FOREWORD Xanana Gusmão, President CNRT/CN We East Timorese have liberated our homeland. Now, independence for East Timor means that we need to address many questions about development. We are building our nation and our future. We need to make wise decisions for the sake of future generations. I am very pleased that the Conference on Sustainable Development was held in East Timor. Building our future requires vision and planning – based on an understanding of our current situation and development prospects. This conference provided a valuable opportunity for us to consult with experts and to discuss and develop strategies to address sustainable development in East Timor. Presentations at the conference by East Timorese and international experts provided information that we need as part of our planning process. The broad participatory base and large workshop component of the conference provided a valuable opportunity for us to discuss many issues, including protection of the environment, economic development and social justice. We need to develop strategies for the sustainable development of our economy while protecting and repairing the environment. Our people have suffered enough. The future wellbeing of our people is of utmost concern to me. Planning for our future requires full consideration of how to improve the lives of the people of East Timor. The conference on sustainable development is an important step along the road to planning a sustainable future for East Timor. Xanana Gusmão President CNRT/CN Sergio Vieira de Mello, Transitional Administrator I supported the Conference on Sustainable Development in East Timor from its inception – in particular its important focus on the profound links between economic development and social and environmental well-being. I am delighted by the success of the Conference. One of the key areas of global concern has been to put people at the centre of sustainable development and to recognise their entitlement to lead a healthy and productive life. The new nation of East Timor has a clear opportunity to show leadership by embracing the principles of sustainable development. East Timor is developing itself politically, and socio-economically. The starting point for East Timor is social and political justice. Sustainable development in East Timor requires the empowerment of communities, the full participation and education of all sectors of society as well as integrated planning and environmental assessment. This Conference provided important opportunities for raising awareness and knowledge about sustainable development and the environment in East Timor. It was a good opportunity to begin thinking about innovative solutions for East Timor. It is particularly important that the people and the future government of East Timor devise an effective sustainable development strategy to secure the sustainable utilisation of East Timor’s natural resources, and the repair of past environmental damage. The outcomes of this conference will help to ensure that environmental concerns are integrated into development planning in all sectors. I give my full support to the Task Force on Sustainable Development that is being established as an outcome of this conference. This Task Force will be a key agent for strategic planning for sustainable development in East Timor. These conference proceedings will serve as an invaluable handbook for development planners in East Timor as they undertake the complex task of balancing conservation and development objectives to meet the needs and aspirations of the Timorese people. Sergio Vieira de Mello Transitional Administrator Special Representative of the Secretary General 1 CONTENTS 1 FOREWORD 3 MAP OF EAST TIMOR 4 PREFACE 7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 8 CONFERENCE OUTCOMES & RECOMMENDATIONS 14 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 29 CHAPTER 2 NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION East Timor’s Natural Resources and Environmental Assets • Biodiversity and Conservation • Forests • Fresh Water Resources • Climate Change • Pollution and Waste • Assessment of Environmental Needs and Priorities 45 • WORKSHOPS 47 CHAPTER 3 ECONOMY Introduction to Economy and the Environment • Industry, Trade and Globalisation • Agriculture • Fisheries • Mining, Resource Extractive Industries • Tourism 71 • WORKSHOPS 75 CHAPTER 4 TECHNOLOGY Introduction • Infrastructure • Sustainable Design • Appropriate and Sustainable Energy • Waste Management Systems 85 • WORKSHOPS 87 CHAPTER 5 SOCIAL ISSUES Health • Gender • Youth • Education • Land Tenure and Sustainable Land Management 105 • WORKSHOPS 109 CHAPTER 6 INSTITUTIONS Governance • Civil Society • Traditional Culture • National and International Environmental Law • Environmental Planning and Management 124 • WORKSHOPS 127 DISTRICT OUTREACH PROGRAM 131 CONTACTS List of Sustainable Development Organisations, Strategies and Directories with Website and Email addresses 136 ABBREVIATIONS 2 EAST TIMOR PREFACE East Timor is the world’s newest nation. It was for strategic planning for sustainable a Portuguese colony for more than 400 years and development in East Timor. was brutally occupied by Indonesia between 1975 The Conference on Sustainable Development and 1999. During the long period of colonisation was inspired by the moment of “beginning” in and occupation, East Timorese people were East Timor. There was clearly the opportunity to unable to participate in decisions about their do things differently. An opportunity to take hold future. The years of foreign rule were of all of the ideas for sustainable development that characterised by oppression, neglect, poverty and have been developed. While there is no blueprint environmental exploitation and degradation. For for sustainable development, people around the many years, East Timor was closed to the outside world have given much thought to how it can be world. This oppression engendered a passionate achieved. It is clearly recognised that current culture of resistance and desire for ukun rasik (self development practices are unsustainable and that determination). The unswayable resistance and a new approach to development is needed. struggle by the East Timorese led to their The Rio Earth Summit in 1992 resulted in a liberation. major sustainable development strategy - Agenda In 1999, the Indonesian occupation of East 21. Agenda 21 set out to specify the issues and Timor ended. The Indonesian withdrawal was topics that need to be dealt with in any attempt punctuated by a ‘scorched earth’ policy leaving a to achieve sustainability. It addresses poverty, wake of ash and smoke. This destruction was hunger, disease, illiteracy and environmental carried out by Indonesian backed Militia’s, and degradations as a set of interrelated issues. the Indonesian Army, as retribution for the Included among the 27 Principles of Agenda overwhelming vote for independence by the East 21 are the need for: environmental protection • a Timorese in a Referendum on the 30th of August global partnership for the conservation, 1999. In only three weeks in September 1999, more protection and restoration of the integrity of the than 75% of East Timor’s infrastructure was Earth’s ecosystems • elimination of unsustainable destroyed. Thousands of East Timorese were patterns of production and consumption • access killed, and 200,000 East Timorese were forcibly to information • effective environmental removed from the country. Almost the entire legislation • use of a precautionary approach • remaining population were internally displaced. environmental impact assessment • recognition East Timorese have now returned to rebuild that women have a vital role in environmental their nation and their lives. In many respects, the management and development • mobilisation of new nation is starting from scratch. The building the creativity, ideals and courage of youth • and of the nation of East Timor provides many respect for the importance of indigenous people’s opportunities to avoid the mistakes that have knowledge and traditional practices. Principle 25 been made by so many other countries around of Agenda 21 is particularly relevant to East the world. East Timor has the opportunity to find Timor. It states that “peace, development and innovative solutions to the many challenges it is environmental protection are interdependent and facing. indivisible”. The principles of sustainable development are Agenda 21 is an action plan that calls on a useful starting point for nation building. nations to adopt national strategies for sustainable Sustainable development ensures the balanced development. Many countries around the world integration of economic, social and environmental are presently working towards implementing goals. The internationally recognised definition National Sustainable Development Strategies. of sustainable development, produced by The enthusiasm with which the East Timorese theWorld Commission on Environment and participants greeted the conference made it clear Development (1987) is “development that meets that there is a strong desire for sustainable the needs of the present without comprising the development in East Timor. Over the long 7 days ability of future generations to meet their own of the conference, a comprehensive range of needs". sustainable development issues were addressed. There are many ideas and many models that The majority of participants were East Timorese. can be used in East Timor. It is hoped that this Papers were presented by international guests book of Proceedings from the Conference on and East Timorese experts.