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United Nations Organizations/Agencies
United Nations Commission On Sustainable Development (CSD)
Objectives
Membership
Activities
Environment Canada's Involvement
The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created in December 1992
to ensure effective follow-up to the UN Conference
on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.
Following the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg,
South Africa, the role of the CSD
is to review
progress and implementation of agreements emanating from UNCED, UNCED+5 and
the WSSD at the international, regional and national levels. CSD is also
tasked with the mandate to mainstream sustainable development within the UN
system; elaborate on policy guidance and options for future activities; to
promote dialogue and build partnerships for sustainable development with governments,
the international
community and the major groups identified as key actors outside
the central government, who have a major role to play in the transition towards
sustainable development.
The CSD is one of nine functional commissions that report to the Economic
and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. It is composed of 53 members
elected for terms of office of three years. Thirteen members are elected from
Africa; eleven from Asia; ten from Latin America and the Caribbean; six from
Eastern Europe; and thirteen from Western Europe and Other Group (WEOG). One-third
of the members are elected annually and outgoing members are eligible for re-election.
Other States, United Nations organizations, and accredited intergovernmental
and non-governmental organizations may attend CSD sessions as observers. Non-members
may attend meetings but not vote or serve on the Bureau. Canada's last term
as member expired in May 2000. The last Chair for CSD-12 was Minister Børge
Brende of Norway and the current Chair of CSD-13 is Minister John Ash of Barbudua/Antigua.
Officials meet annually at an intersessional meeting held in February/March,
followed by a high level session that is held in the April/May at the UN headquarters
in New York. At CSD-11 in 2003, and following agreement at the WSSD, the CSD
agreed to a multi-year Programme of Work to 2014. It is patterned on two-year
implementation cycles consisting of a review year and a policy year. The current
cycle for
2004-2005 focuses on water, sanitation and human settlements; while the 2006-2007
cycle will focus on energy for sustainable development; industrial development;
air pollution / atmosphere; and, climate change. The purpose of the Review
Year, a non-negotiating session, is to bring together sectoral experts, policy
makers, civil society, and other Major groups identified, to share
best practices and lessons learned in the identified themes areas of the cycle.
Based on these discussions, the Policy Year, focuses on how to accelerate
implementation of specific policies and actions that will make progress on
the same themes as the Review Year.
In terms of issues, there has been involvement from departmental officials and the
Minister in much of the implementation of activities that arose from UNCED in 1992. This
includes the negotiation and implementation of multilateral environmental agreements, as
well as domestic action on the environment.
With respect to national reporting to the CSD, the Department shares the responsibility
with FAC, CIDA and other relevant departments.
At CSD high-level meetings, the Minister of the Environment is generally
in attendance. However, the Commission seeks to encourage the attendance
of Ministers with a variety of portfolios, such as development, natural resources,
water and so forth. In Canada, preparations for CSD are undertaken cooperatively
with other departments and are driven by the topics of a given CSD session.
Depending on the content of
the agenda for a given session of the CSD, other ministers may consider attending
(i.e. Fisheries and Oceans, Agriculture and Agri-Food, etc.).
More information is available at the CSD web site at: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd.htm
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