Third Meeting of the Committee on Sustainable Development 7-10 October 2003

WSSD Outcomes and Regional Implementation Issues in Africa

1. The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26^th August to 4^th September 2002, ten years after the World Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1992). The outcomes of UNCED include The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Agenda 21 - a global plan of Action that was adopted to ensure sustainable development through integration of environmental and development problems, and reflects a global consensus and political commitment at the highest level on development and environment cooperation. Other outcomes were Global Environmental Conventions, namely, Climate Change, Biodiversity and the Forest Principles.

2. A five-year review conducted in 1997 revealed that little progress had been made in implementing Agenda 21. The desired momentum for accelerated implementation and a political declaration affirming a renewed commitment failed to be generated. In light of the above and in accordance with the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 55/199, the goal of the WSSD was to conduct a further (10-year) review of the implementation of the outcomes of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), particularly Agenda 21 and to reinvigorate global commitment to sustainable development. The findings of the regional reviews conducted in the run-up to WSSD confirmed a generally low level of implementation of Agenda 2. This was particularly glaring for the Africa region and further justified the need for such a review.

3. At WSSD, in addition to crosscutting issues such as finance and trade, technology transfer, science, education, capacity building, information, consumption and production patterns, partnerships plenary sessions were convened to address five priority areas for sustainable development, namely, Water and sanitation, Energy, Health and Environment, Agriculture, and Biodiversity and Ecosystem management - the WEHAB Initiative. The role of the five UN regional commissions (including the ECA) in the implementation of the WSSD outcomes was among the main highlights of the Summit.

4. The promotion of regional partnerships and regional cooperation and the monitoring and assessment of implementation progress were among the roles identified for regional commissions. Four Round Table sessions of Heads of State and Government and senior officials were convened to discuss the theme, "Making it Happen" during which participants addressed the challenges for the WSSD. Issues discussed included mobilizing resources, improving international and national institutions as well as their capacity to integrate the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic development, social development and environmental protection), providing access to scientific knowledge and affordable technologies and strengthening commitment to global solidarity.

5. This paper is prepared for consideration by the third meeting of the Committee on Sustainable Development (CSD-III), which will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 7-10 October 2003. The paper provides an account of the key events and outcomes of WSSD, the role of ECA during the Africa preparatory process for WSSD, at WSSD and initial steps taken to implement the outcomes of WSSD. The main events and outcomes of the eleventh session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-11) including ECA's contribution at the session is also discussed. The paper concludes by making concrete recommendations on the way forward.

Key Outcomes of the Summit

6. The success of the Summit can be summed up as follows: The Summit succeeded in putting sustainable development back on the global agenda and provided the basis for more resources to be committed to the goals of environmental protection and poverty reduction in a sustainable way. It continued the momentum of the recent meetings to address issues related to development and poverty held in Doha and Monterrey. The Summit also resulted in concrete government commitments for action and partnerships to achieve measurable accomplishments. The international community, to better focus efforts to address the development needs of Africa, identified Africa and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) for special attention and support. With all these commitments and partnerships, the Summit laid a solid foundation for achieving sustainable development.

7. The three outcomes of the Summit were the Political Declaration, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) and the type II partnerships initiatives. The Political Declaration reaffirms global commitment to the objectives of sustainable development. The Plan of Implementation, contains targets and timetables to spur actions on a wide range of issues to fight poverty and protect the environment, most of which converge with and reinforce the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The partnership commitments on the WEHAB issues number over 260 and include major initiatives by development partners. The WEHAB Initiative complements the Plan of Implementation and also provides a platform for nurturing partnerships in these areas.

The Plan of Implementation - Key Commitments, Targets and Timetables

8. The JPOI contains five major sectoral areas: poverty eradication, changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development, sustainable development in a globalizing world, and health and sustainable development. In addition to these five areas, the JPOI also contains chapters on: Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS); Sustainable Development of Africa; Other Regional Initiatives; Means of Implementation and Institutional framework for Sustainable Development.

9. The Summit made a commitment to halve, by the year 2015, the proportion of the world's people whose income is less than $1 a day. Similarly, it decided to halve, by the same date, the number of people without access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Further, it agreed to the goal of achieving, by 2020, a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers, as proposed in the "Cities without slums" initiative. It also recommended the establishment of a world solidarity fund to eradicate poverty and to promote social and human development in the developing countries.

10. The Summit recommended the development of programmes to reduce, by 2015, mortality rates for infants and children under 5 years of age by two thirds and maternal mortality rates by three quarters, of the prevailing rate in 2000, and reduce disparities between and within developed and developing countries as quickly as possible. It further recommended enhancing cooperation to reduce air pollution, and phase out lead in lead-based paints and other sources of human exposure, and improve developing countries access to environmentally sound alternatives to ozone-depleting chemicals by 2010; it also recommended that chemicals be used and produced in ways that would not harm human health and the environment by 2020.

11. The Summit recommended the development of a 10-year framework of programmes in support of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production. This was to be achieved by addressing and where appropriate, de-linking economic growth and environmental degradation through improving efficiency and sustainability in the use of resources and production processes, and reducing resource degradation, pollution and waste.

12. The Summit affirmed that managing the natural resource base in a sustainable and integrated manner was essential for sustainable development. It agreed to reduce biodiversity loss by 2010, reverse the current trend in natural resource degradation, restore fisheries to their maximum sustainable yields by 2015 and establish a representative network of marine protected areas by 2012. Further, it recommended developing and strengthening a range of activities to improve natural disaster preparedness and response.

13. The Summit also emphasized that globalization and interdependence were offering new opportunities, but that had also created serious challenges, including serious financial crises, insecurity, poverty, exclusion and inequality within and among societies. The developing countries faced special difficulties in responding to those challenges and opportunities. In order for globalization to be fully inclusive and equitable, there was a strong need for the full and effective participation of developing countries in international negotiations, including those in the World Trade Organization (WTO), to help them respond effectively to those challenges and opportunities.

14. The Summit recommended the implementation of the outcomes of the WTO Doha Ministerial Conference, the further strengthening of trade-related technical assistance and capacity- building, and ensuring the meaningful, effective and full participation of developing countries in multilateral trade negotiations by placing their needs and interests at the heart of the work programme of WTO.

Focus of the Africa chapter of the Plan of Implementation

15. The chapter on Africa affirms the international community's commitment to support sustainable development in Africa, through addressing the special challenges taking concrete actions to implement Agenda 21 in Africa, within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). It also pledges support for other existing development frameworks that are owned and driven nationally by African countries and that embody poverty reduction including poverty reduction strategy papers.

The Summit recommended inter alia to:

• Provide financial and technical support for Africa's efforts to implement the Convention to Combat Desertification at the national level and integrate indigenous knowledge systems into land and natural resources management practices, as appropriate, and improve extension services to rural communities and promote better land and watershed management practices, including through improved agricultural practices that address land degradation, in order to develop capacity for the implementation of national programmes;

• Mobilize financial and other support to develop and strengthen health systems;

• Deal effectively with natural disasters and conflicts, including their humanitarian and environmental impacts;

• Promote integrated water resources development and optimize the upstream and downstream benefits therefrom, the development and effective management of water resources across all uses and the protection of water quality and aquatic ecosystems;

• Achieve significantly improved agricultural productivity and food security in furtherance of the agreed millennium development goals, in particular to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger;

• Achieve sound management of chemicals, with particular focus on hazardous chemicals and wastes;Bridge the digital divide and create digital opportunity in terms of access infrastructure and technology transfer and application, through integrated initiatives for Africa. Create an enabling environment to attract investments, accelerate existing and new programmes and projects to connect essential institutions, and stimulate the adoption of information communication technologies in government and commerce programmes and other aspects of national economic and social life;

• Support Africa's efforts to attain sustainable tourism that contributes to social, economic and infrastructure development and;

• Support African countries in their efforts to implement the Habitat Agenda and the Istanbul Declaration through initiatives to strengthen national and local institutional capacities in the areas of sustainable urbanization and human settlements, provide support for adequate shelter and basic services and the development of efficient and effective governance systems in cities and other human settlements, and strengthen, inter alia, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme/UNEP managing water for African cities programme.

Role of Regional Commissions in the implementation of the WSSD Outcomes

16. In the build-up to WSSD, regional commissions examined their potential role in the implementation of the outcomes of the Summit. It was recognized that the regional commissions have a comparative advantage as regards the integrated follow-up and implementation of the WSSD outcomes at regional level.

17. Building upon their existing analytical capacity in the economic, social and environmental fields, the regional commissions can strengthen the implementation of the outcomes of the WSSD and help integrate these into policy issues. Given their positioning at the regional level, regional commissions can also provide greater coherence and better coordination between the country-level, sub-regional, regional and global actions in the implementation of the WSSD Plan of Implementation.

18. In view of the above, it was agreed that high on the post-WSSD agenda should be the strengthening of the capacities of the regional commissions to support sustainable development by making it a key element of their mandates. It was recommended that a mechanism be created within the regional commissions to enhance their capacities to implement, coordinate and monitor the WSSD outcomes, including the further implementation of Agenda 21, and to review sustainable development reports for the purpose of making substantive recommendations to governments and relevant regional and international organizations. In this respect, a two-fold role was identified for the regional commissions: ensuring the monitoring of progress made by their member countries and, on this basis, promoting regional policy dialogues and peer reviews.

19. The potential roles of the regional commissions, as reiterated at the WSSD plenary session on regional implementation, include the following:

• Improving on interregional coordination and cooperation on sustainable development among regional commission, United Nations Funds, programmes and agencies, regional development banks and other regional and subregional institutions and bodies;

• Promoting the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development in their work in a balanced way and facilitate and promote same into the work of regional, subregional and other bodies;

• Assist in the mobilization of technical and financial assistance and facilitate the provision of adequate financing for the implementation of regionally and subregionally agreed sustainable development programmes and projects including addressing the objective of poverty eradication; and

• Continue to promote multi-stakeholder participation and encourage partnerships to support the implementation of Agenda 21 at the regional and subregional levels.

• To support regionally and subregionally agreed sustainable development initiatives and programmes, such as NEPAD and interregional aspects of the globally agreed Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

The Eleventh Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-11)

20. The eleventh session of the CSD took place from 28 April to 9 May 2003 at the UN headquarters in New York, the first session the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). The main objective of the session was to set the tone for the CSD's work for the coming decade and to ensure "sound" political direction to the implementation of the WSSD's outcomes, Agenda 21 and to the next phase of the CSD's work. The theme of the session was "Priority actions and commitments to implement the outcomes of the WSSD" and highlights included an interactive ministerial roundtable, regional implementation forums and multi-stakeholder dialogue.

Highlights of the ECA Sponsored Regional Implementation Forum

21. The Regional Forum for Africa agreed that sustainable development was crucially important for the region, particularly with regard to the reduction of poverty. NEPAD was recognized as the main framework for the implementation of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) and the MDGs in Africa. A number of challenges were identified as obstacles to sustainable development in Africa. These include capacity building, financial resources, market access and technology transfer. Health was also identified as another important issue given the ravaging impacts of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis on Africa's population.

22. It was agreed that financial resources could be generated through several ways namely: mobilization of domestic resources; removal of agricultural subsidies by the West; partnerships with civil society and the private sector and developed countries meeting their ODA commitments. The importance of coordination among government entities at the national level, regional and sub-regional bodies and UN entities was recognized. Support was expressed for greater involvement of all stakeholders at every stage of the regional and sub-regional preparatory processes for the CSD as well as in the implementation of sustainable development priorities.

• Assist in the mobilization of technical and financial assistance and facilitate the provision of adequate financing for the implementation of regionally and subregionally agreed sustainable development programmes and projects including addressing the objective of poverty eradication; and

• Continue to promote multi-stakeholder participation and encourage partnerships to support the implementation of Agenda 21 at the regional and subregional levels.

The Eleventh Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-11)

20. The eleventh session of the CSD took place from 28 April to 9 May 2003 at the UN headquarters in New York, the first session the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). The main objective of the session was to set the tone for the CSD's work for the coming decade and to ensure "sound" political direction to the implementation of the WSSD's outcomes, Agenda 21 and to the next phase of the CSD's work. The theme of the session was "Priority actions and commitments to implement the outcomes of the WSSD" and highlights included an interactive ministerial roundtable, regional implementation forums and multi-stakeholder dialogue.

Highlights of the ECA Sponsored Regional Implementation Forum

21. The Regional Forum for Africa agreed that sustainable development was crucially important for the region, particularly with regard to the reduction of poverty. NEPAD was recognized as the main framework for the implementation of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) and the MDGs in Africa. A number of challenges were identified as obstacles to sustainable development in Africa. These include capacity building, financial resources, market access and technology transfer. Health was also identified as another important issue given the ravaging impacts of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis on Africa's population.

22. It was agreed that financial resources could be generated through several ways namely: mobilization of domestic resources; removal of agricultural subsidies by the West; partnerships with civil society and the private sector and developed countries meeting their ODA commitments. The importance of coordination among government entities at the national level, regional and sub-regional bodies and UN entities was recognized. Support was expressed for greater involvement of all stakeholders at every stage of the regional and sub-regional preparatory processes for the CSD as well as in the implementation of sustainable development priorities.

Organisation of Work of the CSD for the period 2004-2017

23. It was decided that the CSD should contribute to advancing implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation at all levels. In this regard, the work of the Commission will be organized as a series of two-year action-oriented "Implementation Cycles" which will include a "Review Session" and a "Policy Session" (Annex 1- Timeline of CSD meetings during the two-year cycle). The cycle will function as follows:

24. CSD Review Sessions will be in April/May for a period of 2 to 3 weeks in the first year of the cycle. Review Sessions will undertake an evaluation of progress in implementation, while focusing on identifying constraints and obstacles in the process of implementation with regard to the selected thematic cluster of issues for the cycle. The Sessions would include a High-Level Segment, exchange of regional experiences, dialogues with experts, including scientific experts, sharing of best practices and lessons learned, with a view to facilitating implementation, as well as capacity-building activities such as learning centres and partnership fairs.

25. The outcome of the Review Session will be a report including a Chairperson's Summary containing identified constraints and obstacles and possible approaches and best practices for implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the JPOI.

26. In the Policy Year the CSD will convene an Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting, for one week in New York in February/March to discuss policy options and possible actions to address the constraints and obstacles in the process of implementation identified during the Review Year. The discussions will be based on the outcome of the Review Session, SGs reports as well as other relevant inputs. Based on these discussions the Chair will prepare a draft negotiating document for consideration at the Policy Session.

27. CSD Policy Sessions, to be held in April/May of the second year of the cycle, will take policy decisions on practical measures and options to expedite implementation in the selected thematic cluster of issues, taking account of the discussions of the Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting, the Secretary-General's reports and other relevant inputs;

28. The Review Sessions and the Policy Sessions should mobilise further action by all implementation actors to overcome obstacles and constraints in the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the JPOI, and address new challenges and opportunities, and share lessons learned and best practice.

29. In order to allow effective consideration of regional and sub-regional inputs throughout the Implementation Cycle and to ensure maximum flexibility, the Regional Commissions will organize regional implementation meetings in collaboration with the CSD Secretariat, other regional and sub-regional organizations and bodies, as well as regional offices of funds, programmes, international finance and trade institutions and other organisations of the UN system. Such meetings should take place before the CSD Review Session.

30. Each two-year cycle is expected to consider a thematic cluster of issues and some crosscutting issues. The 2004-2005 cycle will focus on water, sanitation and human settlements. Annex 2 shows the thematic cluster of issues in two-year cycles from 2004 to 2017 respectively.

ECA Involvement in the WSSD Process and Initial Steps taken to Implement the WSSD Outcomes

31. In the context of the Africa Region, ECA was actively involved in supporting African countries in their preparation to the WSSD. In order to facilitate a broad consultative process for the African preparation for the Summit, the Commission, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) convened a high-level stakeholders' meeting on sustainable development at the ECA headquarters. A major outcome of this meeting was the establishment of an Expanded Joint Secretariat (EJS) composed of African regional and sub-regional organizations, the ECA, UNEP, ADB and UNDP. It was the EJS that guided and facilitated the overall preparatory process in Africa, including the hosting of the African Regional Preparatory Conference held at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, October 2001. During the WSSD, ECA coordinated the session on regional implementation at which it elaborated the main issues affecting the African continent and the requirements for action.

32. In conformity with its mandate as the UN regional arm in Africa, ECA will ensure a well coordinated and integrated implementation of the WSSD outcomes at national, sub-regional and regional levels taking into account the role of the regional commissions agreed at the WSSD.

The thirty- first session of the ECA Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, held in October 2002, decided to strengthen the Committee of Sustainable Development (CSD) by incorporating the Committee on Natural Resources, Science and Technology (CNRST) into the CSD. This broadening of the mandate of the CSD will provide a more comprehensive platform for advocacy and assessment of follow-up activities by African Governments to regional and global plans of actions.

33. The implementation of the WSSD outcomes with specific emphasis on the MDGs and NEPAD is the main objective of the revised medium-term plan of the ECA Sub-programme - "Fostering Sustainable Development in Africa". In this regard, a key publication "Report on Sustainable Development in Africa" will be produced on a biennial basis as a major output of the Sub-programme.

Sub-Regional, Regional and Interregional Cooperation

34. At the sub-regional level, there is an increasing consensus on the need to restructure the Sub-Regional Economic Communities (RECs) with a view to enhancing their operational efficiency in policy formulation, implementation and coordination. In this context, ECA had been formally requested to assist the Secretariats of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Community for Central African States (ECCAS) in the formulation of Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plans. These 10-year Plans will provide strategic direction for programmes, projects and activities and, therefore, a coherent and comprehensive social and economic development agenda within the framework of NEPAD and WSSD. ECA is committed to supporting and assisting all the major RECs in the preparation and implementation of such sub- regional plans. In keeping with the spirit of forging regional cooperation, the ECA Sub-Regional Office for West Africa is providing assistance to member States in the implementation of the ECOWAS/ West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) macro economic convergence criteria.

35. At the regional level, ECA convenes and chairs regular consultations of UN agencies working in Africa, which provide a mechanism for interagency cooperation and coordinated actions in support of the implementation of the WSSD outcomes within the framework of the NEPAD. These consultations have so far resulted in the creation of five UN Thematic Clusters to provide the necessary leverage and entry point for the UN system in the elaboration and implementation of programmes in a comprehensive, coordinated and coherent manner at the triple level of the respective clusters, the sub-regions and the whole Africa region. These clusters are organized around the following themes, all of which are of prime importance in implementing the WSSD outcomes within the NEPAD framework: Governance, Peace and Security; Human Resource Development; Infrastructure; Environment, Population and Urbanization; and Agriculture, Trade and Market Access.

36. At the global level, Interregional Cooperation is considered key to effective implementation of the outcomes of WSSD. The five regional commissions have a number of common issues regarding sustainable development. These include poverty, poor health, energy, education, forests, financial resources, governance, land management, freshwater, and natural disasters among others. These commonalities underscore the need for inter-regional cooperation and partnerships. The ECA will build partnerships with other regional commissions and UN Agencies, International Organizations, governments, regional and sub- regional organizations and economic commissions to advance the course of sustainable development in Africa. Interregional cooperation programs can be built among regions around some common challenges of top priority. Chief among these, for Africa, would feature fighting HIV/AIDS and other poverty-related diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, planning and managing water resources for sustainable development, and making the continent part of the global future of Science and Technology based progress with special focus on biotechnology and ICT. Inter- regional cooperative programs in these areas could encompass institutional development, capacity building, exchange of information on best practices, field visits and joint programmes and projects. Under the aegis of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), concrete actions are being undertaken towards this end.

37. The regional review of the implementation of Agenda 21, the programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21 and the JPOI will be undertaken in December 2003. The review will focus on the thematic issues identified for the first two-year cycle (2004-2005) namely: water and sanitation and human settlements. All partners and stakeholders will be involved in the preparation and organization of the regional review. The issues and recommendations from the review will be used as inputs during the CSD review session scheduled to take place in April/May 2004. Issues emanating from the CSD review session will feed into the CSD policy session in April/May 2005.

Conclusion

38. In spite of its vast natural resources, Africa's population remains the poorest continent. Most African countries are classified as least developed and are at the bottom of the Human Development Index. Africa is the most marginalized continent in the globalization process and in addition to poverty, faces a number of development challenges including HIV/AIDS, food insecurity and environmental degradation. Suffice it to say, development in Africa is complex and difficult, and many areas related to sustainable development can be considered as priorities. The African Ministerial Statement for the WSSD contains many priority areas, which reflect the realities of the region. Thus Africa faces the greatest challenge to meeting the goal of sustainable development. However, as Vaali Moosa, the CSD Chairman, put it: "We all need to operate in a sustainably new way, moving beyond a business as usual approach". And Africa cannot afford to be left behind one more time.

39. The ECA's main task is to bridge global consensus with national priorities and concerns. The ECA is challenged to provide greater coherence and better coordination between the country-level, sub-regional, regional and global actions in the implementation of the WSSD outcomes. However, it should be remembered that the effectiveness of ECA's interventions is dependent on the continuous support provided by their respective Member States.

Recommendations

40. Given the bridging role of ECA in meeting the goal of sustainable development, it is important that the institutional frameworks for sustainable development be examined and analysed at all levels (regional, sub-regional, national and local) to identify the shortcomings and recommend institutions that are responsive to the requirements and challenges posed by sustainable development:

41. At the national level, the composition of the Sustainable Development Councils and the positioning of the focal institution for sustainable development within the government machinery should be assessed bearing in mind the need to integrate the three pillars of sustainable development. National Sustainable Development Plans (NSDP) should adequately integrate economic, social and environmental issues. These plans should be drawn with the participation of all relevant institutions and actors at all levels.

42. At the sub-regional and regional levels, agencies that spearheaded the Agenda 21 review process mentioned above should continue to be on board. This group should however be broadened with the addition of the NEPAD Secretariat, representatives of civil society including major groups and the private sector. At the Sub-regional level, the ECA Sub-Regional Offices (SROs) should be fully involved and should spearhead the sub-regional review processes. Activities to be undertaken in this regard should be taken into account in drawing up and budgeting for biennial work programmes.

43. At the level of the Commission, the broad and crosscutting nature of sustainable development requires enhanced inter-divisional coordination and collaboration, in the formulation and implementation of programmes. The establishment of the Office for Policy and Programme Coordination (OPC) within the Commission is a step in the right direction.

44. Interregional Cooperation is key to effective implementation of the outcomes of WSSD. The momentum built during the WSSD and immediately after should continue to be maintained if not enhanced.

45. To better reflect the integrated nature of sustainable development challenges in its policy advocacy, ECA should broaden the composition of its Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to incorporate key policymakers directly concerned with natural resources and environmental matters. Further, decisions reached at Policy sessions of the CSD should be tabled before the meetings of the ECA Conference of Ministers for guidance and support in their implementation.

46. In order to effectively play the role expected of it, the capacity of ECA would need to be strengthened. Additional resources would be needed both in human (staff) and financial terms to meet the demands for increased analytical work, advocacy and technical assistance to the member States in their efforts to promote harmony between socio-economic development and environmental stewardship.

Annex 1: Time Line of CSD Meetings During the Two-Year Cycle

Annex 2: Multi-Year Programme of Work of the CSD