Decision 4/3. Demographic dynamics and sustainability

1. The Commission on Sustainable Development takes note of the report of the
Secretary-General on demographic dynamics and sustainability (E/CN.17/1996/10
and Corr.1 and Add.1), which includes information on a broad range of factors
that have been shown to have a significant impact on demographic variables and
on population and sustainable development policies in general, taking into
account the outcome of the International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD). 8/ The Commission acknowledges the importance of actions
taken by Governments in support of the formulation and implementation of
national population policies and programmes. The Commission notes with
satisfaction that greater importance is being attached to population questions
and to the need to integrate population factors into environment and development
planning, according to information obtained from field offices by the Task Force
on ICPD Implementation of the United Nations Population Fund. The Commission
also welcomes the activities and measures undertaken by non-governmental
organizations and organizations of the United Nations system as a follow-up to
chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development. 9/

2. In view of the continuing relevance of the proposals made at its third
session, the Commission reaffirmed the decisions made at that session on the
further implementation of chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development.

3. The Commission encourages Governments, regional and international
organizations and non-governmental organizations to continue to develop, conduct
or support research studies on gender-sensitive analysis and the linkages
between population, poverty, consumption and production, environment and natural
resources, education and health as a guide to effective sustainable development.

4. In order to give greater visibility to the critical linkages between
population issues and developmental and environmental issues, and to increase
people?s understanding of such linkages, the Commission encourages Governments
and non-governmental organizations, and the relevant organizations of the United
Nations system, to formulate and implement effective information, education and
communication strategies that take into account such linkages, thereby creating
the necessary conditions for the rapid achievement of the goals of Agenda 21 and
the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development.

5. The Commission stresses the importance of the full and equal participation
of women in all aspects of sustainable development planning and programmes, as
called for in the Beijing Platform for Action, 7/ and emphasizes the need for
Governments to integrate women, on an equal basis with men, in decision-making
regarding sustainable resource management and the development of policies and
programmes for population and sustainable development. The Commission urges
Governments, United Nations system organizations and non-governmental
organizations to mainstream a gender perspective, including gender-sensitive
analysis, inter alia, as an essential step in the development and monitoring of
sustainable development policies.

6. The Commission suggests to the Economic and Social Council that it examine
the division of labour between the Commission on Population and Development and
the Commission on Sustainable Development in the future consideration of the
issue of population and sustainable development, taking into account the link
between chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development.

7. Demographic dynamics and sustainability

83. The Commission on Sustainable Development takes note of the report of the
Secretary-General on demographic dynamics and sustainability (E/CN.17/1995/15),
including the proposals for action contained therein. Within this context, the
Commission urges Governments to implement fully the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development 17/ and emphasizes as
well the importance of the follow-up mechanism defined in General Assembly
resolution 49/128 to monitor implementation at the national, regional and
international levels.

84. The Commission fully acknowledges that population, poverty, health,
education, technology, patterns of production and consumption and the
environment are closely interconnected. There is therefore a need to achieve a
sustainable relationship among population, resources and development. The
Commission stresses the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of
sustainable development planning and programmes. The Commission furthermore
recognizes that chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of
Action of the International Conference on Population and Development reinforce
one another, and together form a comprehensive and compelling up-to-date account
as to what needs to be done about the interface among population, environment
and sustainable development.

85. The Commission thus welcomes chapter III of the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development which calls on
Governments, with the support of the international community and regional and
subregional organizations, to formulate and implement population-related
policies and programmes to support the objectives and actions agreed in
Agenda 21 and other conferences and other international agreements, taking into
account the common but differentiated responsibilities reflected in those
agreements.

86. The Commission acknowledges that many of the linkages among population,
environment and development need further study. The national reports of the
developing countries contain useful information on these linkages.

87. The Commission recommends that Governments, international organizations and
other relevant bodies undertake research on the linkages among population,
poverty, consumption and production, environment and natural resources,
education and human health as a guide to effective sustainable development
policies.

88. Although the Commission notes that the integration of population concerns
into national planning poses some challenges, it commends the accomplishments of
the last two decades in the formation of central government institutions charged
with the implementation of comprehensive population-related policies and
programmes. The Commission on Sustainable Development welcomes the fact that
more recently steps have been taken to integrate population issues into other
levels of development planning.

89. The Commission recommends to Governments that they reinforce their efforts
at institution-building in the field of population, environment and developmentrelated
policies with a view to achieving prompt integration of population
concerns into sustainable development planning and policies.

90. The Commission urges regional intergovernmental organizations, United
Nations system organizations, funds and programmes, and non-governmental
organizations to make further progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and
the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development.

91. The Commission notes with concern that, due to cumulative effects of global
and local environmental degradation, populations are at risk in some areas. The
Commission therefore invites the Commission on Population and Development, with
the assistance of UNDP, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNEP and
other relevant institutions, to prepare at reasonable intervals a report on
populations at risk because of environmental degradation and their needs for
additional assistance, including from the international community.

92. The Commission notes the growing awareness of the linkages among
development, environmental protection and the empowerment of women. In
accordance with decisions taken at relevant United Nations conferences, it calls
upon Governments, organizations of the United Nations system and major groups to
give particular attention to the need to involve women in decision-making at all
levels of population- and sustainable development-related strategies, policies,
projects and programmes. The Commission also calls for the further promotion of
measures directed at empowerment of women, ensuring their full access to
literacy, education and training, and health, and at the removal of all
obstacles to their access to credit and other productive resources and to their
ability to buy, hold and sell property and land equally with men. Such
empowerment is an important factor in influencing demographic trends and
sustainability.

93. The Commission recognizes the important role that non-governmental
organizations have played in Rio de Janeiro and in Cairo and play locally, and
encourages them to increase their communications, cooperation and coordination
at the local, regional and international levels with a view to enhancing their
contribution to the mutual understanding of issues related to population and
development and facilitating their active participation in the implementation of
chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter III of the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development.

94. The Commission calls upon all countries to consider making contributions to
the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on
Population and Development, taking into account the provisions of chapters XIII
and XIV of the Programme of Action, and the economic constraints faced by
developing countries, and urges the international community to promote a
supportive international economic environment.

95. The Commission also recognizes that the effective implementation of the
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development will require an increased commitment of financial resources, both
domestically and externally, and within this context calls upon the developed
countries to complement the national financial efforts of developing countries
on population and development and to intensify their efforts to transfer new and
additional resources to the developing countries, in accordance with the
relevant provisions of the Programme of Action of the International Conference
on Population and Development, in order to ensure that population and
development objectives and goals are met.

96. The Commission recommends that the Economic and Social Council, when
considering a common framework for the implementation of the outcome of United
Nations conferences in the economic and social field, examine how to ensure
synergy and cooperation between the Commission on Sustainable Development and
the Commission on Population and Development.