i. Promote understanding among policy makers of the adverse consequences of unplanned
settlements in environmentally vulnerable areas and of the appropriate national and local
land-use and settlements policies required for this purpose.
7.31. At the international level, global coordination of land -resource management activities should be
strengthened by the various bilateral and multilateral agencies and programmes, such as UNDP, FAO,
the World Bank, the regional development banks, other interested organizations and the UNDP/World
Bank/Habitat Urban Management Programme, and action should be taken to promote the transfer of
applicable experience on sustainable land -management practices to and among developing countries.
Means of implementation
(a) Financing and cost e valuation
7.32. The Conference secretariat has estimated the average total annual cost (1993 -2000) of
implementing the activities of this programme to be about $3 billion, including about $300 million
from the international community on grant or concessional t erms. These are indicative and order -of-
magnitude estimates only and have not been reviewed by Governments. Actual costs and financial
terms, including any that are non -concessional, will depend upon, inter alia, the specific strategies and
programmes Governments decide upon for implementation.
(b) Scientific and technological means
7.33. All countries, particularly developing countries, alone or in regional or subregional groupings, should be given access to modern techniques of land -resource management, such as geographical information systems, satellite photography/imagery and other remote -sensing technologies.
(c) Human resource development and capacity -building
7.34. Environmentally focused training activities in sustainable land -resources planning and
management should be undertaken in all countries, with developing countries being given assistance
through international support and funding agencies in order to:
a. Strengthen the capacity of national, state/provincial and local educational research and
training institutions to provide formal training of land -management technicians and
professionals;
b. Facilitate the organizational review of government ministries and agencies responsible
for land questions, in order to devise more efficient mechanisms of land -resource
management, and carry out periodic in -service refresher courses for the managers and
staff of such ministries and agencies in order to familiarize them with up -to-date land -
resource-management technologies;
c. Where appropriate, provide such agencies wi th modern equipment, such as computer
hardware and software and survey equipment;
d. Strengthen existing programmes and promote an international and interregional exchange
of information and experience in land management through the establishment of
professional associations in land -management sciences and related activities, such as
workshops and seminars.
D. Promoting the integrated provision of environmental infrastructure: water, sanitation, drainage
and solid-waste management
Basis for action
7.35. The sustainability of urban development is defined by many parameters relating to the availability of water supplies, air quality and the provision of environmental infrastructure for sanitation and waste management. As a result of the density of users, urbaniza tion, if properly managed, offers unique opportunities for the supply of sustainable environmental infrastructure through adequate pricing policies, educational programmes and equitable access mechanisms that are economically and environmentally sound. In most developing countries, however, the inadequacy and lack of environmental infrastructure is responsible for widespread ill -health and a large number of preventable deaths each year. In those countries conditions are set to worsen due to growing needs th at exceed the capacity of Governments to respond adequately.
7.36. An integrated approach to the provision of environmentally sound infrastructure in human
settlements, in particular for the urban and rural poor, is an investment in sustainable development that
can improve the quality of life, increase productivity, improve health and reduce the burden of
investments in curative medicine and poverty alleviation.
7.37. Most of the activities whose management would be improved by an integrated approach, are covered in Agenda 21 as follows: chapter 6 (Protecting and promoting human health conditions), chapters 9 (Protecting the atmosphere), 18 (Protecting the quality and supply of freshwater resources) and 21 (Environmentally sound management of solid wastes and sewage -related issues).
Objective
7.38. The objective is to ensure the provision of adequate environmental infrastructure facilities in all settlements by the year 2025. The achievement of this objective would require that all developing countries incorporate in their national strategies programmes to build the necessary technical, financial and human resource capacity aimed at ensuring better integration of infrastructure and environmental planning by the year 2000.
Activities
7.39. All countries should assess the environmental suitability of infrastructure in human settlements, develop national goals for sustainable management of waste, and implement environmentally sound technology to ensure that the environment, human health and quality of life are protected. Set tlement infrastructure and environmental programmes designed to promote an integrated human settlements approach to the planning, development, maintenance and management of environmental infrastructure (water supply, sanitation, drainage, solid -waste management) should be strengthened with the assistance of bilateral and multilateral agencies. Coordination among these agencies and with collaboration from international and national representatives of local authorities, the private sector and community groups should also be strengthened. The activities of all agencies engaged in providing environmental infrastructure should, where possible, reflect an ecosystem or metropolitan area approach to settlements and should include monitoring, applied research, capaci ty-building, transfer of appropriate technology and technical cooperation among the range of programme activities.
7.40. Developing countries should be assisted at the national and local levels in adopting an integrated approach to the provision of water suppl y, energy, sanitation, drainage and solid -waste management, and external funding agencies should ensure that this approach is applied in particular to environmental infrastructure improvement in informal settlements based on regulations and standards that take into account the living conditions and resources of the communities to be served.
7.41. All countries should, as appropriate, adopt the following principles for the provision of
environmental infrastructure:
a. Adopt policies that minimize if not altogether avoid environmental damage, whenever
possible;
b. Ensure that relevant decisions are preceded by environmental impact assessments and
also take into account the costs of any ecological consequences;
c. Promote development in accordance with indigenous practic es and adopt technologies
appropriate to local conditions;
d. Promote policies aimed at recovering the actual cost of infrastructure services, while at
the same time recognizing the need to find suitable approaches (including subsidies) to
extend basic servi ces to all households;
e. Seek joint solutions to environmental problems that affect several localities.
7.42. The dissemination of information from existing programmes should be facilitated and encouraged
among interested countries and local institutions.
Means of implementation
(a) Financing and cost evaluation
7.43. The Conference secretariat has estimated most of the costs of implementing the activities of this programme in other chapters. The secretariat estimates the average total annual cost (1993 -2000) of technical assistance from the international community grant or concessional terms to be about $50 million. These are indicative and order -of-magnitude estimates only and have not been reviewed by Governments. Actual costs and financial terms, including any that are non-concessional, will depend upon, inter alia, the specific strategies and programmes Governments decide upon for implementation.
(b) Scientific and technological means
7.44. Scientific and technological means within the existing programmes should be coordinated
wherever possible and should:
a. Accelerate research in the area of integrated policies of environmental infrastructure
programmes and projects based on cost/benefit analysis and overall environmental
impact;
b. Promote methods of assessing "ef fective demand", utilizing environment and
development data as criteria for selecting technology.
(c) Human resource development and capacity -building
7.45. With the assistance and support of funding agencies, all countries should, as appropriate,
undertake training and popular participation programmes aimed at:
a. Raising awareness of the means, approaches and benefits of the provision of
environmental infrastructure facilities, especially among indigenous people, women, low -
income groups and the poor;
b. Developing a cadre of professionals with adequate skills in integrated infrastructural
service planning and maintenance of resource -efficient, environmentally sound and
socially acceptable systems;
c. Strengthening the institutional capacity of local authorities an d administrators in the
integrated provision of adequate infrastructure services in partnership with local
communities and the private sector;
d. Adopting appropriate legal and regulatory instruments, including cross -subsidy
arrangements, to extend the benef its of adequate and affordable environmental
infrastructure to unserved population groups, especially the poor.
E. Promoting sustainable energy and transport systems in human settlements
Basis for action
7.46. Most of the commercial and non -commercial energy produced today is used in and for human settlements, and a substantial percentage of it is used by the household sector. Developing countries are at present faced with the need to increase their energy production to accelerate development and raise the living standards of their populations, while at the same time reducing energy production costs and energy-related pollution. Increasing the efficiency of energy use to reduce its polluting effects and to promote the use of renewable energies must be a prior ity in any action taken to protect the urban environment.
7.47. Developed countries, as the largest consumers of energy, are faced with the need for energy planning and management, promoting renewable and alternate sources of energy, and evaluating the life-cycle costs of current systems and practices as a result of which many metropolitan areas are suffering from pervasive air quality problems related to ozone, particulate matters and carbon monoxide. The causes have much to do with technological inadequacies and with an increasing fuel consumption generated by inefficiencies, high demographic and industrial concentrations and a rapid expansion in the number of motor vehicles.
7.48. Transport accounts for about 30 per cent of commercial energy consumption and for a bout 60 per cent of total global consumption of liquid petroleum. In developing countries, rapid motorization and insufficient investments in urban -transport planning, traffic management and infrastructure, are creating increasing problems in terms of acci dents and injury, health, noise, congestion and loss of productivity similar to those occurring in many developed countries. All of these problems have a severe impact on urban populations, particularly the low -income and no-income groups.
Objectives
7.49. The objectives are to extend the provision of more energy -efficient technology and alternative/renewable energy for human settlements and to reduce negative impacts of energy production and use on human health and on the environment.
Activities
7.50. The principal activities relevant to this programme area are included in chapter 9 (Protection of the atmosphere), programme area B, subprogramme 1 (Energy development, efficiency and consumption) and subprogramme 2 (Transportation).
7.51. A comprehensive approach to human settlements development should include the promotion of
sustainable energy development in all countries, as follows:
a. Developing countries, in particular, should:
i. Formulate national action programmes to promote and support
reafforestation and nation al forest regeneration with a view to achieving
sustained provision of the biomass energy needs of the low -income groups
in urban areas and the rural poor, in particular women and children;
ii. Formulate national action programmes to promote integrated develo pment
of energy-saving and renewable energy technologies, particularly for the
use of solar, hydro, wind and biomass sources;
iii. Promote wide dissemination and commercialization of renewable energy
technologies through suitable measures, inter alia, fiscal a nd technology
transfer mechanisms;
iv.
Carry out information and training programmes directed at manufacturers
and users in order to promote energy -saving techniques and energy -efficient
appliances;
b.
International organizations and bilateral donors should:
i.
Support developing countries in implementing national energy programmes
in order to achieve widespread use of energy -saving and renewable energy
technologies, particularly the use of solar, wind, biomass and hydro sources;
ii.
Provide access to research and development results to increase energy-use
efficiency levels in human settlements.
7.52.
Promoting efficient and environmentally sound urban transport systems in all countries should be
a comprehensive approach to urban-transport planning and management. To this end, all countries
should:
a.
Integrate land-use and transportation planning to encourage development patterns
that reduce transport demand;
b.
Adopt urban-transport programmes favouring high-occupancy public transport in
countries, as appropriate;
c.
Encourage non-motorized modes of transport by providing safe cycleways and
footways in urban and suburban centres in countries, as appropriate;
d.
Devote particular attention to effective traffic management, efficient operation of
public transport and maintenance of transport infrastructure;
e.
Promote the exchange of information among countries and representatives of local
and metropolitan areas;
f.
Re-evaluate the present consumption and production patterns in order to reduce the
use of energy and national resources.
Means of implementation
(a) Financing and cost evaluation
7.53. The Conference secretariat has estimated the costs of implementing the activities of this programme in chapter 9 (Protection of the atmosphere).
(b) Human resource development and capacity-building
7.54.
In order to enhance the skills of energy service and transport professionals and institutions, all
countries should, as appropriate:
a.
Provide on-the-job and other training of government officials, planners, traffic
engineers and managers involved in the energy -service and transport section;
b.
Raise public awareness of the environmental impacts of transport and travel
behaviour through mass media campaigns and support for non-governmental and
community initiatives promoting the use of non-motorized transport, shared driving
and improved traffic safety measures;
c.
Strengthen regional, national, state/provincial, and private sector institutions that
provide education and training on energy service and urban transport planning and
management.
F. Promoting human settlement planning and management in disaster-prone areas