Supporting use of environmentally sound technology

Implementation

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.

Agenda 21 indicates that necessary support implies: (a) encouraging dissemination of existing environmentally sound technologies; (b) developing and applying environmentally sound technology relevant to specific activities, e.g. less-polluting technology for forest utilization; (c) promoting development and use of sources of energy which lessen pressure on ligneous resources, including alternative sources of energy and improved stoves; (d) promoting national policies to provide incentives to local people for the use and transfer of environment-friendly technologies and farming and conservation practices; (e) initiating and maintaining farm surveys, on-farm testing of appropriate technologies and dialogue with rural communities to identify constraints and bottlenecks and to find solutions.

Claim

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. Settlement 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, capacity-building, transfer of appropriate technology and technical cooperation among the range of programme activities.