IUCN 19th General Assembly Proceedings 19th Session of the General Assembly of IUCN - The World Conservation Union Buenos Aires, Argentina 17-26 January 1994 4 9 9 1 S- E UICN R AI S O N E BU Unión Mundial para la Naturaleza PROCEEDINGS 19th Session of the General Assembly of IUCN - The World Conservation Union Buenos Aires, Argentina 17-26 January 1994 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources 1994 These proceedings have been assembled by Hugh Synge, Chief Rapporteur to the General Assembly. Rapportage of individual sessions was provided by Jill Blockhus, Françoise Burhenne, Jeremy Carew-Reid, Patrick Dugan, Don Gil- mour, Wendy Goldstein, Lothar Gündling, Peter Hislaire, Sarah Humphrey, Aban Kabraji, John McEachern, Nancy MacPherson, Rob Malpas, Patti Moore and Byron Swift. Rapportage in French was provided by Jean-Yves Pirot and Charles Doumenge, and in Spanish by Mariano Gimenez-Dixon and Enrique Lahmann. Rapportage of the 10 workshops was organized by Per Ryden. Additional help was provided by other members of IUCN staff. Hugh Synge thanks them all for their painstaking work and also thanks in particular Sir Shridath Ramphal, Sir Martin Holdgate, John Burke, Fiona Hanson, Ursula Hiltbrunner, Fayez Mikhail, Estelle Viguet, Morag White and John Williams for their help and contributions. The designations of material in this book and the geographical designations employed do not imply expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area, or concern- ing the delineation of its frontiers or boundaries. ISBN 2-8317-0226-7 © 1994, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Cover design by Reflet - Artwork for Business Printed by Gessler S.A., Sion, Switzerland Printed on wood-free, chlorine-free paper Available from: IUCN Communications Division Rue Mauverney 28 CH-1196 Gland Switzerland Foreword by the outgoing Director General, Dr Martin W. Holdgate The General Assembly of IUCN - The World Conser- Secretariat staff from offices in 22 countries were pres- vation Union is a unique parliament for the world ent, and over 700 Press were accredited. It was the conservation movement. It brings together delegates biggest such gathering in the history of IUCN. from the Union's more than 800 members, drawn from This volume of Proceedings summarizes the main over 100 countries around the world. They meet with events of the Assembly: the Plenary Sessions, special representatives of partner international organizations, presentations, Technical Meeting and Workshops. individual members of the IUCN Commissions, and The record shows that the Session was extremely observers from non-member bodies. People from important for many reasons. It adopted a new Mission governments, government agencies and non-govern- Statement for the World Conservation Union, and a mental organizations come together not only to dis- Strategy to put it into effect. That Mission Statement charge the formal business of the Union but also to emphasizes that IUCN works as a supporting, enab- consider global and regional environmental issues, ling, facilitating organization that seeks to "influence, and the actions that should be taken by the World encourage and assist societies throughout the world Conservation Union, its members, and the world com- to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and munity at large. to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable". IUCN is a conservation Since the inaugural meeting at Fontainebleau, organization, but recognizes that sustainable develop- France, in 1948, the General Assembly has met in ment processes are crucial if conservation is to be Brussels, Belgium (1950); Caracas, Venezuela (1952); achieved. Copenhagen, Denmark (1954); Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (1956); Athens, Greece (1958); War- The General Assembly elected a new President of saw, Poland (1960); Nairobi, Kenya (1963); Luzern, IUCN, Dr Jay Hair, President of the National Wildlife Switzerland (1966); New Delhi, India (1969); Banff, Federation of the United States of America. It recorded Canada (1972); Kinshasa, Zaire (1975); Ashkhabad, its warm thanks to the outgoing President, Sir Shri- USSR (1978); Christchurch, New Zealand (1981); dath Ramphal of Guyana. It elected a new Council, Madrid, Spain (1984); San Jose, Costa Rica (1988) and and endorsed a programme and budget for the next Perth, Australia (1990). It met in extraordinary session three years. It reviewed the roles of the six Commis- in Geneva, Switzerland, in April 1977 to review the sions—unique voluntary networks—and gave them Statutes of the Union. new mandates. All the Commissions held their own The 19th Session of the General Assembly was held meetings prior to the formal opening of the General from 17 to 26 January 1994, in Buenos Aires, Argenti- Assembly itself. The policy of decentralization and na, at the kind invitation of the His Excellency The regionalization of the Union's institutions which had President of the Republic of Argentina, Dr Carlos Saul been endorsed by the preceding Session in Australia Menem. Local arrangements were guided by the and carried forward energetically since then was Secretary of State for Natural Resources and the strongly reaffirmed. As a result of that process, the Human Environment, Dona Ing. Maria Julia Alsoga- number of IUCN staff based in the developing world ray. The theme of the Session was "Caring for the has increased by more than threefold in three years, Earth and its People"—a theme chosen to emphasize and Headquarters is now the base for only a third of the role of the ten Workshops in following up the the personnel. The Assembly also emphasized its ex- second World Conservation Strategy, Caring for the pectation that north-south balance would be sought in Earth: A Strategy for Sustainable Living, published by appointments to the institutions of IUCN. IUCN, the United Nations Environment Programme Meetings at regional and national levels are now and the World Wide Fund For Nature in 1991. The an established and increasing feature of the World General Assembly was attended by over 1100 partici- Conservation Union. The membership have made it pants from 109 countries. In addition, 144 IUCN clear that they want to be much more closely involved iii in the governance of their organization. The Pro- themes addressed in the Workshops will form the gramme is increasingly being made up from inputs basis of a book, and some Workshops will also lead to through Regional and Country Offices, and executed special publications. The Strategy of the Union is being in the regions with the direct involvement of member revised to take the points made in debate into account, organizations. This is clearly the pattern of the future. and it too will be published separately. And the There were ten Workshops in Buenos Aires, conclusions of the many formal and informal meet- addressing themes as widely spread as environmental ings will "trickle through" in many other ways, to ethics, the sustainable use of wildlife, the conservation influence the thinking of the world conservation com- of biological diversity, the nature of "carrying capac- munity. ity", empowering and involving communities in care The General Assembly itself is set to change. It was for their environments, and the global role of IUCN in recognized that it has become two kinds of event partnership with other institutions. Ninety-eight rolled into one—a World Conservation Congress with Resolutions and Recommendations were adopted on workshops and discussions of conservation and the role, programme and governance of the Union, development questions, and a governance or business world environmental problems and solutions, and meeting electing the Officers, adopting the conservation issues in particular regions and coun- Programme and budget, and guiding the actions of the tries. The Press Centre was a constant hive of activity, organization in the years ahead. In future, these kinds producing daily press releases in Spanish and English of activity will be separated in the programme, (over 27 in total), a bilingual daily conference news- although they will be held in the same period and at sheet, organizing press conferences, briefings and the same venue. The aim is to streamline the formal interviews — providing a first-class service for jour- business and set aside as much time as possible for the nalists and helping them to get their stories out. exchange of ideas that so many find the most valuable Finally, beyond the formal sessions and official busi- feature of such a gathering. ness summarized here, there was a mass of invaluable This Session of the General Assembly marked the human contact and exchange, as knowledge was end of my term of office as Director General of the shared, experiences compared, and agreements for World Conservation Union. If I may close this Fore- new patterns of cooperation reached. word on a personal note, I step down with full These Proceedings—available, like all the confidence in the work and contribution of this unique documentation of the General Assembly in the three world body, with thanks to those who entrusted me official languages, English, French and Spanish—are with its leadership for the past six years, and with the only part of its tangible products. They are accompa- warmest of good wishes to my successor, David nied by a separate volume of Resolutions and Recom- McDowell, and all who will work with him in the mendations, again in all three languages. The main coming triennium. iv Resolution 19.98: Vote of Thanks to the Host Country AWARE that the demanding objectives of a General 2. EXPRESSES particular thanks to His Excellency the Assembly of IUCN can only be met when the Session President of the Republic Don Carlos Saúl Menem takes place in a well-equipped and efficiently man- for honouring the Assembly with his presence and aged setting; welcome at the Opening Ceremony, and to the Secretary of State for Natural Resources and the EMPHASIZING that a congenial and friendly atmos- Human Environment, Dona Ing. Maria Julia phere contributes immensely to success; Alsogaray, for her support and that of her Secreta- riat throughout the period of organization of the NOTING with appreciation that these conditions Assembly as well as during the Session itself; were met in full measure at the 19th Session of the General Assembly held in the Sheraton Conference 3. ACKNOWLEDGES with gratitude the dedicated Centre in Buenos Aires; support provided by the local conference organi- zers, the personnel of the Sheraton Towers Hotel, The General Assembly of IUCN - The World Conser- the many local volunteer helpers, and all those vation Union, at its 19th Session in Buenos Aires, others who gave generously of their time and Argentina, 17-26 January 1994: knowledge. 1. WARMLY thanks the Government of the Republic of Argentina for so generously hosting the 19th Session; V Contents Foreword iii Resolution 19.98: Vote of Thanks to the Host Country v Acknowledgements 3 Minutes of the 19th Session of the General Assembly 5 Report of the Symposium on Conservation and Sustainable Resource Use in Argentina 41 (106 th Sitting) Report of the Symposium on Conservation and Sustainable Resource Use in South 43 America (107th Sitting) Reports from the Informal Discussion Groups on Major Components of the Strategy 45 and Review of Commissions Report of the Technical Meeting on the IUCN Programme and Budget 1994-1996 51 Reports from the Workshops 55 Annexes 1. Agenda adopted by the 19th Session of the General Assembly 81 2. List of Papers 84 3. Opening Keynote Address by the President of the World Conservation Union, 86 Sir Shridath Ramphal 4. Opening Address by His Excellency The President of the Republic of Bolivia, 91 Lic. Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada 5. Opening Address by His Excellency The President of the Republic of Argentina, 93 Dr Carlos Saúl Menem 6. Speech by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment 95 Programme (UNEP), Elizabeth Dowdeswell, read by Professor Reuben Olembo 7. Speech by the Director General of WWF International, Dr Claude Martin 98 8. Presentation by Mr Leif E. Christoffersen on the Findings and Recommenda- 100 tions of the External Review Team for the IUCN Programme 1991-1993 9. Report of the Programme Committee 103 1 10. Report of the Finance and Audit Committee 107 11. Statement by Dr Jay Hair on his candidacy for the Presidency of IUCN 109 12. Mandates of five IUCN Commissions 1994-1996 111 13. Citation for the Award of the John C. Phillips Memorial Medal for 121 Distinguished Service in International Conservation to Professor Vo Quy 14. Farewell Speech by the outgoing Director General, Dr Martin W. Holdgate 124 15. Speech by the incoming Director General, Ambassador David McDowell 127 16. Speech by the incoming President, Dr Jay Hair 130 17. Closing Speech by the outgoing President, Sir Shridath Ramphal 132 List of Participants 135 List of Staff 185 2 Acknowledgements IUCN wishes to express its grateful appreciation to the United Nations Environment Programme following institutions which supported the work- (UNEP) shops and the participation of delegates from develo- The National Organizing Committee expresses its ping countries. gratitude for the support provided by the following Canadian International Development Agency companies: (CIDA) Aerolíneas Argentinas Département fédéral des affaires étrangères, Ceamse Switzerland Celulosa Argentina Cemento Avellaneda Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands Eveready Argentina Norwegian Agency for Development IBM Cooperation (NORAD) Laboratorios Boehringer Overseas Development Administration (ODA), Loma Negra United Kingdom Manliba (Waste Management) Sheraton United Nations Educational, Scientific and Telecom Argentina Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Telefonica de Argentina United Nations Development Programme Santa Maria (UNDP), Pakistan Secretaría de Turismo de la Nación 3 Minutes of the 19th Session of the General Assembly Preliminary Session In the afternoon of 17 January, an informal preliminary session was held at the Sheraton Hotel, which was the venue for all sittings of the 19th Session of the General Assembly other than the Opening Ceremony. The President, Sir Shri- dath Ramphal, as Chair of the General Assembly, first welcomed participants. Ms Pam Eiser, representing Ms Yolanda Kakabadse (the Chair of the General Assembly Steering Committee), outlined the timetable and procedures for the General Assembly, including the presentation of credentials, the method for voting and the procedure for handling Resolutions and Recommendations. The Director General, Dr Martin Holdgate, outlined the purpose of the Technical Meeting on the proposed Triennial Programme and Budget, and the Director of Programme, Mr Per Ryden, explained about the Workshops. Lic. Fernando Ardura, Director of the National Parks Administration of Argentina, representing the Host Country, presented cordial greetings from the Argentine National Organizing Committee and spoke about the remark- able history of Buenos Aires. His colleague Dr Arturo Tarak gave an illustrated talk on the exceptional diversity of nature in the surrounding region. Opening Ceremony (100th Sitting) The 19th Session of the General Assembly was opened by His Excellency The President of the Republic of Argentina, Dr Carlos Saul Menem, at a ceremony in the famous Teatro Colon, near the centre of Buenos Aires. After the arrival of the Presidential party, the President of the World Conservation Union, Sir Shridath Ramphal, made a speech entitled Conservation and Creation (presented here as Annex 3). This was followed by a speech from His Excellency The President of the Republic of Bolivia, Lic. Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (Annex 4), who announced that Bolivia was joining the World Conservation Union as a State member. The final speech was by President Menem (Annex 5), who welcomed the delegates to Argentina and expressed his personal interest in their work. 5