GOVERNMENTS LEAVE UNITED NATIONS PARALUZED ON ENVIRONMENT

New York, 27 June 1997.

Greenpeace today declared the outcome of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) to be an "almost complete disaster" for the global environment. With species loss increasing and greenhouse gases rising the 185 member states are departing today with very little to show for their efforts.

The final blow for the meeting was the inability to agree on a political statement which was touted to be a clear message to the global community.

"The document that has been agreed is devoid of action and not worth the paper it is written on" said Clif Curtis, political advisor for Greenpeace International. "Governments seem to be completely incapable of making collective commitments on itical issues of the day - which in this moment is the planet and its peoples".

The only positive aspects of the meeting have been the increased participation of non-governmental organisations (NGO's) and the overall focused attention on climate change at a critical time six th before the climate summit in Kyoto, Japan.

The detailed Programme for Further Implementation describes some of the efforts to implement Agenda 21 and the other Earth Summit agreements during the past five years, but it is almost totally devoid of serious calls for action.

"At the end of the day, Governments have abdicated their responsibilities on behalf of the planet and its peoples", said Curtis. "This Special Session was pathetic. Earth Summit 2 made it crystal clear that they are unable or unwilling to compromise short-term national self-interest for a sustainable future"

For more information contact:

Clif Curtis on ++1 917 842 2549

Holger Roenitz, Greenpeace press desk on ++1 917 842 3937