International efforts for environment

protection
 Twenty-eighth session
Agenda item 51
Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly

3082 (XXVIII). Charter of Economic Rights and

Duties of States
• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in its resolution 45
(III) of 18 May 1972,decided to establish a Working Group of governmental
representatives to draw up a draft Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of
States.
• It decided to enlarge the composition of the Working Group on the Charter of
Economic Rights and Duties of States in its resolution 3037 (XXVII) of 19
December 1972.

In the light of the above facts, the following were the key points of session 29 held
on 6 Oct 1973…

1. Decides to extend the mandate of the Working Group as established by

resolution 45 (III) of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
 Cont…..

2. Further decides that the Working Group shall hold two sessions in 1974, each of
three weeks' duration, as recommended by the Trade and Development Board
in
its decision 98 (XIII) of 8 September 1973

3. Urges the Working Group to complete the elaboration of a final draft Charter of

Economic Rights and Duties of States, to be considered and approved by the

General Assembly at its twenty-ninth session

4. Requests the Trade and Development Board to examine at its fourteenth session

the report of the Working Group and to transmit it to the General Assembly
together with its comments and suggestions

5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its twenty-ninth session an item

 Twenty-ninth session
Agenda item 48
Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly

3281 (XXIX). Charter of Economic Rights and

Duties of States
• Noting that, in its resolution 3082 (XXVIII) of 6 December 1973, it reaffirmed its
conviction of the urgent need to establish or improve norms of universal
application for the development of international economic relations on a just
and equitable basis

• Having examined the report of the Working Group on the Charter of Economic
Rights and Duties of States on its fourth session, transmitted to the Generally
Assembly by the Trade and Development Board at its fourteenth session.

• The Working Group on the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States
which assembled the elements required for the completion and adoption of the
Charter of Economic Rights and Duties at the twenty-ninth session of the
General Assembly, as previously recommended.

Hence the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States was adopted
and solemnly proclaimed on 12 December 1974
 Significance of the Charter
• The fundamental purpose of the Charter was to promote the establishment
of the new international economic order, based on equality, sovereign
equality, interdependence, common interest and co-operation among all
States, irrespective of their economic and social systems.

• Developed countries should grant

generalized preferential, non-reciprocal and
non-discriminatory treatment to developing
countries in those fields of international
economic co-operation

• All States have the duty to contribute to the

balanced expansion of the world economy

• The Charter of Economic Rights and UNCTAD Working Group Approves

Duties of States that establish the
Articles of Charter of Economic
basis of the New International
Rights and Duties of States
Economic Order
 Chapter 1:
Fundamentals of International
Economic Relations
 Important Articles
Article 2
Every State has and shall freely exercise full permanent sovereignty, including
possession, use and disposal, over all its wealth, natural resources and economic
activities.

Article 3
In the exploitation of natural resources shared by two or more countries, each
State must co-operate on the basis of a system of information and prior
consultations in order to achieve optimum use of such resources without causing
damage to the legitimate interest of others.

Article 15
All States have the duty to promote the achievement of general and complete
disarmament under effective international control and to utilize the resources
released by effective disarmament measures for the economic and social
development of countries, allocating a substantial portion of such resources as
additional means for the development needs of developing countries.
Article 29
The sea-bed and ocean floor and the subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of
national jurisdiction, as well as the resources of the area, are the common
heritage of mankind. On the basis of the principles adopted by the General
Assembly in resolution 2749 (XXV) of 17 December 1970, all States shall
ensure that the exploration of the area and exploitation of its resources are
carried out exclusively for peaceful purposes and that the benefits derived
therefore are shared equitably by all States

Article 30
The protection, preservation and enhancement of the environment for the
present and future generations is the responsibility of all States. All States
shall endeavour to establish their own environment and development
policies in conformity with such responsibility. The environmental policies
of all States should enhance and not adversely affect the present and future
development potential of developing countries. All States have the
responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do
not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond
the limits of national jurisdiction. All States should co-operate in evolving
international norms and regulations in the field of the environment.
UN-Habitat Conference on
Human settlement of 1976
 The Vancouver Declaration On
Human Settlements
PREAMBLE: “unacceptable human settlements circumstances are likely to be
aggravated by inequitable economic growth and uncontrolled urbanization,
unless positive and concrete action is taken at national and international levels”.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES:

• The improvement of the quality of life of human beings is the first and most
important objective of every human settlement policy.

• Every State has the right to exercise full and permanent sovereignty over its
wealth, natural resources and economic activities, adopting the necessary
measures for the planning and management of its resources, providing for the
protection, preservation and enhancement of the environment.

• The nations must avoid the pollution of the biosphere and the oceans and should
join in the effort to end irrational exploitation of all environmental resources,
whether non-renewable or renewable in the long term.
GUIDELINES FOR ACTION:

• It is recommended that Governments and international organizations

should make every effort to take urgent action as set out in the
Guidelines.
• It states that “adequate shelter and services are a basic human right”
and that “governments should assist local authorities to participate to a
greater extent in national development”.

The signing ceremony and a press A view of the presiding table at this
conference at the conclusion of the morning's General Committee
Habitat Conference meeting held in Conference Room C
in the Hotel Vancouver.
 The Vancouver Action Plan

The substantive outcomes of the Habitat Conference are a series of

64 recommendations for National Action and a 44-page “Action Plan”.
These recommendations are organized in six sections.

A view of the presiding table during the

meeting of Committee I this evening.