UN-CSD
The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was established by the UN General Assembly in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit.
The Commission is responsible for reviewing progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; as well as providing policy guidance to follow up the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) at the local, national, regional and international levels. The JPOI reaffirmed that the CSD is the high-level forum for sustainable development within the United Nations system.
The CSD meets annually in New York, in two-year cycles, with each cycle focusing on clusters of specific thematic and cross-sectoral issues, outlined in its new multi-year programme of work (2003-2017) . The cycles alternate a review year to a policy year.
The CSD has opened its sessions to broad participation from both governmental and non-governmental actors, and it supports a number of innovative activities, such as the Partnerships Fair, the Learning Centre and a series of panels, roundtables and side events. The High-level segment features dialogue among Ministers, and Ministers also hold a special dialogue session with Major Groups.
As a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), CSD has 53 member States (about one third of the members are elected on a yearly basis). Each session of the CSD elects a Bureau, comprised of a Chair and four vice-Chairs.
Who can participate?
• Members States
Members of the Commission on Sustainable Development (the 53 members elected for terms of office of three years). For CSD-16 these include Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Canada, China, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, France, Gambia, Germany, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America Zambia, Zimbabwe
• Non-CSD members, participating as observers (no voting right nor possibility to serve on CSD Bureau) United Nations specialized agencies or related organisations;
• UN Funds and Programmes (ILO, FAO, UNESCO, ICAO, WHO, World Bank, IMF, UPU, ITU, WMO IMO, WIPO, IFAD, UNIDO, WTO (World Tourism Organization), IAEA, and WTO (World Trade Organization)
• Regional Commissions (ECA, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP and ESCWA)
• Other accredited intergovernmental organisations
• Accredited Non-governmental organizations (NGOs):
NGOs and other major group organizations (as defined by Agenda 21, these are women, children and youth, indigenous people, non-governmental organizations, local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, scientific and technological communities, and farmers), wishing to participate in official meetings of the CSD must be accredited to the UN (either by being in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC, or listed in the CSD Roster).
The Commission is responsible for reviewing progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; as well as providing policy guidance to follow up the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) at the local, national, regional and international levels. The JPOI reaffirmed that the CSD is the high-level forum for sustainable development within the United Nations system.
The CSD meets annually in New York, in two-year cycles, with each cycle focusing on clusters of specific thematic and cross-sectoral issues, outlined in its new multi-year programme of work (2003-2017) . The cycles alternate a review year to a policy year.
The CSD has opened its sessions to broad participation from both governmental and non-governmental actors, and it supports a number of innovative activities, such as the Partnerships Fair, the Learning Centre and a series of panels, roundtables and side events. The High-level segment features dialogue among Ministers, and Ministers also hold a special dialogue session with Major Groups.
As a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), CSD has 53 member States (about one third of the members are elected on a yearly basis). Each session of the CSD elects a Bureau, comprised of a Chair and four vice-Chairs.
Who can participate?
• Members States
Members of the Commission on Sustainable Development (the 53 members elected for terms of office of three years). For CSD-16 these include Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Canada, China, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, France, Gambia, Germany, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America Zambia, Zimbabwe
• Non-CSD members, participating as observers (no voting right nor possibility to serve on CSD Bureau) United Nations specialized agencies or related organisations;
• UN Funds and Programmes (ILO, FAO, UNESCO, ICAO, WHO, World Bank, IMF, UPU, ITU, WMO IMO, WIPO, IFAD, UNIDO, WTO (World Tourism Organization), IAEA, and WTO (World Trade Organization)
• Regional Commissions (ECA, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP and ESCWA)
• Other accredited intergovernmental organisations
• Accredited Non-governmental organizations (NGOs):
NGOs and other major group organizations (as defined by Agenda 21, these are women, children and youth, indigenous people, non-governmental organizations, local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, scientific and technological communities, and farmers), wishing to participate in official meetings of the CSD must be accredited to the UN (either by being in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC, or listed in the CSD Roster).
The United Nations Major Group on Children & Youth (aka Youth Caucus) depends on the input, action, and voice of every youth who is passionate on improving our world.
India has 16 per cent of the world's populations and produces less than 5 per cent of the word's greenhouse gases, China has 17 per cent of the world's population and produces 23 per cent of the world's greenhouse gases, and the United States has 5 per cent of the world's population, but produces 22 per cent of the world's greenhouse gases.
