OSCE, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 29: Reports and Draft Resolutions of the Three Committees of the OSCE PA

OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2022-23 (2. samling)
OSCE Alm.del Bilag 29
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AS (23) DRS 2 E

Original: English

DRAFT RESOLUTION

FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON

ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY

AND ENVIRONMENT

Strengthening Regional Security by Fostering

Democratic and Inclusive Societies:

The Role of the OSCE PA

RAPPORTEUR

Ms. Gudrun Kugler

Austria

VANCOUVER, 30 JUNE

–

4 JULY 2023

OSCE, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 29: Reports and Draft Resolutions of the Three Committees of the OSCE PA

DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE

ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Rapporteur: Ms. Gudrun Kugler (Austria)

Recalling the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, in which participating States recognized that

“efforts to develop co-operation in the fields of trade, industry, science and technology,

the environment and other areas of economic activity contribute to the reinforcement of

peace and security in Europe and in the world as a whole”,

Reaffirming that, as stated in the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, “co-operation in these fields

would promote economic and social progress and the improvement of the conditions of

life”,

Emphasizing the unique role of national parliaments in adopting legislation, mobilizing

resources, promoting public participation, and creating cross-regional responses to

advance economic and environmental security, promote sustainable development, and

implement relevant international commitments in the OSCE region,

Categorically condemning the Russian Federation’s unprovoked and unjustified military

invasion of Ukraine, which caused great suffering to the civilian population, and drawing

attention to the disastrous humanitarian, socio-economic, and environmental

consequences of war,

Condemning in particular the use of hunger and deprivation by the Russian military

against the civilian population of Ukraine and of many other countries,

Supporting all international efforts to permanently secure food deliveries from Ukraine

to the rest of the world, and hailing the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and

Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports that allows for temporary exports of food and fertilizers

from three Ukrainian ports,

Concerned that the war in Ukraine has significantly weakened connectivity and

prosperity across the OSCE region, with a particularly devastating impact on the

environment,

Alarmed that the OSCE region is being strongly impacted by multiple crises, including

climate change, the war in Ukraine, and the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to increased

costs of living, energy insecurity, and economic downturns,

Recognizing the negative effect of these crises especially on young people, who are

becoming increasingly frustrated and distressed, and welcoming all efforts intended to

better integrate the needs and concerns of younger generations in our policy efforts,

Recognizing the need to ensure women’s full participation in society to build more stable,

sustainable and prosperous societies,

10.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 29: Reports and Draft Resolutions of the Three Committees of the OSCE PA

11.

Noting with concern that the Arctic region is becoming an area of growing geopolitical

confrontation, and underscoring the need to promote peaceful economic development for

all interested OSCE participating States, while duly protecting its fragile environment,

Recognizing the importance of economic security and the role of innovation, human

capital, good governance, and interconnectivity, as well as the potential of the digital

economy, to drive competitiveness and foster inclusive green growth,

Welcoming the adoption of the Supplementary Item ‘Code of Conduct for Members of

the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’ at the Birmingham Annual Session in July 2022,

and stressing the need to lead by example in preventing and fighting corruption,

Recognizing the importance of enhancing international connectivity through transport

and trade facilitation, and welcoming the OSCE PA Conference on “the Role of National

Parliaments in Promoting Security and Stability through Green Economy, Connectivity

and Sustainable Development in the OSCE Region”, held in May 2023 in Baku

(Azerbaijan),

Committing to responsible and sustainable economic development, founded on access to

clean and affordable energy for all, in order to prevent the spread of poverty and build

more prosperous, secure and resilient societies,

Convinced that economic development and environmental protection must be

complementary and mutually reinforcing goals, and that technology and science play a

critical role in achieving both goals,

Increasingly concerned by the reliance of many OSCE participating States on fossil fuels,

which leads to energy dependence, geopolitical tensions, and environmental problems,

Acknowledging that diversifying energy supplies towards clean energy sources is vital

for achieving carbon-neutrality, mitigating climate change, reducing energy dependence,

and increasing accessibility, affordability, and resilience of energy, the latter referring to

ensuring a stable and reliable supply of energy,

Underscoring that unhindered access to, and affordability of, energy is a key prerequisite

for the socio-economic development, social justice and well-being of our societies, and

concerned that several areas within the OSCE region still have limited access to

electricity,

Alarmed by the detrimental impact of higher energy prices on the prosperity, security

and equality of OSCE citizens, as energy constitutes the largest expenditure of

households and fuels inflation throughout the region,

Concerned in particular by the negative impact of prolonged high-inflation on the socio-

economic stability of our societies, as well as on OSCE’s ability to resolutely address the

unprecedented security challenges affecting the region, as requested by participating

States,

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 29: Reports and Draft Resolutions of the Three Committees of the OSCE PA

22.

Also concerned about possible competitive disadvantages for the economy of the OSCE

region due to the comparatively higher energy costs experienced by many participating

States,

Stressing the need to better protect critical energy infrastructure in the OSCE region and

upgrade current energy networks to address possible fluctuations in energy production

and thereby prevent dangerous black outs,

Considering all options for green mobility, including, but not limited to, electricity

powered cars, and committing to research alternatives to fossil fuels such as synthetic

fuels and hydrogen,

Being determined to co-operatively and coherently address the security challenges posed

by climate change in line with our 2021 Plea for Resolute Climate Action, focussing

inter

alia

on the negative impact of land degradation and soil erosion on local communities’

livelihoods, which affect ecosystem services, food security and human well-being,

Underscoring the importance of fostering science-based responses to climate change, and

highlighting the progress already made in this context,

Hailing the historic resolution of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council

recognizing a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right,

and recognizing the UN General Assembly resolution requesting the International Court

of Justice to advise on States’ obligations in respect of climate change as a key milestone

for climate justice,

Committing to cross-border co-operation on transboundary environmental issues, such

as waste management, water management and protection from pollution and hazardous

substances,

Alarmed by the number of micro- and nano-plastic particles found in ecosystems

throughout the planet and in human organs, and committing to research the phenomenon

and its effects on health,

Welcoming digitalization as a key process to boost transparency and inclusivity within

our societies, and being concerned by the cyber threats stemming from an increasingly

digitized world,

Underlining the need to ensure that digitalization will leave no one behind and to ensure

citizens’ inclusion in the political, social, and cultural life by providing equal access to

all by digital as well as analogous means,

Reiterating its concerns towards the demographic decline experienced by many OSCE

participating States, which undermines economic prosperity and the future performance

of social security systems,

Stressing the need to analyze and compare the effectiveness of different measures

implemented by OSCE participating States to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19

pandemic with a view to prevent and better address similar future health crises,

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 29: Reports and Draft Resolutions of the Three Committees of the OSCE PA

34.

Reiterating the support of the OSCE PA for the work of the OSCE Chairmanship in

building consensus around pressing second dimension security concerns at this critical

juncture, of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental

Activities in aiding participating States to implement economic and environmental

commitments in the OSCE region, and of OSCE Field Operations in promoting

sustainable development, environmental protection, and economic growth across the

region,

Gravely concerned by the growing politicization within the OSCE debates related to

economic and environmental security, which has lead to,

inter alia,

a lack of consensus

for the first time on the agenda, theme, and modalities of the 31st Economic and

Environmental Forum,

Welcoming the session on “Promoting Economic and Environmental Security amid the

Current Crisis” at 20th OSCE PA Autumn Meeting on November 2022 and a Special

Debate on “Affordable, secure, clean, and sustainable energy in the OSCE region:

prospects and challenges” at the 22nd OSCE PA Winter Meeting on February 2023 as

excellent opportunities to share relevant parliamentary experience and promote greater

policy convergence around critical issues on the agenda of the General Committee on

Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, as well as all internal

coordination efforts, including with relevant Special Representatives, to further the reach

and impact of the Committee’s work,

35.

36.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

37.

Encourages national parliaments to foster a culture of reflection and self-examination,

remembrance and history education to prevent repetition of past crimes, such as

totalitarianism, war crimes, or genocide;

Calls on governments to redouble co-ordinated efforts in the implementation of the 2030

Agenda for Sustainable Development and relevant OSCE commitments, duly reconciling

global economic progress with social justice and the preservation of the environment;

Encourages its members to lead by example in preventing and fighting corruption,

promoting a culture of transparency and enhancing accountability across the board;

Urges OSCE participating States to promote sustainable economic recovery across the

region, duly leveraging on new technologies;

Exhorts OSCE participating States to develop ambitious strategies for the clean energy

transition, while keeping in mind the competitiveness of their economies, the needs of

less privileged people and other local circumstances in order to ensure a more equitable,

inclusive, effective and affordable transition to cleaner energy sources, which is key to

mitigate climate change and protect our planet;

Calls on governments to enhance social and labor protection for women and motherhood,

and to guarantee full and equal access of women to the labor market and the economy;

Calls on OSCE participating States to promote effective, sustainable and human-rights

compliant migration governance, ensure comprehensive border security and increase

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 29: Reports and Draft Resolutions of the Three Committees of the OSCE PA

international co-operation to address the socio-economic and environmental drivers of

migration and displacement, and especially war and climate change;

44.

Encourages the OSCE participating States to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas

emissions according to the Paris Agreement and the COP26 Glasgow Conclusions,

including committing to more ambitious emission reduction targets via realistic

nationally determined contributions aimed at capping temperature increases at 1.5C;

Calls on the OSCE participating States to look into options for building more sustainable

cities, to save energy and reduce consumptions by tackling technical deficiencies in

existing buildings and planning new variants with limited environmental impact, as well

as introducing process simplifications and lowering bureaucratic efforts for renovation

efforts;

Urges the OSCE participating States to facilitate, within their respective societies, open

and facts-based debates on climate change with a view to promote community

engagement, avoid climate-anxiety, and highlight meaningful progress, where achieved;

Encourages the OSCE participating States to join forces in securing and protecting water

as a strategic natural resource for maintaining and promoting security and to strengthen

water diplomacy on issues such as water protection, pollution and wastewater treatment;

Calls on governments to engage in cross-border dialogue and establish working groups

to deal with transboundary pollution and hazardous waste;

Urges the OSCE participating States to adopt policies and legislation that will prevent

the misuse of technology for human trafficking purposes, and to upgrade relevant policies

to effectively fight traffickers and protect the victims;

Calls on national parliaments to establish civil and criminal liability of online platforms

for complicity in human trafficking, create legal frameworks to implement consent

verification mechanisms for individuals depicted in sexually explicit content and to

develop visible mechanisms for users to report cases of exploitation and human

trafficking and the obligation of companies to report human trafficking cases to law

enforcement authorities;

Encourages multidisciplinary efforts to evaluate the impact of ChatGPT, and similar new

technologies on democracy, education and privacy, as well as possible risks to

cybersecurity, and develop the appropriate regulatory frameworks;

Calls on governments to collaborate to tackle the challenges stemming from a very fast

and ubiquitous digitization process, not only in terms of technical support required for

the implementation of digital transformations, but also in view of exchanging knowledge

and best practices, as well as develop adequate data strategies for the benefit of the

people;

Calls on national parliaments to establish dedicated working groups and committees to

study and respond to the challenges posed by the demographic developments in many

OSCE participating States, and more specifically, consider ways to strengthen

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

51.

52.

53.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 29: Reports and Draft Resolutions of the Three Committees of the OSCE PA

intergenerational relations, enhance the quality of life for elderly people, and develop

family supportive measures;

54.

Encourages governments to focus on the long-term efficiency of their health and social

systems, improving the accessibility to professional health care and diversifying the

supply of medications to ensure holistic care to all people within the OSCE region;

Urges OSCE participating States to assess and exchange notes on the effectiveness of

their measures to counter the COVID 19 pandemic with a view to codify important

lessons learned and set up a framework to better respond to similar future health crises;

Urges the OSCE participating state to reconsider the use of “gain of function” virology,

and tighten security standards;

Invites the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and

Environment of the OSCE PA to continue raising awareness and providing an open

platform to share experiences, interface with the scientific world and foster policy

convergence around key economic and environmental security challenges in the OSCE

region, including through dedicated initiatives in partnership with the OSCE Executive

Structures and other relevant actors;

Requests the Secretary General to (1) make proposals on how to overcome the current

financial challenges also triggered by persistent inflation with the aim to enable the

Assembly to fulfill the expectations of its membership in addressing the multiple

unprecedented challenges, and (2) to implement adequate staff retention measures by

gradually aligning employment conditions to those of the OSCE and of other similar

international organizations;

Encourages the International Secretariat to continue engaging in goal-oriented co-

operation with the OSCE executive structures in Vienna and throughout the region, as

well as with other international organizations, to promote economic and environmental

security in line with relevant OSCE PA resolutions.

55.

56.

57.

58.

59.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 29: Reports and Draft Resolutions of the Three Committees of the OSCE PA

GENERAL COMMITTEE ON

ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

PROPOSED AMENDMENT to the DRAFT RESOLUTION

STRENGTHENING REGIONAL SECURITY BY FOSTERING DEMOCRATIC

AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES: THE ROLE OF THE OSCE PA

[Set out text of Amendment here:]

Principal Sponsor:

Mr/Mrs

Family Name in

Capital Letters

Country

Signature

Co-sponsored by:

Mr/Mrs

Family Name in

Capital Letters

Country

Signature