| 1. |
We, the elected Heads of State and Government of the Americas, gathered
in Santa Cruz de la Sierra as decided at the Summit of the Americas held
in Miami in 1994, reaffirm our determination to move forward toward sustainable
development and to implement the decisions and commitments set forth in
the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21, which were adopted at the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. |
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We also reaffirm the commitments undertaken in the Declaration of Principles
and the Plan of Action of the Summit of the Americas. |
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We undertake to promote the agreements reached at the Global Conference
on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held
in Barbados in 1994, and recognize the importance of the principles enunciated
at recent United Nations conferences concerning sustainable development. |
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We support the efforts launched at the hemispheric, regional, and subregional
levels, such as the Central American Alliance for Sustainable Development,
the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, the Treaty
for Amazonian Cooperation, and the Permanent South Pacific Commission. |
| 2. |
We reaffirm that human beings are entitled to a healthy and productive
life in harmony with nature and, as such, are the focus of sustainable
development concerns. Development strategies need to include sustainability
as an essential requirement for the balanced, interdependent, and integral
attainment of economic, social, and environmental goals. |
| 3. |
One essential feature of the Americas is their natural and cultural
diversity. Our countries share a unique and rich political tradition grounded
in democratic values and significant potential for economic growth and
technological development in a context of open, market-based economies.
These characteristics are of fundamental importance for the promotion
of economic development and social welfare and for the preservation of
a healthy environment. |
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We will adopt policies and strategies that will encourage changes in
production and consumption patterns in order to attain sustainable development
and a better quality of life, as well as to preserve our natural environment
and contribute to the alleviation of poverty. |
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We reaffirm our commitment to the fundamental principle of the Charter
of the Organization of American States, restated at the Summit of the
Americas, that representative democracy is essential for peace, justice,
and development. Sustainable development requires that we strengthen and
promote our democratic institutions and values. |
| 4. |
Recognizing that globalization, efforts toward integration, and the
complexity of environmental issues pose challenges and offer opportunities
to the countries in the Hemisphere, we pledge to work together. |
| 5. |
We recognize that the needs and responsibilities facing the countries
of the Hemisphere today are diverse. Sustainable development does not
assume that all the countries are at the same level of development, have
the same capabilities, or can necessarily use the same model to attain
it. In view of the different contributions to global environmental degradation,
states have common but differentiated responsibilities in the global quest
for sustainable development. We should make efforts to ensure that the
benefits of sustainable development reach all countries in the Hemisphere,
in particular those that are less developed, and all segments of our populations. |
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We will give special attention to the small island states, whose environmental
vulnerability, especially with regard to natural disasters, is greater
owing to their geographic situation, their size, and the scale of their
economies, among other factors. |
| 6. |
The alleviation of poverty is an integral part of sustainable development.
The benefits of prosperity will only be attained through policies that
address the interrelationship between human beings and nature. In developing
policies and programs for sustainable development, special attention should
be given to the needs of indigenous people, minority communities, women,
youth, and children and to facilitating their full participation in the
development process. The living conditions of persons with disabilities
and the elderly also merit special attention. |
| 7. |
We will establish or strengthen our programs, policies, and institutional
frameworks in support of sustainable development objectives. National
efforts should be complemented by ongoing international cooperation in
furtherance of the commitments made at the Rio conference related to financial
resources, and the transfer of technology on fair and favorable terms,
including preferential terms, as mutually agreed. |
| 8. |
We will support and encourage, as a basic requisite for sustainable
development, broad participation by civil society in the decision-making
process, including policies and programs and their design, implementation,
and evaluation. To this end, we will promote the enhancement of institutional
mechanisms for public participation. |
| 9. |
This Summit Conference on Sustainable Development is the cornerstone
of a partnership for cooperation among the states of the Americas in their
common pursuit of a higher quality of life for their peoples, founded
on integrated and complementary economic, social, and environmental objectives. |
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Taking the current experience of our countries and region as a point
of departure, we hereby frame a plan of action that will commit the states
to timely action and ensure the availability of the resources needed for
that purpose. |
| 10. |
In keeping with the principles stated above, we emphasize the following
points regarding application of the Plan of Action for the Sustainable
Development of the Americas: |
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a. Equitable economic growth
| Implement effective and ongoing measures to ensure
that the international economic and financial system supports
the growth of local economies and their sustainable development
with a view to establishing greater social justice for all of
our peoples. |
| Reinforce the mutually supportive relationship between trade
and the environment by acting to conserve the environment, while
safeguarding anopen, equitable, and nondiscriminatory multilateral
trade system, taking into account the efforts currently being
deployed in this field by the Committee on Trade and Environment
of the World Trade Organization. We recognize the great need of
our countries to improve access to markets while maintaining effective
and appropriate environmental policies. In this regard, we will
avoid hidden trade restrictions, in accordance with the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World Trade Organization (GATT/WTO)
and other international obligations. |
| Full participation by the private sector--especially small,
medium-sized, and micro-enterprises, as well as cooperatives and
other forms of productive organization--in a sustainable development
strategy essential to take advantage of its resources and dynamism.
This strategy should balance comprehensive policies to address
environmental and development problems. |
b. Social dimensions
| There is an urgent need to intensify efforts to reduce the poverty
and the marginalization which broadly affect our societies, and
especially women and children. We will promote, through the relevant
measures and programs, including those established in the Plan
of Action, adequate levels of nutrition, a greater degree of food
security, equitable and effective access to basic health care
and drinking water and to employment and housing, and we will
seek to ensure pollution control and a clean environment for all
people, taking into account, in particular, the most vulnerable
groups. |
| We will also develop strategies that value human dignity while
respecting and fostering the cultural diversity of our societies,
gender equity, and educational programs promoting peace, democracy,
and respect for nature, with special attention to children and
young people. |
| In this context, the principles and priorities established in
the Pan American Charter: Health and Environment in Sustainable
Human Development will be put into practice as appropriate. |
c. A healthy environment
| Planning and decision-making for sustainable development require
understanding and integrating environmental considerations, as
well as social and economic factors. We will assess the environmental
impact of our policies, strategies, programs, and projects nationally
and in the framework of international agreements to ensure that
adverse environmental effects are identified, prevented, minimized,
or mitigated, as appropriate. |
d. Public participation
| We will promote increased opportunities for the expression of
ideas and the exchange of information and traditional knowledge
on sustainable development between groups, organizations, businesses,
and individuals, including indigenous people, as well as for their
effective participation in the formulation, adoption, and execution
of decisions that affect their lives. |
e. The development and transfer of technology
| The development, adoption, adaptation, and application of environmentally
sound, effective technology play an important role in ensuring
sustainable development. |
| To this end, efforts to promote the transfer of, and access
to, appropriate technology should continue in the Hemisphere.
We recognize the important role played by market-based mechanisms
and will promote opportunities for technology transfer through
training and cooperative work programs and through improved access
to sources of information. In addition, we will strengthen national
scientific and technological capacities, complemented by international
cooperation. |
f. Financing
| Implementation of the initiatives set forth in the Plan of Action
requires the mobilization of financial resources in keeping with
the commitments made at the Rio Summit. These should be complemented
with innovative financing mechanisms. |
| In this context, we highlight the importance of international
organizations and financial institutions in strongly supporting
the efforts of the Hemisphere. |
g. Strengthening of the legal framework
| Relations between countries of the Hemisphere, within the framework
of this partnership for sustainable development, will be grounded
in the rules and principles of international law. We will consider
the progress in international environmental law and promote the
reform and modernization of national laws, as appropriate, to
reflect sustainable development concepts. |
| We will also develop national mechanisms for effective enforcement
of applicable international and national laws and provisions. |
| We will seek to secure ratification of, or accession to, international
instruments on sustainable development and will fulfill all commitments
made therein. |
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