Reaffirms that the UN system, through the General Assembly, is the appropriate forum for concerted political action on global environmental problems; requests the Secretary-General, assisted by the Executive Director of UNEP, to prepare a report containing proposals and recommendations on possible ways and means to strengthen the capacity of the UN: (a) to monitor, assess and anticipate environmental threats; (b) to define criteria for determining when environmental degradation undermines health, well-being, development prospects and the very survival of life on the planet; (c) to issue early warnings to the international community when such degradation becomes imminent; (d) to facilitate intergovernmental co-operation in monitoring, assessing and anticipating environmental threats; (e) to assist Governments facing environmental emergencies, at their request; (f) to mobilize financial resources and technical co-operation to fulfil the tasks listed above; requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Governing Council of UNEP the report called for in the present resolution for consideration during the preparatory process for the UN Conference on Environment and Development.

Adopted without vote, 85th meeting

4 p.

Adopted at the 85th plenary meeting, 22 Dec. 1989.
In: Resolutions and decisions adopted by the General Assembly during its 44th session, Volume 1, 19 September-29 December 1989. - A/44/49. - 1990. - p. 146-147. - (GAOR, 44th sess., Suppl. no. 49).