CSD
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The Commission on Sustainable Development
(CSD), a functional commission of the Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC), was created in December 1992
as a follow up of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Its main function is to monitor and report on implementation
of Agenda 21 at all levels. UNEP plays an integral
part in the work of the Commission, and provides the
environmental dimension of sustainable development.
The CSD held its first session in June 1993 and has
met annually since then. In 1997, a 5-year review
of the Earth Summit progress took place in a special
session of the General Assembly.
CSD-10, held in four sessions between
April 2001 and June 2001, served as the open-ended
preparatory committee (PrepCom) for the World Summit
on Sustainable Development held later on that year
which would mark the 10-year review of the Earth Summit.
The PrepCom conducted a comprehensive review and assessment
of progress achieved in the implementation of Agenda
21. The last session in Bali proved important as it
resulted in two acts; the first was a draft Plan of
Implementation that was negotiated and would be sent
to the Summit, and the second was the Bali Guiding
Principles, a document containing guidelines for the
development of voluntary partnerships.
The CSD-11 held this year in New
York was seen as a transition point, as it highlighted
the needed changes in the Commission’s future
work so that it could carry out its critical role.
The task at hand was to decide on modalities and a
future work programme for the Commission.
Klaus Topfer, the Executive Director
of the UNEP said that the critical issue considered
during the Commission’s session should be the
huge disparity that still existed between commitments
made by the international community and action to
implement them. Policies for sustainable development
had been developed and were in place but the question
of implementation remained. Concrete steps needed
to be taken to address the issues of poverty eradication
and bridge the gap in world consumption patterns.
In issues concerning the environment, he said that
the WSSD had provided the international community
with a new chance to push forward environmental agreements,
creating a solid basis for implementing the JPOI,
which contained over 30 tables and targets. The Summit
had also produced a 10-year program for sustainable
development and consumption, a clean fuel initiative,
and other partnership activities. He called upon the
international community to decide on a reliable framework
to bring all available resources together in new efforts
at implementation.
One of the main outcomes of the Commission
was the adoption of a work plan designed around two-year
cycles focusing on related development issues through
2017. The first cycle, to begin in 2004, will tackle
issues associated with water, sanitation, and human
settlements. The second cycle will focus on energy,
industrial development, air pollution, and climate
change. Agriculture, rural development, drought, and
desertification will be covered in the third cycle.
The fourth will be devoted to waste management, the
fifth, forests, biodiversity, biotechnology, tourism,
and mountains. The sixth cycle, to take place from
2014-2016, will cover oceans and small island developing
states. During 2016-2017, the Commission will evaluate
the overall implementation of the goals laid down
in Agenda 21 and the Plan of Implementation.
In addition to formal negotiations,
the CSD-11 also held events that were relevant to
the issues being addressed, namely the Partnerships
Fair, the side events, and the Learning Center. The
Partnerships Fair served as a venue for reporting
progress on existing WSSD partnerships, and as an
opportunity to identify and create new partnerships
and exchange ideas. The side events were a series
of events outside of the meetings that provided a
forum for the meetings’ participants to share
experiences and increase dialogue amongst themselves.
The UNEP is actively involved in a series of partnerships
and initiatives that were represented at the CSD.
UNEP/NYO is an active participant
in sessions of the CSD, forming part of UN inter-agency
preparations for such sessions, providing inputs to
background documentation, and actively participating
in the various meetings and side events.
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