From 1993 until  2001 inter-agency co-ordination in the area of sustainable development was undertaken through the Inter-Agency Committee on Sustainable Development (IACSD). The role of IACSD was to identify major policy issues relating to the follow-up to UNCED by the United Nations system and to advise the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination (ACC) on ways and means of addressing them so as to ensure effective system-wide co-operation and co-ordination in the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other UNCED outcomes.

IACSD was established in October 1993 by ACC (now the United Nations system Chief Executive Board for Co-ordination - the highest inter-agency body of the United Nations, chaired by the Secretary-General, and consisting of the heads of organisations of the United Nations system). Until 2001 IACSD met twice a year and reported to ACC. The ACC Sub-Committee on Oceans and Coastal Areas and the ACC Sub-Committee on Water Resources reported to IACSD. 

Meetings of IACSD were open to all interested programmes, agencies and organisations of the United Nations system that were members or participants of ACC. Representation was at the level of senior officials. The Chairman of the Committee was Mr. Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Ms. Karina Gerlach, of the Office for Interagency Affairs, was the Secretary of the Committee.

A comprehensive review of the functioning of ACC, launched by the United Nations Secretary-General in 1998, resulted in the adoption of a series of measures aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of inter-agency co-ordination.  ACC was renamed the United Nations System Chief Executives Board (CEB) for Co-ordination in 2001 in order to better reflect the scope of its present functions and composition.  As part of the reform of its working methods, CEB decided that co-ordination should be pursued through more informal and flexible mechanisms rather than formal subsidiary bodies. CEB also decided that the previous ACC subsidiary bodies, including IACSD, should cease to exist and member agencies meet only when such a need arises rather than at regular intervals.