Preliminary Comments on the Chairman’s Paper dated 9 May 2002 Fourth Session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development

CIEL argues that the draft Chairman's paper lacks essential references to human rights and community-based property rights, and fails to adequately regulate biotechnology and intellectual property. The organization proposes specific targets for renewable energy portfolios for export credit agencies and multilateral development banks, and calls for binding international guidelines to mitigate the social and environmental impacts of infrastructure projects funded by export credit agencies.

• CIEL recommends that the document explicitly recognize human rights as both a means and an end of sustainable development, noting that they are currently absent from Sections I-IX.
• The document suggests replacing the term 'tenure' with 'community-based property rights' (CBPRs) to better secure legal recognition for indigenous and other local communities who depend on rural natural resources.
• CIEL expresses concern that current intellectual property agreements may favor producers in the North over users in the South, potentially undermining the transfer and dissemination of technology necessary for sustainable development.
• The organization proposes that export credit agencies (ECAs) and multilateral development banks establish renewable energy portfolio targets of 20% by 2015.
• CIEL argues for the implementation of binding international guidelines for export credit agencies to ensure that social and environmental impacts of supported projects are minimized through transparent and participatory impact assessments.
• The document highlights a significant gap regarding biotechnology, arguing that it should be regulated rigorously at the national level and through international laws to prevent irreversible harm to the biosphere and human health.
• CIEL suggests that the liberalization of international trade in services must be preceded by comprehensive assessments to prevent negative impacts on public health, the environment, and the ability of governments to pursue domestic policy objectives.
• The statement calls for a shift in investment from mineral extraction toward resource conservation, reuse, and recycling.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2002). Preliminary Comments on the Chairman’s Paper dated 9 May 2002 Fourth Session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Comments_9may02_Chairman.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Preliminary Comments on the Chairman’s Paper dated 9 May 2002 Fourth Session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. 2002. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Comments_9may02_Chairman.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Preliminary Comments on the Chairman’s Paper dated 9 May 2002 Fourth Session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development |date=1 May 2002 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Comments_9may02_Chairman.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2002preliminary, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Preliminary Comments on the Chairman’s Paper dated 9 May 2002 Fourth Session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2002}, month = may, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Comments_9may02_Chairman.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }