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2nd Implementation Cycle - Review Session
1-12 May 2006
New York

CSD-14

Second Bureau Meeting
11 December 2005
Tbilisi, Georgia
Note of the Meeting

  1. The second meeting of the Bureau of the fourteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14) took place on 11 December 2005, in Tbilisi, Georgia. The Chairman of CSD-14, H.E. Mr. Aleksi Aleksishvili, chaired the meeting. Mr. Javad Amin-Mansour, Vice-Chair (Iran) and Mr. Adrian Fernández Bramauntz, Vice-Chair (Mexico) attended the meeting1. Mr. Herman Sips (the Netherlands) attended the meeting as an observer, on behalf of Mr. Yvo de Boer, Vice-Chair (the Netherlands). The meeting was also attended by the Director of the Division for Sustainable Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DSD/DESA), staff from DSD/DESA and officials from the Ministry of Finance, Georgia.

Updates on recent activities by the Bureau

  1. In his opening remarks, Chair Aleksishvili highlighted a number of recent events that had contributed to CSD-14. He welcomed the outcomes of the regional implementation meetings held in Africa (24-28 October 2005) and West Asia (14-15 November 2005), as well as the outcomes of the Parliamentary Forum on Energy Legislation and Sustainable Development (5-7 October 2005, Cape Town, South Africa) and the Beijing International Renewable Energy Conference (7-8 November 2005). He took note of the result of the United Nations Climate Change Conference concluded the day before in Montreal, Canada.
  2. Chair Alexsishvili and Vice-Chairs Mr. Amin-Mansour and Mr. Adrian Fernández Bramauntz exchanged information on the activities they had undertaken since the first Bureau meeting in September 2005. Mr. Sips, speaking on behalf of Mr. Yvo de Boer, gave an update on Mr. Yvo de Boer’s outreach activities. The Bureau stressed the importance of continuing consultations with their respective regional groups in the lead-up to CSD-14.

Proposed organization of work for CSD-14

  1. The Bureau had before it a draft proposal on the organization of work for CSD-14, which had been prepared according to the guidelines of CSD-11, taking into account the lessons learned of the first implementation cycle (CSD-12 and CSD-13), the need for linking the outcomes of the review session with the policy session, and the importance of addressing thematic, means of implementation and other cross-cutting issues in an integrated manner.
  2. Under the proposed organization of work, there would be parallel sessions of equal footing in two conference rooms. These would include sessions of:
    (i) General Statements focused on overview of progress in the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation2; and
    (ii) Thematic discussions and Regional discussions that would provide an opportunity to focus deliberations on identifying barriers and constraints, lessons learned and best practices in relation to the thematic cluster. Eminent persons and panelists would be invited to kick off Thematic and Regional discussions.
  3. The proposed organization of work would also include a Multi-stakeholder dialogue session to provide an opportunity for a focused discussion on the role of Major Groups in promoting action in implementation in relation to the thematic cluster; as well as a SIDS day on the review of implementation of the Mauritius Strategy, focusing on the thematic cluster of CSD-14.
  4. The High-level Segment would take place from 10-12 May 2006, featuring:
    (i) Ministerial interactive discussions entitled The Way Forward to address barriers and constraints and provide guidance on areas to be focused on during the policy year; and
    (ii) Ministerial dialogue sessions entitled Making a Difference that would include one dialogue session each with Heads of UN agencies, funds and programmes, and representatives of Major Groups; as well as mixed panels of CEOs, Ministers of Energy and IFIs.
  5. The Bureau agreed that the proposed organization of work for CSD-14 provided a good framework. They held extensive exchanges of views on the various segments of the proposed organization of work, suggesting specific changes to scheduling of thematic discussions and topics for discussions. The importance of addressing the perspectives of both developing and developed countries was highlighted. Also emphasized was the need for discussions to be as specific as possible in terms of barriers and constraints, and investment opportunities and challenges. The Bureau further underscored the importance of addressing inter-linkages, such as in the discussions on climate change.
  6. Chair Aleksishvili stressed the need for organizing an effective, rich and innovative High-level Segment. To this end, he invited Bureau members to mobilize the support and participation of Energy and Industry Ministers, as well as Ministers of Finance and Development Cooperation, among others.
  7. The Bureau decided that the proposed organization of work should be revised to incorporate the views and changes put forward by Bureau members. The revision should be done in an expedient manner so that the revised organization of work could be forwarded to the Bureau for approval at an early date.
  8. At the request of the Chair, the Secretariat provided an update on documentation, the status of preparations for the upcoming regional implementation meetings in the ECE, ESCAP and ECLAC regions, as well as the ongoing preparations for CSD-14 by Major Groups. In this regard, the Bureau was advised that as the outcomes of regional implementation meetings and contributions by Major Groups became available, they would be posted on the CSD-14 website; so would be the advance unedited versions of the Secretary-General’s reports.
  9. The Secretariat further briefed the Bureau on the prototype of a Matrix proposed for CSD-14. It was pointed out that the prototype was a work in progress. It would be continuously refined and updated as information from national reports/case studies became available. During CSD-14’s discussions, the Matrix would be updated on the basis of interventions and panel discussions on barriers and constraints, practical measures and success stories. In that sense, it would be a “living document” through CSD-15. It was further stressed that the Matrix should be prepared in the context of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
  10. The Secretariat provided an update on the preparations for the Partnerships Fair, Learning Centre and Side Events. The Bureau was informed of the strong interest in these activities, as demonstrated by an increasing number of requests for organizing Side Events, of course offerings for the Learning Centre and of queries on the Partnerships Fair.

Future Bureau meetings

  1. The Bureau decided to hold its next meeting toward the end of February or early March, with specific dates to be determined in the near future. The Bureau also considered the possibility of holding a video-conference.

1/ Mr. Azanaw Abreha, Vice-Chair (Ethiopia) was unable to attend due to flight delays.

2/ The General Statements would address only priority issues related to the overall progress in implementation.