[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H3140-H3144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE ON OCEANS AND SECURITY

  (Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge that 
we have just concluded one of, if not the largest ever, conferences on 
the oceans here in Washington. This conference involved 3 days of 
intensive dialogue between 200 delegates from over 30 nations including 
large ministerial delegations, 15 ministers as well as parliamentary 
leaders, large delegations from Russia and Norway, the European 
continent, Africa, the Americas, as well as other nations, and it was 
an extremely successful conference. We came under the auspices of the 
Advisory Committee on Protection of the Seas as well as GLOBE and the 
Council on Oceanographic Research and Education.
  Vice President Gore spoke to our conference last evening in Statuary 
Hall. Yesterday at lunch the Speaker, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. 
Gingrich], gave the keynote speech. The Secretary of Defense, Secretary 
of Navy, senior leaders of the administration and a significant number 
of Members of Congress, including my good friend, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Farr] who stayed for the entire conference, had the 
chance to interact and put together a new comprehensive strategy for 
the world on helping to cooperate in cleaning up our oceans and our 
seas.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the proceedings and the final 
recommendations of this conference, and I thank those Members who 
participated, and I thank all of those who made this conference so 
successful.

   Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea, Draft Report of the 
    Conference--Oceans and Security, U.S. House of Representatives, 
                     Washington, DC, 19-21 May 1997


                               background

       1. The international community's efforts to regulate the 
     world's oceans in order to protect and conserve their 
     resources and habitats, and to safeguard their potential for 
     economic development, spans several decades. However, it has 
     only been in recent years that a growing awareness of the 
     pervasiveness of environmental issues has found echo in all 
     fields of human activity. In particular, the role of 
     environmental problems as constitutive of security concerns, 
     in conjunction with the end of the Cold War and the 
     relentless processes of globalisation, has opened a broad 
     horizon for policy definition at both national and 
     multilateral levels that the international community has only 
     just begun to explore.
       2. The Conference on Oceans and Security was organised by 
     the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS) and 
     was undertaken with the assistance of the office of 
     Congressman Curt Weldon, Chairman of the Research and 
     Development Committee of the Security Committee of the 
     Congress of the United States of America and ACOPS' Vice-
     President from the United States; Governments of the United 
     States, Canada and Norway; Commission of the European Union; 
     International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW); Preston Gates, 
     Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds LLP; Consortium for Oceanographic 
     Research and Education (CORE); and Global Legislators 
     Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE). The meeting 
     was held in the United States House of Representatives, 
     Washington, D.C. from 19 to 21 May 1997.


                              participants

       3. The Conference was attended by: the Vice-President of 
     the United States of America, Hon. Al Gore; Speaker of the 
     House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich; Deputy Prime 
     Minister and Minister of National Defense of Portugal, Senhor 
     Antonio Vitorino;

[[Page H3141]]

     Executive Director of the United Nations Environment 
     Programme (UNEP), Ms Elizabeth Dowdeswell; Assistant 
     Secretary General of the United Nations, Dr. Nay Htun; 189 
     governmental and other participants from Australia, Belgium, 
     Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, 
     Croatia, Denmark, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Mozambique, 
     Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, 
     Russian Federation, the Seychelles, South Africa, Sweden, 
     Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States of 
     America, including seven ministers; representatives of the 
     following intergovernmental organisations: United Nations; 
     UNEP; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); the World 
     Bank; the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of 
     UNESCO; the Organisation of American States (OAS); and the 
     Commission of the European Union; as well as members of the 
     European Parliament and legislatures from Brazil, 
     Philippines, and the United States; representatives of ACOPS 
     and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs); and 
     representatives of the scientific community and private 
     sector. A list of participants appears in this report as 
     Annex I.


                                messages

       4. Messages in acknowledgement of the Conference's 
     contributions were received from four Heads of States from 
     the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe, as well as from ACOPS' 
     President, Lord Callaghan, and from ACOPS' Vice-President 
     from the USA, Congressman Curt Weldon.
       5. President Bill Clinton of the United States of America 
     extended his best wishes for the success of the Conference 
     and praised the participants in their efforts to promote the 
     sustainable global development of marine resources whilst 
     protecting the marine and coastal environments. He pointed 
     out that this was important not only for our health and 
     quality of life but also for promoting international peace 
     and prosperity.
       6. President Nelson Mandela of the Republic of South Africa 
     stated that the marine environment formed a very important 
     and integral part of our ecosystem, and that promotion of the 
     international exchange of information was critical to the 
     advancement of good environmental resource management. The 
     President extended his warmest greetings to the participants 
     and congratulated ACOPS on its initiative.
       7. President Fidel Ramos of the Republic of the Philippines 
     welcomed participants to the meeting and drew attention to 
     the success of the ACOPS' Meeting of Environment Ministers of 
     South-East Asia which was held in Manila in December 1996 
     under his patronage.
       8. President Jorge Sampaio of the Republic of Portugal 
     highlighted the contribution of oceans to the welfare and 
     survival of the human race. He added that the Washington 
     Conference and other global and regional programmes 
     consolidated ACOPS' role as a leading international NGO in 
     this field.
       9. Lord Callaghan of Cardiff, ACOPS' President and a former 
     Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, expressed his best 
     wishes for this global programme. He emphasised that never 
     before had such an illustrious group of top level policy 
     makers met to discuss vital issues as appeared on the agenda 
     of this Conference.
       10. Congressman Curt Weldon of the United States, and 
     ACOPS' US Vice-President, expressed his pleasure at being 
     able to host the ACOPS' 1997 Global Conference on Oceans and 
     Security. He added that the USA had renewed its interest in, 
     and commitment to, the protection of the oceans, and that it 
     was now time to reach the international community to further 
     promote the importance of the world's oceans.


                     proceedings of the conference

     A. Opening of the conference
       11. At the opening ceremony, the participants heard the 
     following statements (Annex II contains speeches and 
     statements presented at the Conference):
       12. Lord Clinton-Davis, outgoing Chairman of ACOPS, and 
     recently appointed Minister of State for Transport, 
     Department of Trade and Industry of the United Kingdom, 
     emphasised the recognition of the contribution of ACOPS to 
     global and regional ocean management issues at an 
     international level, and stressed the need to integrate 
     sustainability and environmental considerations into all 
     policy making, noting that the management of oceans 
     especially characterise the challenges posed by the goal of 
     sustainability. With reference to the upcoming UNGASS, which 
     should strengthen the oceans agenda, and to the 1998 Year of 
     the Oceans, during which Expo '98 would be held, Lord 
     Clinton-Davis underlined the timeliness of the Conference. He 
     also stressed the new Labour Government's commitment to 
     environmental and ocean issues, and said that as Minister for 
     Trade, he would be particularly keen to develop links between 
     trade and environmental issues which were intrinsically 
     linked.
       13. Congressman Curt Weldon expressed his recognition of 
     the work undertaken by ACOPS and highlighted Lord Clinton-
     Davis' contributions as Chairman. He also noted that the 
     Conference was sponsored by both ACOPS and GLOBE, 
     organisations committed to the goal of sustainable 
     development. Congressman Weldon added that the Republican 
     majority in Congress had enabled him to participate more 
     decisively in the definition of the agenda, which reflected 
     an increasing commitment to environmental concerns, and in 
     particular, to ocean issues. With reference to the need to 
     channel more funds into ocean research, he noted that the 
     recently adopted Oceans Partnership Act had established a 
     framework for greater coordination between federal agencies 
     with responsibilities in ocean research, and emphasised the 
     need to progress more aggressively in strengthening ocean 
     research, and to provide the scientific community with 
     greater access to previously classified technology. Military 
     and environmental concerns should be dovetailed and existing 
     capabilities united to enhance the capability for effective 
     ocean management. He urged participants to ensure that this 
     approach was replicated in other countries and said that each 
     participant should take back an agenda for working with 
     national parliamentary and ministerial leaders. Congressman 
     Weldon also said that it was crucial that this Conference 
     should establish a strong framework for follow up and 
     implementation, and that he was prepared to ensure that the 
     USA took a lead in advancing this initiative at a global 
     level. He ended by saying that by the Year 2000, a new 
     movement to protect oceans should be established, and in 
     particular, environmental awareness and education should 
     permeate every community, every activity and every country, 
     in order to leave a solid legacy of a clean ocean and a 
     stable global environment.
       14. Ms. Elizabeth Dowdeswell registered her gratitude as 
     Executive Director of UNEP for the very significant 
     contributions of ACOPS to the development of UNEP's Ocean and 
     Seas programmes. She said that the Conference should provide 
     a new vision of the oceans that incorporated such elements as 
     equitable participation and technological change.
       15. Ms. Dowdeswell underscored her concerns. First, that 
     the oceans could be considered as the last frontier in that 
     there was much mankind still did not know. Secondly, she said 
     that the oceans provided crucial concepts, such as keystone 
     species, and fundamental contributions to the world 
     environment, such as their role in climate change. However, 
     the human race did not treat the oceans with due respect, and 
     the utilisation of the world's oceans as waste receptacles 
     constituted a biological timebomb, while declining fish 
     catches demonstrated the perils of the excessive exploitation 
     of resources. She added that in the latter case, it was 
     developed, and not developing countries, that were largely 
     responsible. Thirdly, Ms. Dowdeswell stressed the links 
     between oceans and freshwater drainage basins, and the 
     negative repercussions on marine ecosystems land activities. 
     She emphasised that protection of marine ecosystems could not 
     be sacrificed to development and economic imperatives, and 
     therefore mankind faced an immense challenge to develop 
     effective coordination mechanisms between ocean and 
     freshwater management. In this context, she highlighted the 
     importance of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) as 
     the means of incorporating diverse factors and needs, of 
     achieving integrated policies that went beyond sectoral, 
     fragmented approaches. She noted that UNEP had moved in this 
     direction with its Integrated Water Management Programme, and 
     through the Global Programme of Action, which recognised a 
     link between oceans and chemical management, and which 
     symbolised a clear commitment with the stated objectives.
       16. Dr. Nay Htun, Assistant Secretary General of the United 
     Nations and Assistant Administrator of UNDP, also noted the 
     importance and potential of the Conference, and highlighted 
     various considerations. He referred to the political, social 
     and economic consequences of increasing demographic pressure 
     on coastal areas and noted that according to the 1997 Human 
     Development Report, poverty remained pervasive. He stressed 
     that since the problem of poverty was central both to the 
     sustainability of oceans and to security, it played a central 
     part in countries' policies on oceans. However, with regard 
     to the critical and strategic role of coastal zones, he said 
     that there was a clear need to improve governments' responses 
     to ensure the identification and implementation of effective, 
     efficient and relevant measures. Mr. Htun pointed out that to 
     improve the knowledge base and integrate it into economic and 
     developmental policies interactions between land, oceans and 
     atmosphere still required greater research, and made 
     reference to UNDP's role in the promotion of sustainable and 
     equitable development. Stressing once again the inseparable 
     link of life, water, security, oceans, and homo sapiens, he 
     expressed the hope that this timely and significant 
     conference would send a strong political message of paramount 
     importance regarding oceans and security.
       17. Dr. Kantathi Suphamongkhon presented the speech of Her 
     Royal Highness Princess Professor Dr. Chulabhorn Mahidol of 
     Thailand, Vice-President of ACOPS, and conveyed her apologies 
     for her absence due to official duties.
       18. Dr. Suphamongkhon then proceeded to present the 
     Princess' remarks on what she emphasized was a landmark 
     conference since it addressed all sectors of society. She 
     remarked that it was a notable achievement to have brought 
     together policy makers with different ministerial portfolios 
     from many countries and regions. Princess Chulabhorn also 
     referred to objectives and programmes in Thailand, which 
     centre on raising environmental awareness and information 
     dissemination on environmental issues and concerns. She noted 
     that presently Thailand was experiencing rapid economic and 
     industrial

[[Page H3142]]

     growth, and there was a need to ensure that such progress was 
     sustainable, and therefore the Conference should highlight 
     the importance of united economic and environmental security 
     concerns. She stated that remedial measures for environmental 
     protection were more costly than preventive measures, which 
     argued for a holistic approach to managing the planet. The 
     wide range of interests represented in the Conference should 
     enable it to chart new routes for ocean management.
     B. Scope and objectives of the conference
       19. The Conference was convened at the initiative of 
     Congressman Curt Weldon, and Lord Clinton-Davis. The purpose 
     of the conference was to discuss the issues of environmental, 
     food, and economic security, and related research and defense 
     issues using a multi-sectoral approach to identify problems 
     and propose solutions. With a view towards fulfilling these 
     goals, a broad spectrum of highest-ranking officials 
     representing different government departments were invited to 
     participate. It was hoped that the informal manner in which 
     ACOPS' global and regional conferences traditionally unfold 
     would enable participants to explore solutions to problems in 
     a more comprehensive and independent manner than is customary 
     for diplomatic conferences.
     C. Introduction of the main themes of the conference
       20. During the last part of the morning session, the four 
     resource persons introduced the main themes of the 
     Conference: economic security, environmental security, food 
     security, and research and defence issues.
     Economic security
       21. Mr. Andrew Steer, Director of Environment, World Bank, 
     stated in his paper that economic security and the 
     environment were inextricably linked: poverty and market 
     failures drove over-exploitation of natural resources, while 
     rapid economic growth in the absence of sound economic 
     policies and regulatory frameworks led to severe 
     environmental degradation. Erosion of the natural resource 
     base and its productive capacity resulted in economic loss, 
     social conflict and growing political insecurity. Nowhere was 
     this more apparent than in the coastal zone, where two thirds 
     of the world population was concentrated.
       22. Mr. Steer went on to say that global dependency on 
     coastal and marine ecosystems for food and livelihoods, 
     coupled with increasing vulnerability of human settlements 
     and investments to human-induced shifts in ocean processes 
     such as climate change and sea level rise, required that 
     appropriate environmental management frameworks and economic 
     policies be put in place to secure sustainable development of 
     marine and coastal resources. Among the most important 
     priorities for the international community to engage in were 
     to: (1) invest in human knowledge; (2) reform economic 
     policies that undermine sustainable use of marine resources; 
     (3) invest directly in marine conservation; (4) ensure 
     adequate funding (e.g. through the GEF, bilateral and multi-
     lateral programmes); and (5) coordinate efforts regionally. 
     Mr. Steer ended by saying that the World Bank, in partnership 
     with UNDP, UNEP and other international players, was 
     committed to supporting these objectives.
     Environmental security
       23. The presentation of Dr. Laurence Mee, Coordinator of 
     the GEF Programme for Environmental Management and Protection 
     of the Black Sea and Chairman of ACOPS' Advisory Board on 
     Oceans and Coastal Areas Management, examined the concept of 
     environmental security with particular emphasis on the case 
     of international waters. Feelings of insecurity were 
     themselves driven by uncertainty and unempowerment (a 
     perceived inability to improve the situation). It was 
     suggested that understanding and addressing the root causes 
     of environmental problems could improve individual and 
     collective security. The causes were considered to be market 
     failures, failures in information and understanding, and 
     failures in governance. Dr. Mee said that if mankind was to 
     avoid a serious deterioration in human security in the 21st 
     century, a change in many aspects of lifestyle would be 
     required in order to reduce waste, eliminate over-consumption 
     and to improve the protection of natural habitats and 
     landscapes. He added that in the aquatic environment, 
     particularly urgent action was required to mitigate 
     environmental security hot spots but that actions should not 
     be limited to conflict resolution. An understanding of the 
     root causes of environmental degradation, coupled with 
     individual and collective commitment to take action to 
     address them would inevitably lead to an improvement in long-
     term security. Work should begin immediately.
     Food security
       24. Dr. Scott Parsons, Assistant Deputy Minister, Science, 
     Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada, stated that food 
     security from world fisheries and aquaculture would depend on 
     implementation of new integrated approaches to resource 
     conservation and management. Production from world fisheries 
     was leveling off after increasing by a factor of five over 
     the past fifty years. Technological innovations and 
     development of a world market in fish products had combined 
     with activities unrelated to fishing to place unprecedented 
     strains on world fish resources, including overfishing, 
     habitat loss due to pollution and physical degradation, and 
     changes in the marine climate. National and international 
     jurisdictional arrangements favoured piecemeal approaches to 
     ocean management. While the problems of world fisheries had 
     become the stuff of headlines, innovative solutions to these 
     were being developed and applied, many involving fundamental 
     shifts in approach. Knowledge of how fish stocks function in 
     an ecosystem context was increasing, thanks to advances in 
     science. New marine management models such as integrated 
     management of marine regions and increasing use of protected 
     areas were being developed. The widespread implementation of 
     property rights in fisheries in the form of individual 
     transferable quotas (ITQs) over the past ten years showed 
     that movement from theoretical model to implementation of a 
     fundamentally new approach could be rapid. New jurisdictional 
     arrangements at national and international levels were coming 
     into place, which would allow an integrated approach to ocean 
     resource management. Perhaps the most promising recent 
     development was widespread recognition of the need for a 
     precautionary approach to conservation, under which 
     conservation comes first and lack of certainty could not be 
     taken as an excuse for inaction.
     Research and defence
       25. Admiral Paul Gaffney, Chief of Naval Research, Office 
     of Naval Research, USA, stated that it was readily apparent 
     that environmental issues were being considered more and more 
     in the formulation of national foreign and defence policy. 
     His presentation dealt with two important issues related to 
     environmental security, defence concerns and military 
     scientific efforts. A modern military must be concerned with 
     environmental issues beyond its borders. Environmental 
     degradation, scarcity, and related conditions such as 
     increased population growth, urbanisation, migration, and the 
     spread of infectious diseases had contributed to world 
     instability and many times led to conflicts drawing 
     neighbours and allies into regional turmoil. Modern military 
     establishments were developing preventive defence, which 
     required understanding what conditions had the potential of 
     leading to instability and conflict in the future, and what 
     was needed to address those conditions early enough to make a 
     difference. In the framework of the US military scientific 
     efforts, the US Navy had invested billions of dollars in 
     research that responds to military requirements and needs. 
     This research also served to address issues of great 
     environmental concern. The US Military had a wealth of 
     experience and expertise it could share with the militaries 
     of other nations. US defence environmental programmes were 
     becoming an important tool in which to engage the militaries 
     of new democracies. All must understand such environmental 
     conditions which may generate conflict, in order that 
     conditions for peace may be developed in their place.
     D. Panel on oceans and seas of the Americas
       26. The co-moderators, Mr. James Baker, Administrator of 
     the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
     and Mr. Arsenio Rodriguez, Director of the Regional Office 
     for Latin American and the Caribbean, UNEP, introduced the 
     subject to be discussed in the Panel. Mr. Baker reminded 
     participants that oceans played a key role in sustainable 
     development, and that mankind was dependent on them for 
     economic growth, food security, marine transport, tourism, 
     and aquaculture, among others. He underlined that the 
     Americas were endowed with unique and valuable marine 
     resources. He then discussed important factors that were 
     influenced by the oceans, such as climate variability, as 
     exemplified by the El Nino phenomenon, which contributed to 
     national security. As the world emerged from the Cold War, 
     Mr. Baker said that there was a need to ensure civilian 
     applications for military technology.
       27. Mr. Rodriguez noted that during the last 20 years, 
     great progress had been made in the identification and 
     conceptualisation of the problems and issues relevant to 
     environmental and ocean management. He also stated that the 
     challenge facing the conference was to further integrated 
     management responses based on international cooperation, 
     given the inability of resolving all problems exclusively 
     through national responses. However, he queried the 
     effectiveness of existing international cooperation and 
     management schemes, and said that the problem nowadays was 
     implementation. Moreover, there was a need to ensure that 
     other sectors of society participate, not just governments.
       28. The panellists were: Dr. Otis Brown, MEDEA, Dean, 
     Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 
     University of Miami; Dr. Gordon Eaton, Director, US 
     Geological Survey; Congressman Sam Farr, House Agriculture 
     Committee, California; Congressman Wayne Gilchrest, Resources 
     Committee, Maryland; Hon Suwit Khunkitti, Minister for 
     Justice, Thailand; Dr. David Lavigne, Executive Director, 
     International Marine Mammal Association; Mr. Victor 
     Lichtinger, Executive Director, Commission for Environmental 
     Cooperation; Mr. Jose Vicente Mogollon, Former Minister of 
     Environment, Colombia; Mr. Peter Mokaba, Deputy Minister of 
     Environment and Tourism, South Africa; Congressman Frank 
     Pallone, House Commerce and Resources Committee, New Jersey, 
     USA; Senhor Carlos Pimenta, Memer of the European Parliament, 
     President of GLOBE EU; Senor Manuel Rodriguez, Colombia, 
     ACOPS' Vice President from the Wider Caribbean; Dr. Eduardo 
     Verano De La

[[Page H3143]]

     Rosa, Minister of Environment, Colombia; Congresswoman Telma 
     de Souza, Member of the Executive Committee of the Labour 
     Party (PT), Former Mayor of Santos, Brazil; Mr. Ulf Svensson, 
     Assistant Under-Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and 
     Fisheries, Sweden; Congressman Curt Weldon, Chairman, Sub-
     Committee of Research and Development of the Committee on 
     National Security, House of Representative, Congress of 
     the USA, and ACOPS' Vice-President from the USA.
       29. Minister Khunkitti stressed the interrelation of marine 
     resources and problems and informed participants that 
     Thailand had established national structures to address these 
     issues in the Thai seas.
       30. Mr. Eaton spoke of work carried out by the U.S. 
     Geological Survey and said that these activities were of 
     great relevance for addressing diverse concerns related to 
     ocean management.
       31. Congressman Farr celebrated the presence of 
     representatives from so many governments and sectors, 
     although lamented the absence of press and media. He noted 
     that this was indicative of the need to involve more people 
     in environmental issues, as well as to bring politics to the 
     local level. Moreover, given the present downsizing tendency 
     and the increasing competition for scarce funds, it was 
     necessary to define measurable goals.
       32. Congressman Gilchrest highlighted the need to exchange 
     information, and to ensure that it is disseminated to elected 
     politicians and communities around the globe. He added that 
     population growth was not matched by a parallel increase in 
     natural resources.
       33. Mr. Lavigne declared that a gulf existed in fisheries 
     management between theory and practice. Management should 
     take into account not only scientific considerations, but 
     also public opinion, political realities, and cultural and 
     economic considerations. Moreover, there was a need to give 
     scientists greater independence so that their advice and work 
     was not compromised by political decisions. He strongly urged 
     the implementation of the precautionary approach and that 
     priority was given to conservation goals.
       34. Mr. Lichtinger stressed that the issues of freshwater 
     and of shared water resources would be of the greatest 
     importance in the next century. Mankind faced great problems 
     of scarcity, yet no attempts had been made to deal with the 
     issue. Water should be used in a more efficient and wise 
     manner, and water consumption should therefore be measured. 
     This objective also depended on active public participation.
       35. Mr. Mogollon affirmed that sweeping generalisations 
     could not be made in the environmental sphere, as illustrated 
     by a successful programme adopted in Colombia which led to an 
     increase in mangrove acreage. He went on to refer to the need 
     for greater financing of environmental conservation schemes.
       36. Mr. Mokaba began by stating that environmental 
     management was about change, and added that attention should 
     be paid to the linkage between land activities and oceans. He 
     stated that it was important to generate a sense of ownership 
     and participation in people in order to achieve good resource 
     management. However, he reiterated that sustainable economic 
     development depended on good environmental management. In the 
     context of trade, he said that the third world finds itself 
     excluded from trade arrangements and relegated to the 
     periphery, and stated that an African renaissance depended on 
     greater opportunities for commerce. Economic security would 
     also be strengthened by developing interregional trade 
     between Africa and South America. He called for ACOPS to 
     convene a Conference on the problems faced by Africa.
       37. Mr. Pimenta called on governments to agree to further 
     emissions reductions within the framework of the Climate 
     Change Convention given that the relationship between climate 
     and oceans was crucial. He added that sources of pollution 
     and sea degradation required permanent international action, 
     and cited as an example tanker washing just beyond EEZ 
     boundaries. Greater enforcement was generally needed.
       38. Mr. Manuel Rodriguez considered that the major problem 
     concerns implementation of existing instruments and 
     declarations, and that the major obstacle is one of political 
     will. Moreover there was a need to increase public awareness. 
     He went on to speak about the conflicts of interest that 
     existed between stakeholders and users of land and marine 
     resources, which should be addressed. Resolution of such 
     conflicts required consensus at the national level.
       39. Mr. Verano affirmed that the lack of financial 
     resources was not the only factor leading to a lack of 
     progress and action, given the need for a clear definition of 
     issues and for greater consensus building between scientists 
     and politicians. He also addressed the need to internalise 
     environmental externalities which affect marine and coastal 
     resources. however, financial agreements between north and 
     south were needed.
       40. Congresswoman Telma de Souza presented a detailed 
     description for the programme for beach recovery implemented 
     in the city of Santos, which had received international 
     recognition. As a concrete example what political will could 
     achieve, she affirmed that such will should also be 
     globalised.
       41. Mr. Svensson manifested Europe's interest in the oceans 
     of the Americas, and noted that issues such as food security 
     were affecting all regions alike, in many cases leading to 
     open conflicts. He suggested that the year of the Ocean be 
     one of full cooperation between regional fisheries 
     organisations. He also addressed the issue of the lack of 
     scientific data, which could limit the possibility of 
     applying the precautionary approach to fisheries. He noted 
     that the release of military data had doubled the amount of 
     information available. He affirmed that there was a need to 
     focus on the consequences of environmental degradation as 
     well as on the links between fisheries and the marine 
     environment, and concerns such as direct habitat destruction. 
     He noted that mankind had before it a series of necessary 
     institutional reforms.
       42. Mr. Brown presented a description of the Medea Mission 
     for releasing previously classified data. He noted that one 
     of its objectives was to provide advice on use for data 
     derived from natural security systems, in order to attain a 
     greater understanding of the environment, and especially to 
     oceanography.
       43. At the conclusion of the Panel, Congressman Weldon 
     noted with satisfaction that the Conference had begun very 
     successfully, with the endorsement of four heads of state. He 
     asserted that the suggestion of holding a combined ACOPS and 
     GLOBE conference, with ministerial and parliamentary 
     participation was excellent. Equally, a conference should be 
     held, as suggested by Mr. Mokaba, to showcase environmental 
     issues in Africa. He added that the bipartisan support 
     evidenced for this conference showed there was a will for 
     forging ahead on these issues, and that he was interested in 
     proposing to NATO allies and other countries that their 
     military data also be declassified and shared with the 
     international community.
     E. Panel on the Pacific Ocean
       44. The co-moderators, Dr. Eduardo Verano de la Rosa, 
     Minister of the Environment of Colombia and Mr. Geoffrey 
     Holland, Chairman of OIC of UNESCO and Chairman of ACOPS' 
     Advisory Board on Marine Natural Resources Management chaired 
     this session of the Panel on the Pacific Ocean.
       45. Dr. Verano described the varied nature of the geography 
     of the Pacific Ocean, the richness of its resources, the 
     diversity of its culture and the dynamism of its economies. 
     Nearly 20 of the world's largest cities are located on the 
     Pacific coasts which are threatened by population growth 
     pollution, loss of valuable habitat and deterioration of the 
     coastal environment. Mr. Holland recalled several of the 
     points made in the previous day's discussions that would be 
     important to pursue for the Pacific. In particular, the size 
     of the Pacific emphasized the need for cooperation and 
     resources for ocean observation, addressing poverty must be 
     an essential part of environmental solutions, a precautionary 
     approach must be adopted for fisheries and a preventative 
     policy for industrial and agricultural policies.
       46. The panelists were: Hon. Senator Heherson Alvarez. 
     Phillippine Senate and ACOPS' Vice President from East Asia; 
     Mr. Jong Hwa Choe, Counsellor, Embassy of Korea; Ambassador 
     John Fraser, Environment Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign 
     Affairs and International Trade, Canada and ACOPS' Vice 
     President; Mr. Joemari D. Gerochi, Under-Secretary, Chief 
     Executive and Legislative Liaison Officer, Department of 
     Agriculture, Republic of the Philippines; Mr. Ian Kiernan, 
     Chairman, Clean up the World and ACOPS' Vice-President from 
     Australia; Dr. Mok Mareth, Minister of Environment, Kingdom 
     of Cambodia; Mr. Tsuyoshi Maruyama, Director of Ocean and 
     Earth Division at the Science and Technology Agency (STA), 
     Japan; Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, House Science Committee, 
     California, USA; and Mr. R. Tucker Scully, Director, Office 
     of Ocean Affairs, US Department of State.
       47. Congressman Rohrabacher highlighted the need to utilize 
     military technology in the fight for the environment and 
     quality of life. He saw an equally valuable opportunity in 
     the application of space technology for the resolution of 
     ocean problems. Senator Alvarez, commented that the security 
     of a maritime nation such as the Philippines was dependent on 
     the security of its adjacent oceans. Cooperation in the 
     region is important and ACOPS had great value in promoting 
     communications. An unfortunate situation existed in the South 
     China Seas where disputes over the sovereignty of several 
     small islands was leading to military interventions by the 
     disputing parties, and was hampering joint efforts and 
     actually harming the environment.
       48. Ambassador Fraser reminded the meeting that although 
     participation is such a high level gathering was a privilege 
     it also carried a responsibility. Actions were required. The 
     Ambassador challenged the concepts that job creation and 
     environmental protection were alternative choices. On the 
     contrary, in the long term, addressing environmental problems 
     would conserve economies and prosperity.
       49. Senator Gerochi reiterated the importance of the ocean 
     to the Philippines, in particular to the fisheries. The 
     Philippine Government had introduced legislation that had 
     sustainable development as an operating principle. Many 
     mechanisms for fisheries management were being adopted at all 
     jurisdictions of government down to local level.
       50. Mr. Kiernan brought the concept of people power to the 
     debate. He explained that to bring the environment to the 
     highest priority, one had a empower the public. His own 
     initiative of ``Clean up the World'' had been taken in 110 
     countries and involved 40 million people.

[[Page H3144]]

       51. Mr. Mareth spoke of the problems in Cambodia that his 
     country was trying to address as quickly as possible. A 
     strategy had been adopted to tackle coastal zone issues.
       52. Mr. Maruyama brought the perspective of a developed 
     country to the table. He spoke of the high priority Japan 
     accords ocean research, technology and observations. Japan is 
     also supporting the cooperation between the space-based and 
     in situ ocean measurements.
       53. Mr. Scully reminded the meeting of the 
     intergovernmental agreements that had been motioned since the 
     Rio Conference. In his opinion, the UN Convention on the Law 
     of the Sea (UNCLOS), which came into force in 1994, formed 
     the basis for subsequent agreements. In particular, the 
     several fisheries agreements, signed and awaiting 
     ratification, were a direct follow-up of the UNCLOS 
     provisions. Regional agreements on fisheries and other 
     environmental issues were an important adjunct to global 
     conventions
       54. Finally, Mr. Choe, described the situation in Korea, 
     which had a huge 10% of its economy related to the marine 
     environment. Environmental security was an obvious priority 
     of his country.
       55. In summing up, the moderators agreed on the following 
     highlights from the discussion and recommended actions:
       Disputes amongst countries are an obstacle to environmental 
     cooperation and their resolution is therefore important to 
     the resolution of regional environmental problems.
       ACOPS was seen as a valuable mechanism to enhance 
     cooperation and communication amongst nations. Both 
     technology and research are required to address environmental 
     problems so that knowledge and capability are used together.
       Global fisheries agreements are now in place awaiting 
     ratification, setting the agenda for future work. More needs 
     to be done to protect pelagia and fish habitat.
       Regional agreements are an effective way for nations to 
     cooperate on environmental issues. Governments need to 
     harmonise their policies to ensure the effective interaction 
     of the respective agreements.
       Governments need to act now and will need much public 
     pressure to initiate appropriate actions.
     F. Panel on the Indian Ocean
       56. Mr. Peter Mokaba, Deputy Minister of Environment and 
     Tourism of South Africa and Mr. Terry Jones, Director of 
     Multilateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
     Planning and Environment of Seychelles chaired this session 
     of the Panel on the Indian Ocean.
       57. The panellists were: Prof. Dr. Khosla Ashok, President, 
     Development Alternatives, India; Mr. Joseph Belmont, Minister 
     for Administration and Manpower, First Minister Designate, 
     Seychelles; Dr. Robert Corell, Head of Geoscience 
     Directorate, National Science Foundation, USA; Mr. Bernardo 
     Ferraz, Minister for the Coordination of Environmental 
     Affairs, Mozambique; Congressman Peter King, House Foreign 
     Affairs Committee, New York, USA; Dr. Mok Mareth, Minister of 
     Environment, Kingdom of Cambodia; Mr. Philip Reynolds, 
     Manager, Strategic Initiative for Ocean & Coastal Management, 
     UNDP; Congressman Chris Smith, House Foreign Affairs 
     Committee, New Jersey, USA; and Dr. Plodprasop Suraswadi, 
     Director General of the Fisheries Department, Ministry of 
     Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand.
       58. The panel discussed ------
     G. Panel on oceans and the Russian Federation
       Dr. Alexander Solovyanov, Deputy Chairman of the State 
     Committee on the Protection of the Environment of the Russian 
     Federation and Senior Policy Adviser to ACOPS, Prof. Vladimir 
     Tetelmin, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Ecology of the 
     State Duma, Russian Federation, and Coordinator for ACOPS' 
     Russian Programme, and Prof. Vitaly Lystsov, Chairman of 
     ACOPS' Arctic Working Group chaired this session of the Panel 
     on Oceans and the Russian Federation.
       The panellists were: Dr. James Baker, Administrator, 
     National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
     USA; Mrs. Siri Bjerke, State Secretary of the Ministry of 
     Foreign Affairs, Norway; Mr. Mikhail Faleev, Deputy Minister 
     of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and 
     the Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters 
     (EMERCOM); Ms. Sherri Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary of 
     Defence (Environmental Security), USA; Dr. Ljubomir Jeftic, 
     Chairman, ACOPS' Advisory Board on Pollution Control and 
     Prevention; Prof. Dr. Willem J Kakebeeke, Assistant Director 
     General for the Environment, Ministry of Housing, Physical 
     Planning and Environment, The Netherlands; Admiral Igor 
     Kasatonov, First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian 
     Navy and Chairman of Section No. 2 on Sea and Ocean Studies 
     in the Russian Federation Committee on Science and 
     Technology; Dr. Laurence Mee, Coordinator, GEF Programme for 
     Environmental Management and Protection of the Black Sea, and 
     Chairman, ACOPS Advisory Board on Oceans and Coastal Areas 
     Management and Policy; Mr. R. Tucker Scully, Director, Office 
     of Ocean Affairs, Department of State, USA; Mr. Vitaly 
     Sevastianov, Member of the State Duma, President of GLOBE, 
     Russia; Colonel Viktor Sheremetyev, Ministry of Defence, 
     Russian Federation; Senator Ted Stevens, Senate 
     Appropriations Committee Chairman, Alaska, USA; Congressman 
     Curt Weldon, Chairman, Sub-Committee of Research and 
     Development of the Committee on National Security, House of 
     Representatives, Congress of the USA, and ACOPS' Vice 
     President from the USA; Dr. Leslie Whitby, Director of 
     Environment and Renewable Resources in the Northern Affairs 
     Programme, Canada; and Congressman Don Young, House Resources 
     Chairman, Alaska, USA.
       The panel discussed ------
     H. Presentation of recommendations and the Potomac 
         Declaration
       Congressman Curt Weldon, Dr. Jeftic, Prof. Per Wramner, and 
     Dr. Sebek chaired this session which was devoted to the 
     presentation of the draft recommendations. The 
     Recommendations are attached to this report as Annex II.
       The draft of the Potomac Declaration was prepared on the 
     basis of presentations and statements made during the meeting 
     and on the basis of position papers distributed at the 
     Conference and other relevant materials.
       The draft of the Potomac Declaration was discussed in 
     detail and numerous amendments were agreed upon. The Potomac 
     Declaration is presented in Annex IV of this report.
     H. Closing of the conference
       The closing session, at which short statements were made by 
     ------, was chaired by ------.
       It was agreed that the Conference was a great success and 
     that it was not important to implement the recommendations 
     contained in the Potomac Declaration.

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