AGENDA 21 OBLIGATIONS

Chapter 13 

MANAGING FRAGILE ECOSYSTEMS: SUSTAINABLE MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT

a. Generating and strengthening knowledge about the ecology and sustainable development of mountain ecosystems

Objectives

13.5. The objectives of this programme area are:

·        To undertake a survey of the different forms of soils, forest, water use, crop, plant and animal resources of mountain ecosystems, taking into account the work of existing international and regional organizations;

·        To maintain and generate database and information systems to facilitate the integrated management and environmental assessment of mountain ecosystems, taking into account the work of existing international and regional organizations;

·        To improve and build the existing land/water ecological knowledge base regarding technologies and agricultural and conservation practices in the mountain regions of the world, with the participation of local communities;

·        To create and strengthen the communications network and information clearing-house for existing organizations concerned with mountain issues;

·        To improve coordination of regional efforts to protect fragile mountain ecosystems through the consideration of appropriate mechanisms, including regional legal and other instruments;

·        To generate information to establish databases and information systems to facilitate an evaluation of environmental risks and natural disasters in mountain ecosystems.

Activities

(a) Management-related activities

13.6. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should:

·        Strengthen existing institutions or establish new ones at local, national and regional levels to generate a multidisciplinary land/water ecological knowledge base on mountain ecosystems;

·        Promote national policies that would provide incentives to local people for the use and transfer of environment-friendly technologies and farming and conservation practices;

·        Build up the knowledge base and understanding by creating mechanisms for cooperation and information exchange among national and regional institutions working on fragile ecosystems;

·        Encourage policies that would provide incentives to farmers and local people to undertake conservation and regenerative measures;

·        Diversify mountain economies, inter alia, by creating and/or strengthening tourism, in accordance with integrated management of mountain areas;

·        Integrate all forest, rangeland and wildlife activities in such a way that specific mountain ecosystems are maintained;

·        Establish appropriate natural reserves in representative species-rich sites and areas.

(b) Data and information

13.7. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should:

·        Maintain and establish meteorological, hydrological and physical monitoring analysis and capabilities that would encompass the climatic diversity as well as water distribution of various mountain regions of the world;

·        Build an inventory of different forms of soils, forests, water use, and crop, plant and animal genetic resources, giving priority to those under threat of extinction. Genetic resources should be protected in situ by maintaining and establishing protected areas and improving traditional farming and animal husbandry activities and establishing programmes for evaluating the potential value of the resources;

·        Identify hazardous areas that are most vulnerable to erosion, floods, landslides, earthquakes, snow avalanches and other natural hazards;

·        Identify mountain areas threatened by air pollution from neighbouring industrial and urban areas.

(c) International and regional cooperation

13.8. National Governments and intergovernmental organizations should:

·        Coordinate regional and international cooperation and facilitate an exchange of information and experience among the specialized agencies, the World Bank, IFAD and other international and regional organizations, national Governments, research institutions and non-governmental organizations working on mountain development;

·        Encourage regional, national and international networking of people's initiatives and the activities of international, regional and local non-governmental organizations working on mountain development, such as the United Nations University (UNU), the Woodland Mountain Institutes (WMI), the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the International Mountain Society (IMS), the African Mountain Association and the Andean Mountain Association, besides supporting those organizations in exchange of information and experience;

·        Protect Fragile Mountain Ecosystem through the consideration of appropriate mechanisms including regional legal and other instruments.

Means of implementation

(a) Financing and cost evaluation

13.9. The Conference secretariat has estimated the average total annual cost (1993-2000) of implementing the activities of this programme to be about $50 million from the international community on grant or concessional terms. 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 13.10. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should strengthen scientific research and technological development programmes, including diffusion through national and regional institutions, particularly in meteorology, hydrology, forestry, soil sciences and plant sciences.

(c) Human resource development

13.11. Governments at the appropriate level, and with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should:

·        Launch training and extension programmes in environmentally appropriate technologies and practices that would be suitable to mountain ecosystems;

·        Support higher education through fellowships and research grants for environmental studies in mountains and hill areas, particularly for candidates from indigenous mountain populations;

·        Undertake environmental education for farmers, in particular for women, to help the rural population better understand the ecological issues regarding the sustainable development of mountain ecosystems.

(d) Capacity-building

13.12. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should build up national and regional institutional bases that could carry out research, training and dissemination of information on the sustainable development of the economies of fragile ecosystems.

B. Promoting integrated watershed development and alternative livelihood opportunities

Objectives

13.15. The objectives of this programme area are:

·        By the year 2000, to develop appropriate land-use planning and management for both arable and non-arable land in mountain-fed watershed areas to prevent soil erosion, increase biomass production and maintain the ecological balance;

·        To promote income-generating activities, such as sustainable tourism, fisheries and environmentally sound mining, and to improve infrastructure and social services, in particular to protect the livelihoods of local communities and indigenous people;

·        To develop technical and institutional arrangements for affected countries to mitigate the effects of natural disasters through hazard-prevention measures, risk zoning, early-warning systems, evacuation plans and emergency supplies.

Activities

(a) Management-related activities

13.16. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should:

·        Undertake measures to prevent soil erosion and promote erosion-control activities in all sectors;

·        Establish task forces or watershed development committees, complementing existing institutions, to coordinate integrated services to support local initiatives in animal husbandry, forestry, horticulture and rural development at all administrative levels;

·        Enhance popular participation in the management of local resources through appropriate legislation;

·        Support non-governmental organizations and other private groups assisting local organizations and communities in the preparation of projects that would enhance participatory development of local people;

·        Provide mechanisms to preserve threatened areas that could protect wildlife, conserve biological diversity or serve as national parks;

·        Develop national policies that would provide incentives to farmers and local people to undertake conservation measures and to use environment-friendly technologies;

·        Undertake income-generating activities in cottage and agro-processing industries, such as the cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants;

·        Undertake the above activities, taking into account the need for full participation of women, including indigenous people and local communities, in development.

(b) Data and information

13.17. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should:

·        Maintain and establish systematic observation and evaluation capacities at the national, state or provincial level to generate information for daily operations and to assess the environmental and socio-economic impacts of projects;

·        Generate data on alternative livelihoods and diversified production systems at the village level on annual and tree crops, livestock, poultry, beekeeping, fisheries, village industries, markets, transport and income-earning opportunities, taking fully into account the role of women and integrating them into the planning and implementation process.

(c) International and regional cooperation

13.18. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should:

·        Strengthen the role of appropriate international research and training institutes such as the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR) and the International Board for Soil Research and Management (IBSRAM), as well as regional research centres, such as the Woodland Mountain Institutes and the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, in undertaking applied research relevant to watershed development;

·        Promote regional cooperation and exchange of data and information among countries sharing the same mountain ranges and river basins, particularly those affected by mountain disasters and floods;

·        Maintain and establish partnerships with non-governmental organizations and other private groups working in watershed development.

Means of implementation

(a) Financial and cost evaluation

13.19. The Conference secretariat has estimated the average total annual cost (1993-2000) of implementing the activities of this programme to be about $13 billion, including about $1.9 billion from the international community on grant or concessional terms. 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.

13.20. Financing for the promotion of alternative livelihoods in mountain ecosystems should be viewed as part of a country's anti-poverty or alternative livelihoods programme, which is also discussed in chapter 3 (Combating poverty) and chapter 14 (Promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development) of Agenda 21.

(b) Scientific and technical means

13.21. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should:

·        Consider undertaking pilot projects that combine environmental protection and development functions with particular emphasis on some of the traditional environmental management practices or systems that have a good impact on the environment;

·        Generate technologies for specific watershed and farm conditions through a participatory approach involving local men and women, researchers and extension agents who will carry out experiments and trials on farm conditions;

·        Promote technologies of vegetative conservation measures for erosion prevention, in situ moisture management, improved cropping technology, fodder production and agroforestry that are low-cost, simple and easily adopted by local people.

(c) Human resource development

13.22. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should:

·        Promote a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach in training and the dissemination of knowledge to local people on a wide range of issues, such as household production systems, conservation and utilization of arable and non-arable land, treatment of drainage lines and recharging of groundwater, livestock management, fisheries, agroforestry and horticulture;

·        Develop human resources by providing access to education, health, energy and infrastructure;

·        Promote local awareness and preparedness for disaster prevention and mitigation, combined with the latest available technology for early warning and forecasting.

(d) Capacity-building

13.23. Governments at the appropriate level, with the support of the relevant international and regional organizations, should develop and strengthen national centres for watershed management to encourage a comprehensive approach to the environmental, socio-economic, technological, legislative, financial and administrative aspects and provide support to policy makers, administrators, field staff and farmers for watershed development.

13.24. The private sector and local communities, in cooperation with national Governments, should promote local infrastructure development, including communication networks, mini- or micro-hydro development to support cottage industries, and access to markets.