UnitedNations A/RES/43/53

GeneralAssembly
Distr.GENERAL

6December1988

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

A/RES/43/53
70thplenarymeeting
6December1988

Protectionofglobalclimateforpresentandfuturegenerationsofmankind

TheGeneralAssembly,

WelcomingwithappreciationtheinitiativetakenbytheGovernmentof
MaltainproposingforconsiderationbytheAssemblytheitementitled
"Conservationofclimateaspartofthecommonheritageofmankind",

Concernedthatcertainhumanactivitiescouldchangeglobalclimate
patterns,threateningpresentandfuturegenerationswithpotentiallysevere
economicandsocialconsequences,

Notingwithconcernthattheemergingevidenceindicatesthatcontinued
growthinatmosphericconcentrationsof"greenhouse"gasescouldproduce
globalwarmingwithaneventualriseinsealevels,theeffectsofwhichcould
bedisastrousformankindiftimelystepsarenottakenatalllevels,

Recognizingtheneedforadditionalresearchandscientificstudiesinto
allsourcesandcausesofclimatechange,

Concernedalsothatemissionsofcertainsubstancesaredepletingthe
ozonelayerandtherebyexposingtheearth'ssurfacetoincreasedultraviolet
radiation,whichmayposeathreatto,interalia,humanhealth,agricultural
productivityandanimalandmarinelife,andreaffirminginthiscontextthe
appeal,containedinitsresolution42/182of11December1987,toallStates
thathavenotyetdonesotoconsiderbecomingpartiestotheVienna
ConventionfortheProtectionoftheOzoneLayer,adoptedon22March1985,
andtheMontrealProtocolonSubstancesthatDepletetheOzoneLayer,adopted
on16September1987,assoonaspossible,

Recallingitsresolutions42/186and42/187of11December1987onthe
EnvironmentalPerspectivetotheYear2000andBeyondandonthereportofthe
WorldCommissiononEnvironmentandDevelopment,respectively,

Convincedthatchangesinclimatehaveanimpactondevelopment,

Awarethataconsiderableamountofvaluablework,particularlyatthe
scientificlevelandinthelegalfield,hasalreadybeeninitiatedonclimate
change,inparticularbytheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme,theWorld
MeteorologicalOrganizationandtheInternationalCouncilofScientificUnions
andundertheauspicesofindividualStates,

Welcomingtheconveningin1990ofasecondWorldClimateConference,

RecallingalsotheconclusionsofthemeetingheldatVillach,Austria,
in1985,which,interalia,recommendedaprogrammeonclimatechangetobe
promotedbyGovernmentsandthescientificcommunitywiththecollaborationof
theWorldMeteorologicalOrganization,theUnitedNationsEnvironment
ProgrammeandtheInternationalCouncilofScientificUnions,

Convincedthatclimatechangeaffectshumanityasawholeandshouldbe
confrontedwithinaglobalframeworksoastotakeintoaccountthevital
interestsofallmankind,

1.Recognizesthatclimatechangeisacommonconcernofmankind,since
climateisanessentialconditionwhichsustainslifeonearth;

2.Determinesthatnecessaryandtimelyactionshouldbetakentodeal
withclimatechangewithinaglobalframework;

3.Reaffirmsitsresolution42/184of11December1987,inwhich,
interalia,itagreedwiththeGoverningCounciloftheUnitedNations
EnvironmentProgrammethattheProgrammeshouldattachimportancetothe
problemofglobalclimatechangeandthattheExecutiveDirectoroftheUnited
NationsEnvironmentProgrammeshouldensurethattheProgrammecooperates
closelywiththeWorldMeteorologicalOrganizationandtheInternational
CouncilofScientificUnionsandmaintainsanactive,influentialroleinthe
WorldClimateProgramme;

4.ConsidersthatactivitiesinsupportoftheWorldClimateProgramme,
approvedbytheCongressandExecutiveCounciloftheWorldMeteorological
Organizationandelaboratedinthesystemwidemediumtermenvironment
programmefortheperiod19901995,whichwasapprovedbytheGoverning
CounciloftheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme,beaccordedhigh
prioritybytherelevantorgansandprogrammesoftheUnitedNationssystem;

5.EndorsestheactionoftheWorldMeteorologicalOrganizationandthe
UnitedNationsEnvironmentProgrammeinjointlyestablishingan
IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChangetoprovideinternationally
coordinatedscientificassessmentsofthemagnitude,timingandpotential
environmentalandsocioeconomicimpactofclimatechangeandrealistic
responsestrategies,andexpressesappreciationfortheworkalreadyinitiated
bythePanel;

6.UrgesGovernments,intergovernmentalandnongovernmental
organizationsandscientificinstitutionstotreatclimatechangeasa
priorityissue,toundertakeandpromotespecific,cooperative
actionorientedprogrammesandresearchsoastoincreaseunderstandingonall
sourcesandcausesofclimatechange,includingitsregionalaspectsand
specifictimeframesaswellasthecauseandeffectrelationshipofhuman
activitiesandclimate,andtocontribute,asappropriate,withhumanand
financialresourcestoeffortstoprotecttheglobalclimate;

7.CallsuponallrelevantorganizationsandprogrammesoftheUnited
NationssystemtosupporttheworkoftheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimate
Change;

8.Encouragestheconveningofconferencesonclimatechange,
particularlyonglobalwarming,atthenational,regionalandgloballevelsin
ordertomaketheinternationalcommunitybetterawareoftheimportanceof
dealingeffectivelyandinatimelymannerwithallaspectsofclimatechange
resultingfromcertainhumanactivities;

9.CallsuponGovernmentsandintergovernmentalorganizationsto
collaborateinmakingeveryefforttopreventdetrimentaleffectsonclimate
andactivitieswhichaffecttheecologicalbalance,andalsocallsupon
nongovernmentalorganizations,industryandotherproductivesectorstoplay
theirduerole;

10.RequeststheSecretaryGeneraloftheWorldMeteorological
OrganizationandtheExecutiveDirectoroftheUnitedNationsEnvironment
Programme,throughtheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange,immediately
toinitiateactionleading,assoonaspossible,toacomprehensivereviewand
recommendationswithrespectto:

(a)Thestateofknowledgeofthescienceofclimateandclimatic
change;

(b)Programmesandstudiesonthesocialandeconomicimpactofclimate
change,includingglobalwarming;

(c)Possibleresponsestrategiestodelay,limitormitigatetheimpact
ofadverseclimatechange;

(d)Theidentificationandpossiblestrengtheningofrelevantexisting
internationallegalinstrumentshavingabearingonclimate;

(e)Elementsforinclusioninapossiblefutureinternationalconvention
onclimate;

11.AlsorequeststheSecretaryGeneraltobringthepresentresolution
totheattentionofallGovernments,aswellasintergovernmental
organizations,nongovernmentalorganizationsinconsultativestatuswiththe
EconomicandSocialCouncilandwellestablishedscientificinstitutionswith
expertiseinmattersconcerningclimate;

12.FurtherrequeststheSecretaryGeneraltoreporttotheGeneral
Assemblyatitsfortyfourthsessionontheimplementationofthepresent
resolution;

13.Decidestoincludethisquestionintheprovisionalagendaofits
fortyfourthsession,withoutprejudicetotheapplicationoftheprincipleof
biennialization.