A/RES/37/9 GA

18 General Assembly-Thirty-seventh Session 7. In the planning and implementation of social and economic devel­ opment activities, due account shall be taken of the fact that the conser­ vation of nature is an integral part of those activities. 8. In formulating long-term plans for economic development, popu­ lation growth and the improvement of standards of living, due account shall be taken of the long-term capacity of natural systems to ensure the subsistence and settlement of the populations concerned, recognizing that this capacity may be enhanced through science and technology. 9. The altocation of areas of the earth to various uses shall be planned and due account shall be taken of the physical constraints, the biological productivity and diversity and the natural beauty of the areas concerned. 10. • Natural resources shall not be wasted, but used with a restraint appropriate to the principles set forth in the present Charter, in accordance with the following rules: (a) Living resources shall not be utilized in excess of their natural capacity for regeneration; (b) The productivity of soils shall be maintained or enhanced through measures which safeguard their long-term fertility and the process of or­ ganic decomposition, and prevent erosion and all other forms of degradation; (c) Resources, including water, which are not consumed as they are used shall be reused or recycled; (d) Non-renewable resources which are consumed as they are used shall be exploited with restraint, taking into account their abundance, the rational possibilities of converting them for consumption, and the com­ patibility of their exploitation with the functioning of natural systems. 11. Activities which might have an impact on nature shall be con­ trolled, and the best available technologies that minimize significant risks to nature or other adverse effects shall be used; in particular: (a) Activities which are likely to cause irreversible damage to nature shall be avoided; (b) Activities which are likely to pose a significant risk to nature shall be preceded by an exhaustive examination; their proponents shall dem­ onstrate that expected benefits outweigh potential damage to nature, and where potential adverse effects are not fully understood, the activities should not proceed; (c) Activities which may disturb nature shall be preceded by assessment of their consequences, and environmental impact studies of development projects shall be conducted sufficiently in advance, and if they are to be undertaken, such activities shall be planned and carried out so as to min­ imize potential adverse effects; (d) Agriculture, grazing, forestry and fisheries practices shall be adapted to the natural characteristics and constraints of given areas; (e) Areas degraded by human activities shall be rehabilitated for pur­ poses in accord with their natural potential and compatible with the well­ being of affected populations. 12. Discharge of pollutants into natural systems shall be avoided and: (a) Where this is not feasible, such pollutants shall be treated at the source, using the best practicable means available; (b) Special precautions shall be taken to prevent discharge of radio­ active or toxic wastes. 13. Measures intended to prevent, control or limit natural disasters. infestations and diseases shall be specifically directed to the causes of these scourges and shall avoid adverse side-effects on nature. Ill. IMPCEMENTATION 14. The principles set forth in the present Charter shall be reflected in the law and practice of each State, as well as at the international level. 15. Knowledge of nature shall be broadly disseminated by all possible means, particularly by ecological education as an integral part of general education. 16. All planning shall include, among its essential elements, the for­ mulation of strategies for the conservation of nature, the establishment of inventories of ecosystems and assessments of the effects on nature of proposed policies and activities; all of these elements shall be disclosed to the public by appropriate means in time to permit effective consultation and participation. 17. Funds, programmes and administrative structures necessary to achieve the objective of the conservation of nature shall be provided. 18. Constant efforts shall be made to increase knowledge of nature by scientific research and to disseminate such knowledge unimpeded by re­ strictions of any kind. 19. The status of natural processes, ecosystems and species shall be closely monitored to enable early detection of degradation or threat, ensure timely intervention and facilitate the evaluation of conservation policies and methods. 20. Military activities damaging lo nature shall be avoided. 21. States and, to the extent they are able, other public authorities, international organizations, individuals, groups and corporations shall: (a) Co-operate in the task of conserving nature through common ac­ tivities and other relevant actions, including information exchange and consultations; (b) Establish standards for products and manufacturing processes that may have adverse effects on nature, as well as agreed methodologies for assessing these effects; (c) Implement the applicable international legal provisions for the con­ servation of nature and the protection of the environment; (d) Ensure that activities within their jurisdictions or control do not cause damage to the natural systems located within other States or in the areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction; ( e) Safeguard and conserve nature in areas beyond national jurisdiction. 22. Taking fully into account the sovereignty of States over their nat­ ural resources, each State shall give effect to the provisions of the present Charter through its competent organs and in co-operation with other States. 23. All persons, in accordance with their national legislation, shall have the opportunity to participate, individually or with others, in the formulation of decisions of direct concern to their environment, and shall have access to means of redress when their environment has suffered damage or degradation. 24. Each person has a duty to act in accordance with the provisions of the present Charter; acting individually. in association with others or through participation in the political process, each person shall strive to ensure that the objectives and requirements of the present Charter are met. 37/8. Co-operation between the United Nations and the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 36/38 of 18 November 1981, Having heard the statements of the Secretary-General of the United Nations17 and the Secretary-General of the Asian­ African Legal Consultative Committee18 on further strength­ ening and widening the scope of the co-operation between the United Nations and the Committee, 1. Notes with deep satisfaction the ongoing close and effective co-operation between the United Nations and the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee in the field of progressive development and codification of international law and other areas of common interest; 2. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Gen­ eral Assembly at its thirty-eighth session on the state of the co-operation between the United Nations and the Asian­ African Legal Consultative Committee; 3. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session the item entitled "Co-operation between the United Nations and the Asian-African Legal Consulta­ tive Committee''. 49th plenary meeting 29 October 1982 37/9. Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas)19 The General Assembly, Having considered the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), 17 Official Records ,,J the General Assembly, Thirty-.,eventh Sessio11. Plenary Meetings, 49th meeting, paras. 2-7. '" Ibid., paras. 9-17. 19 See also sect. I, footnote 10, and sect. X.B.6, decision 37/404. D. Resolutions adopted without reference to a Main Committee 19 Aware that the maintenance of colonial situations is in­ compatible with the United Nations ideal of universal peace, Recalling its resolutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, 2065 (XX) of 16 December 1965, 3160 (XXVIII) of 14 December 1973 and 31/49 of 1 December 1976, Recalling also Security Council resolutions 502 ( 1982) of 3 April 1982 and 505 (1982) of 26 May 1982, Taking into account the existence of a de facto cessation of hostilities in the South Atlantic and the expressed inten­ tion of the parties not to renew them, Reaffirming the need for the parties to take due account of the interests of the population of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) in accordance with the provisions of General Assembly resolutions 2065 (XX) and 3160 (XXVIII), Reaffirming also the principles of the Charter of the United Nations on the non-use of force or the threat of force in international relations and the peaceful settlement of inter­ national disputes, l. Requests the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to resume negotiations in order to find as soon as possible a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute relating to the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas); 2. Requests the Secretary-General, on the basis of the present resolution, to undertake a renewed mission of good offices in order to assist the parties in complying with the request made in paragraph 1 above, and to take the necessary measures to that end; 3. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Gen­ eral Assembly at its thirty-eighth session on the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution; 4. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session the item entitled "Question of the Falk­ land Islands (Malvinas)". 55th plenary meeting 4 November 1982 37/15. Co-operation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity The General Assembly, Having_ considered the report of the Secretary-General on co-operation between the United Nations and the Organi­ zation of African Unity, 20 Recalling its previous resolutions on the promotion of co­ operation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity and the practical measures taken for their implementation, in particular resolution 36/80 of 9 Decem­ ber 1981, Taking note of the previous resolutions, decisions and declarations adopted by the Organization of African Unity on the promotion of co-operation between the United Na­ tions and the Organization of African Unity, Noting with satisfaction the continued co-operation between th¨ United Nations and the Organization of African Unity in areas of common interest, Deeply conscious of the special needs of the newly in­ dependent African States, particularly with regard to the consolidation of their national independence, their endeav­ ours towards social and economic betterment and the ad­ verse impact on their economies of the current international economic situation, 20 A/37/335 and Add. I. Gravely concerned about the adverse effect on African economies of the current international economic situation, Recalling in this connection the Lagos Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Monrovia Strategy for the Eco­ nomic Development of Africa, adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of Af­ rican Unity at its second extraordinary session, held at Lagos on 28 and 29 April 1980,21 Recognizing the need for closer co-operation between the Organization of African Unity and all specialized organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system in realizing the goals and objectives set forth in the Lagos Plan of Action, Deeply concerned at the gravity of the situation of ref­ ugees in Africa and their increasing needs for international assistance as well as at the heavy social and economic bur­ den imposed on African countries of asylum, Having considered the latest report of the Secretary­ General on the International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa, 22 Gravely concerned also at the need for special economic and emergency assistance programmes for a number of Af­ rican States affected by serious economic problems, in par­ ticular problems of displaced persons, resulting from natural or other disasters, to enable them to pursue effective eco­ nomic development, Gravely concerned further at the deteriorating situation in southern Africa arising from the continued domination of the peoples of the area by the minority racist regime of South Africa and conscious of the need to provide increased assistance to the peoples of the region and to their liberation movements in their struggle against colonialism, racial dis­ crimination and apartheid, Conscious of its responsibilities to provide economic, material and humanitarian assistance to independent States in southern Africa to help them to cope with the situation caused by the acts of aggression committed against their territories by the apartheid regime of South Africa, Recognizing the importance of taking effective steps to give the widest possible dissemination of information re­ lating to the liberation struggle of the peoples of southern Africa, Recognizing the important role which the various infor­ mation units and departments of the United Nations system can play in disseminating information to bring about a greater awareness of the social and economic problems and needs ?f _Afr:ican States and their regional and subregional mstitutmns, . Aware_ of the need for ©ontinuous liaison, exchange of mformatmn at the secretanat level and technical co-opera­ tion on such matters as training and research between the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the Meeting between representatives of the General Sec­ retariat of the Organization of African Unity and the sec­ retariats of the United Nations and other organizations of the United Nations system, held at Geneva from 6 to 8 April 1982.23 Notin$ with satisfaction the useful decisions and propo­ sals which emerged from the conclusions of the Geneva Meeting for enhancing co-operation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity,24 2' A/S-11/14, annex I. 22 A/37/522. 23 A/37/335. 24 Ibid., sect. IV.

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