Mandate of the Commission on Sustainable Development
The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was
established as a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council by
Council decision . Its functions are set out in General Assembly resolution
of 22 December 1992. The Commission is composed of 53 members elected for terms
of office of three years, meets annually for a period of two to three weeks and
receives substantive and technical services from the Department of Economic and
Social Affairs/Division for Sustainable Development. The Commission
reports to the Economic and Social Council and, through it, to the Second
Committee of the General Assembly.
CSD members
The Commission on Sustainable Development is an inter-governmental body whose
members are elected by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) from amongst the Member States of the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
Membership Ratios
- 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.
One-third of the members are elected annually and outgoing members are eligible for re-election.
Other States, United Nations organizations, accredited inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations can attend sessions of the CSD as observers.
Role of the CSD as a High Level Forum on Sustainable Development
The role of the Commission as a high level forum on
sustainable development, includes:
- to review progress at the international, regional and
national levels in the implementation of recommendations and commitments
contained in the final documents of the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED), namely: Agenda 21; and the
- to elaborate policy guidance and options for future
activities to follow up the and achieve sustainable development
- to promote dialogue and build partnerships for
sustainable development with governments, the international community and
the major groups identified in Agenda 21 as key actors outside the central
government who have a major role to play in the transition towards
sustainable development. These Major Groups
include women, youth, indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations,
local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, the
scientific community, and farmers
Chapter 11 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
Furthermore, the called for:
- Renewed emphasis on integration of the three dimensions of
sustainable development in a balanced way
- Focus on reviewing and monitoring progress in the
implementation through a broad exchange of views and experiences, best
practice and lessons learned
- Enhanced linkages between global, regional and national
endeavors
- Integrated process that enhances coherence between the
implementation of Agenda 21, initiatives and partnerships
- Greater involvement at the regional level
- Opportunity to look at new challenges and opportunities in
the context of implementation
- Innovative methods of work
- Broader participation of all stakeholders, particularly UN
agencies/international financial institutions and the Major Groups
- Greater consideration to scientific contributions
- Contributions of educators
- Focus on a limited number of issues
- Negotiations once every two years