Natural plant fibres and sustainable development A/RES/74/240 Stressing the need for cooperation, coordination and synergies in the wor k related to the production, distribution and use of natural plant fibres among relevant United Nations entities, in accordance with their respective mandates, Noting that political support and commercialization factors, including price and cost of production, are needed, as appropriate, to promote the sustainable production and use of natural plant fibres, aimed at contributing to sustainable development, Noting also that the promotion of the use of natural plant fibres needs to be carried out in ways that balance economic, social and environmental objectives and with the engagement of relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society and academia, Recognizing the crucial role that women and youth play in the production, consumption and conservation of natural plant fibres, and stressing the need for the full participation of women and youth at all levels of policymaking and implementation for promoting the use of natural plant fibres, 1. Invites all relevant stakeholders to scale up efforts to promote awareness of the benefits of the sustainable production and use of natural plant fibres; 2. Underlines the importance of unlocking the benefits of natural plant fibres, and encourages all stakeholders to promote the sustainable production and use of natural plant fibres in all relevant areas and sectors; 3. Recognizes that the production, processing, application and proper management and export of natural plant fibres may well have the potential to be advantageous to the economies of many developing countries and the livelihoods of millions of small-scale farmers and low-wage workers, and in this regard calls upon Member States to take effective measures, as appropriate, to help to integrate small scale holders into global production, value and supply chains for the sustainable production and use of natural plant fibres; 4. Stresses that the sustainable production and use of natural plant fibres may contribute to broader efforts towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 1 as well as of outcome documents of other related major United Nations conferences and summits and multilateral environmental agreements, including the Paris Agreement 3 and the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets; 11 5. Encourages Member States: (a) To foster political support, the mobilization of resources, capacity-building and proper management and momentum for the sustainable production and use of natural plant fibres at the global, regional, national and local levels, as appropriate; (b) To promote and support the full and effective participation of relevant stakeholders, in particular indigenous peoples and local communities, in the decisionmaking process regarding the production of natural plant fibres; (c) To promote and support measures to ensure that the production of natural plant fibres is consistent with the conservation of natural forests and biological diversity and does not lead to the conversion of natural forests or overexploitation of natural resources, including water; (d) To consider mainstreaming the promotion of the sustainable production and use of natural plant fibres into policies and plans and current national __________________ 11 19-22515 See United Nations Environment Programme, document UNEP/CBD/COP/10/27, annex, decision X/2. 3/4