Introduction of CSD

Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was established in February 1993 in accordance with the United Nations General Assembly res. 47/191 of December 1992. The role of the Commission is to ensure effective follow-up of 1992 UN Conference for Environment and Development (UNCED), to enhance international cooperation, to rationalize the intergovernmental decision-making capacity for the integration of environment and development issues and to examine the progress of the implementation of Agenda 21 at the national, regional and international levels. As a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Commission has the following mandates:

1. to monitor progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and activities related to the integration of environment and developmental goals throughout the United Nations system；

2. to review information provided by Governments regarding the activities they undertake to implement Agenda 21, the problems they face, such as problems related to financial resources and technology transfer, and other environment and development issues they may find relevant；

3．to review progress in the implementation of the commitments set forth in Agenda 21, including those related to the provision of financial resources and transfer of technology and the target of 0.7 per cent of the gross national product of developed countries for official development assistance.

4. to provide recommendations to the General Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council, on the basis of an integrated consideration of the reports and issues related to the implementation of Agenda 21.

The Commission is composed of 53 members elected from the Member States of the United Nations and members of the specialized agencies for a term of three years, with due regard given to equitable geographical distribution. The regional allocation of seats in the Commission is as follows: 11 seats for Asian States; 13 seats for African States; 10 seats for Latin American and Caribbean States; 6 seats for Eastern European States; and 13 seats for Western European and other States. The High-level Advisory Board and Secretariat were established to provide expert advice and support to the Commission.

The Commission holds a high-level meeting annually for an integrated overview of the implementation of Agenda 21, including financial resources, technology and other cross-sectoral issues.

The Commission is one of the most important fora in the United Nations system to review and assess progress achieved in international environment and development cooperation. Since UNCED in Rio, the Commission has played an active role in facilitating cooperation and promoting implementation of the resolutions of UNCED.

The Commission meets once a year for a period of two to three weeks. In accordance with the resolutions of the General Assembly and the organizational session of the Commission, the chapters of Agenda 21 are divided into sectoral and cross-sectoral issues within nine clusters. Financial resources, technology transfer and other cross-sectoral issues are considered by the Commission on an annual basis. Sectoral issues are considered on a three-year basis.

The Commission held its first, second and third substantive sessions in 1993, 1994 and 1995 and reviewed progress in financial resources, technology transfer, poverty reduction, trade and environment, consumption, indicators for sustainable development and other cross-sectoral issues, and progress in health, human settlements and fresh water, land, forests and biodiversity, desertification and other sectoral issues.

The Commission held its fourth substantive session in 1996 and reviewed the cross-sectoral issues of financial resources, technology transfer, consumption and production patterns, trade and environment, and sectoral issues of atmosphere, oceans and seas and forests, and finished its first round of review on all sectoral and cross-sectoral components of Agenda 21.

The fifth substantive session of the Commission, held in 1997, was the preparatory meeting for the nineteenth special session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS). At the meeting, the Commission held consultations on the final resolutions of UNGASS which cover all sectoral and cross-sectoral issues in Agenda 21.

The Commission held its sixth substantive session in April 1998 and reviewed the issues of fresh water, industry sustainable development and technology transfer. The meeting adopted 12 resolutions.

The Commission held its seventh substantive session in April 1999 and reviewed the issues of oceans and seas, sustainable consumption and production, sustainable tourism and sustainable development of small island developing states. The meeting adopted 12 resolutions.

The Commission held its eighth substantive session in April 2000 and had full discussion on the issues of land and agriculture, finance, trade, investment and economic growth. The meeting also focused on the process of the ten years review of UNCED (Rio+10).

The Commission held its ninth substantive session in April 2001. The main focus of the ninth annual session was how to meeting the world's increasing energy needs while protecting the global environment. One of the unique features of this session was a multi-stakeholder dialogue, which focused on energy and transport. This session also started the preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD, i.e. Rio+10) which will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002.

China's Relations with CSD

China has been actively engaged in the activities sponsored by the Commission. In 1993, the Chinese delegation, headed by Ambassador Li Zhaoxing, permanent representative of China to the United Nations, attended the first substantive session of the Commission. In 1994, the Chinese delegation, headed by Mr. Zhang Kunmin, vice administrator of National Environmental Protection Administration of China, attended the second substantive session. In 1995, the Chinese delegation, headed by Ambassador Wang Xuexian, deputy permanent representative of China to the United Nations, attended the third substantive session. In 1996, the Chinese delegation, headed by Ambassador Qin Huasun, permanent representative of China to the United Nations, attended the fourth substantive session.

The Commission held its fifth substantive session from 7 to 25 April 1997, during which a high-level meeting was held from 8 to 10 April. This was the preparatory meeting for the nineteenth special session of the United Nations General Assembly. At the meeting, the Commission reviewed progress achieved in the implementation of Agenda 21 and resolutions adopted by UNCED. Delegates from nearly 70 states participated in the meeting. The Chinese delegation, headed by Ambassador Qin Huasun, permanent representative of China to the United Nations, attended the meeting. The Chinese delegation elaborated China's views on enhancing international environment and development cooperation and specified the achievements made by China in environmental protection in the process of economic development. The Chinese delegation closely cooperated with the delegates from developing countries and actively participated in the consultations on the resolutions of the meeting.

In April 1998, the Chinese delegation, headed by Ambassador Shen Guofang, deputy permanent representative of China to the United Nations, attended the sixth substantive session of the Commission. In the meeting, the Chinese delegation introduced policies and achievements made by the Chinese Government in water resources exploitation, utilization and protection and industry development and environmental protection, and elaborated China's views on technology transfer.

In April 1999, the Chinese delegation, headed by Mr. Xie Zhenhua, minister of State Environmental Protection Administration of China, attended the seventh substantive session of the Commission. Mr. Xie addressed particularly the issue of oceans and seas and actively participated in discussions on other issues.

In April 2000, the Chinese delegation, headed by Ambassador Wang Yingfan, permanent representative of China to the United Nations, attended the eighth substantive session of the Commission. Amb. Wang addressed the issue of food and agriculture related to the existence and development of human being, the issue of finance related to the success or failure of the UNCED, and the issue of trade and environment. Amb. Wang also raised wishes to the ten years review of UNCED (Rio+10) which will be held in 2002.

In April 2001, the Chinese delegation, headed by Ambassador Shen Guofang, deputy permanent representative of China to the United Nations, attended the sixth substantive session of the Commission. In the meeting, Amb. Shen addressed the issue of climate change and atmospheric environment protection, the issue of foreign environment and conditions realizing sustainable development in the circumstance of globalization, the issue of energy and transportation related to economic growth, and the issue of information for decision-making. Amb. Shen also presented recommendations to the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in 2002, and he expressed the high expectations of the Chinese government to the WSSD.