It was a privilege for Sweden to host the first Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Malmö on 29-31 May 2000. This meeting was the culmination of several years of efforts to provide a new departure for UNEP at the threshold of the new millennium. In my judgement, the around 100 environment ministers that attended the Forum managed to do just that. Their massive attendance and active participation was clear evidence of their commitment to play a stronger role in the implementation of the goals and objectives of UNEP as the leading global environmental authority.

With its origins in the Stockholm Conference 28 years ago, UNEP has been an indispensable advocate for the global environment with many great achievements to its credit, notably in international environmental law. Yet, there have been uncertainties as to its role and identity, particularly in the years immediately following the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Starting with the Nairobi Declaration in 1997 and underpinned by the farsighted leadership of the Executive Director, Dr. Klaus Töpfer, this unfortunate state of affairs has been gradually dispelled. I am most pleased that the Forum so convincingly confirmed these encouraging developments. This was urgently needed in view of the extraordinary challenges confronting us.

I was attracted by the innovative format of roundtable informal ministerial consultations, exclusive to heads of delegations. This presented an opportunity to pursue an unusually straightforward and productive debate for more than ten hours in total. Through live broadcast, delegates, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and media could follow the dialogues on wide screen next door. UNEP’s experiment in Malmö with such innovative procedures clearly has a precedent-setting potential in our common quest to improve global decision-making.

The agenda reflected the key role of the Governing Council in its new format to make more room for strategic discussions and to review important and emerging policy issues. Three themes were considered in the consultations, each with an introduction by eminent keynote speakers. The point of departure for the first theme ‘Major environmental challenges in the new century’ , was UNEP’s GEO 2000 report with its solid and deeply troubling assessment of the state of the global environment. I was struck by the unity with which ministers declared that both the problems and their solutions are well known  it is more vigorous action that is now needed.

Forceful message

The Malmö Declaration was prepared in a parallel process, linked to the three ministerial dialogues. This is a rich document which sends a forceful message to the Millennium Assembly and to the 2002 review of Agenda 21. I would like to pay tribute to delegations for the resolve they showed in producing a document of this political importance and complexity in the extremely short time available. As the full text of the Declaration is reproduced in this issue of Our Planet, I will limit myself to three observations.

The most important message of the Malmö Declaration is that the growing trends of environmental degradation that threaten the sustainability of our planet must be arrested and reversed in a spirit of international partnership and solidarity. With a sincerity that is not often found in this type of document, ministers and heads of delegations note that there is an alarming discrepancy between commitments and action. Agreed goals and targets must be implemented without delay, with mechanisms in place to ensure compliance, enforcement and liability. The Declaration recognizes that the ‘mobilization of domestic and international resources, including development assistance, far beyond current levels is vital to the success of this endeavour.’

I also welcome that the Declaration so clearly addresses the need for new partnerships in a globalizing world, particularly the public/private relationship. Putting the unprecedented financial and human resources that are now available in the new economy in the service of sustainable development will be another key to success. The Global Compact established by the Secretary-General with the private sector is an encouraging initiative. The Declaration asks UNEP to enhance its engagement in this important area.

The task ahead

Finally, I am gratified that the Declaration makes such a substantive input to the preparations for the 2002 review of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. It captures the task ahead in a nutshell. In the words of the Declaration, the 2002 summit should address ‘the pervasive effects of the burden of poverty on a large proportion of the Earth’s inhabitants, counterposed against excessive and wasteful consumption and inefficient resource use that perpetuate the vicious circle of environmental degradation and increasing poverty’. Governments are requested urgently to pursue the ratification of all environmental conventions and protocols. Considerable efforts will also have to be devoted in the preparatory process to the justified call for a greatly strengthened institutional structure for international environmental governance, with an increased role for UNEP. The assessment called for in this connection should be undertaken by UNEP at the earliest possible moment.

With the adoption of this Ministerial Declaration, I feel that a significant step forward has been taken in addressing the critical issues confronting us. As is so strongly underlined in the Declaration itself, the success of this endeavour can only be judged on the merits of our own actions at all levels