcity of land and water has further increased.
Natural areas are diminishing rapidly due to extensive conversion to
agricultural land. Worldwide, much experience in policy responses has been
built up in the last five years. This has included introduction of
environmental policy instruments such as environmental impact assessment,
market-oriented policy and communicative tools. Much more knowledge is now
available on the do's and don'ts of various responses. A good example is
formed by subsidy reforms, thought to be extremely important. Experience is
not always implemented, in particular, in low-income countries, where lack
of capacity for enforcement is an important handicap. Although most global
environmental conventions have seen progress in understanding and
procedures, only the agreement on the protection of the ozone layer has so
far resulted in a discernible reduction in environmental pressure. The
mobilisation of resources from high-income countries to promote
implementation of Agenda 21 in low-income countries has not met the funding
requirements. On the other hand, total investments in low- and
middle-income countries have grown to a level comparable to the costs
estimated as being necessary for implementing Agenda 21. Harnessing these
capital flows will become important for future financing of sustainable
development. There are large regional differences, clearly seen when
comparing developments at global, European and national (The Netherlands)
levels. Different environmental concerns are given priority in accordance
with social and economic development, and trends in environmental
policy-making. Considerable action will therefore still be required at all
levels to come closer to sustainable development, the objective of Agenda
21. Progress on several issues is at the moment either too slow, unknown or
simply non-existent.
Rapport in het kort
Vijf jaar na de 'United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED)' is een eerste balans opgemaakt van het
tijdens deze conferentie vastgestelde werkprogramma 'Agenda 21'. Deze
balans is vervat in dit rapport en de bijbehorende brochure 'Ontwikkelingen
in duurzaamheid' en betreft zowel de feitelijke maatschappelijke
ontwikkelingen en verandering van milieukwaliteit als de ontwikkelingen in
het beleid. Veel wereldregio's hebben in de afgelopen vijf jaar economische
groei ervaren. Tegelijkertijd is echter ongelijkheid tussen landen
toegnomen. Een groter aantal mensen leeft onder de absolute armoede grens
dan in de jaren tachtig. In de toestand van het milieu valt wereldwijd
weinig verbetering te zien. De emissies van koolstofdioxide zijn
toegenomen. De schaarste van land en water is verder toegenomen. De
natuurlijke gebieden worden bedreigd door omzetting in landbouwgrond. Er is
in de afgelopen jaren wel meer ervaring opgebouwd met milieubeleid.
Toepassing van de opgedane ervaring vindt echter nog lang niet altijd
plaats. Met name in ontwikkelingslanden speelt gebrek aan capaciteit voor
handhaving hierbij een belangrijke rol. Bij de mondiale milieuconventies is
belangrijke procedurele vooruitgang geboekt. Slechts voor de conventie voor
de bescherming van de ozonlaag kan ook daadwerkelijke verbetering van het
milieuprobleem worden gemeld. De bijdrage van rijke landen ter financiering
van duurzame ontwikkeling in arme landen is minder dan vijf jaar geleden
noodzakelijk werd geacht. Geconcludeerd kan worden dat op alle
schaalniveaus nog veel activiteit nodig is om de doelstelling te halen van
Agenda 21: duurzame ontwikkeling.
