UNITED NATIONS	HS
	Commission on Human Settlements	Distr. LIMITED HS/C/17/L.17 12 May 1999 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

The Commission on Human Settlements

Recalling its resolution 16/24 of 6 May 1997, calling upon the General Assembly at its special session to take into account the message of the Habitat Agenda 1/ and the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements 2/ in order to secure sustainable human settlements and safe and healthy living conditions in an increasingly urbanizing world,

Recalling also that, by the same resolution, the Commission requested the Executive Director to submit his report on the implementation of Agenda 21 3/ to the special session of the General Assembly, together with the comments made on it by the Commission,

Aware that, at its nineteenth special session, held from 23 to 28 June 1997, the General Assembly adopted the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, as contained in the annex to resolution S-19/2 of 28 June 1997,

Reaffirming the concern expressed in paragraph 32 of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 that global urbanization is a cross-sectoral phenomenon that has an impact on all aspects of sustainable development,

Recognizing the synergy that can be established in cities and communities in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and local Agenda 21 initiatives, by linking operational and normative activities and promoting cooperation at national, regional and global levels,

Recognizing also the importance for integration in all sectors, including energy and transport, water use and waste management, and the need for international cooperation in support of national efforts,

Noting with appreciation the effort of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) in following up the outcome of the special session of the General Assembly, particularly in the implementation of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, as outlined in the report of the Executive Director on the follow-up to the special session of the General Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21, 4/

1. Reaffirms those calls for action as outlined in the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 to implement the commitments made at the United National Conference on Human Settlement (Habitat II) and for new and additional resources from all sources necessary to achieve the goals of adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development;

2. Calls upon Governments to adopt policies and to establish appropriate facilitating mechanisms for coordinated implementation at the local level of the Habitat Agenda and local Agenda 21 initiatives, including:

    (a) Promoting community development, improving access to security of land tenure, housing and basic services, and the full integration of people living in poverty into economic, social and political life, which are crucial to sustainable development;

    (b) Enabling all people to achieve a higher level of health and well-being through an integrated approach in the provision of basic services with a view to improving community health and eliminating unsafe uses of lead, including the use of lead in gasoline;

    (c) Promoting best practices and supporting sustainable consumption of energy, water and forest-based resources and the recycling and reuse of waste in cities,

3. Also calls upon Governments, where appropriate, to promote and support partnerships of all interested parties, particularly the private sector and community groups, in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and Agenda 21 at the local level;

4. Emphasizes the role of the international community and external assistance to developing countries and countries with economies in transition in improving the quality of information on the impact of urbanization on all aspects of sustainable development, in sharing of information on the use of economic instruments and in the transfer and dissemination of environmentally sound technology;

5. Invites the Executive Director, within available resources, and in coordination with other external support agencies both within and outside the United Nations system, to support Governments by, inter alia:

    (a) Intensifying research, monitoring and evaluation of progress in the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 at the local level, particularly in areas where such implementation is coordinated with local implementation of the Habitat Agenda;

    (b) Promoting and facilitating exchange of information and the transfer of expertise on best practices and on national and local initiatives on sustainable human settlements development;

    (c) Building capacity at the national and local levels and mobilizing financial and technical support from the international community to strengthen the means of implementation of developing countries and countries with economies in transition;

6. Requests the Executive Director to report on the implementation of the present resolution in his progress report to the Commission on Human Settlements at its eighteenth session.

2/    Report of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), Istanbul, 3-14 June 1996 (A/CONF.165/14).

3/    HS/C/16/15.

4/    HS/C/17/4.