Resolution A.964(23)

FOLLOW-UP ACTION TO UNCED AND WSSD

(Adopted on 5 December 2003)

THE ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING Articles 1(d) and 2(a) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the purposes of the Organization and the functions of the Assembly in relation to consideration of any matters concerning shipping and the effect of shipping on the marine environment that may be referred to the Organization by any organ or specialized agency of the United Nations,

RECALLING ALSO that, by resolution A 47/190 (1992), the General Assembly of the United Nations endorsed, inter alia, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and Agenda 21, as adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) on 14 June 1992 and that, by resolution A 47/191 (1992), the United Nations specialized agencies were requested to strengthen and adjust their activities, programmes and medium-term plans, as appropriate, in line with Agenda 21,

RECALLING FURTHER that, by resolution A.832(19) of 23 November 1995, the IMO Assembly requested the MEPC, as IMO s focal point for follow-up action to UNCED, to keep the maritime sector s contribution to UNCED under continuous review with the aim of facilitating any follow-up action by IMO and Member States on those elements of Agenda 21 falling within IMO s mandate,

NOTING that the MEPC, by resolution MEPC.67(37), adopted the Guidelines on Incorporation of the Precautionary Approach in the Context of Specific IMO Activities,

NOTING ALSO that the Organization has, since UNCED 1992, achieved significant progress in the areas designated in Agenda 21 for prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution from ships and that the MEPC has, with contributions from the MSC and TCC, prepared three comprehensive reports on IMO s achievements which were submitted to the Commission on Sustainable Development in 1994, 1999 and 2002 respectively,

NOTING FURTHER that on 4 September 2002 the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) adopted the Plan of Implementation, which strongly reaffirmed its commitment to the Rio principles and