IISD @ CSD-19, 2-13 May 2011, UN Headquarters, New York, United States of America

Daily Reports/Summary
IISD Reporting Services (IISD RS) has produced web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis from the meeting. To download our report click below in the HTML or PDF icons.

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Curtain Raiser

13 May & Summary

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16 May

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16 May

Nineteenth Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-19)

2-13 May 2011 | UN Headquarters, New York, United States of America

Summary of the Meeting

UN Under-Secretary-General Sha Zakang, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and CSD Chair László Borbély, during the interactive dialogue

Saturday, 14 May A Chair's package text was released early Saturday morning and plenary resumed at 2:52 am after parties had an opportunity to consult among themselves. No consensus could be reached to adopt the package text, following a proposal by the G-77/China to make a number of amendments regarding text on the rights of peoples living under foreign occupation, a clean and resource-efficient economy and means of implementation. The plenary was suspended and reconvened several times in an attempt to reach consensus on the package text. The plenary reconvened at 7:18 am to discuss the possibility of a resumed CSD session at some later point. The plenary was suspended and reconvened again in an attempt to resolve details of a resumed session. The plenary reconvened at 8:25 am. However, due to lack of a quorum no decision could be taken and CSD 19 closed at 8:52 am without agreement on a final outcome.

ENB SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS: The Earth Negotiations Bulletin Summary and Analysis of the meeting is available in HTML and PDF format.

Live Updates

8:52 am After adjourning and reconvening again to discuss the possibility of a resumed session, CSD 19 closed at 8:52 am Saturday morning, having failed to agree on a resumed session or an agreed outcome.

7:18 am Plenary reconvenes and debates a possible resumed CSD session.

5:10 am Plenary resumed at 4:12 am. Parties reiterated their positions and plenary was suspended again at 4:47 am to continue consultations to attempt resolution of impasses on language on foreign occupation and MOI, among others. At 5:10 am the plenary remained in suspension.

3:42 am Plenary resumed at 2:52 am and Chair Borbély proposed adoption of the Chair's text prepared under his authority. The G-77/China opposed adoption as is and made proposals for numerous changes to the text and the League of Arab States opposed adoption without reference to the rights of peoples living under foreign occupation. The US, EU and Japan supported adoption of the Chair's text. At 3:36 am, the plenary was suspended for further consultation.

2:07 am A new Chair's text was circulated via the "e-room" at 12:30 am, Saturday morning, and hard-copies followed shortly. However, as of 2:07 am, several negotiating groups remained in consultations and there was no indication when plenary would reconvene.

12:10 am The plenary remained suspended as of midnight, with no indication of when they might reconvene.

10:27 pm The plenary remained suspended as of 10:27 pm, with no indication of when they might reconvene.

Highlights from Saturday May 14

CSD Chair László Borbély implores delegates to accept the text

Sylvia Merega, Argentina and Chair of the G-77/China, consulting with CSD Chair László Borbély

EU delegates review the chair's proposed text online in the e-room

Stephan Contius, Germany, consulting with CSD Chair László Borbély and his staff

Silvia Merega, Argentina, speaking for the G-77/China, expresses concern over certain aspects of the Chair's text

Sylvia Merega, Argentina and Chair of the G-77/China

Delegates from Bolivia and the Arab Group

Highlights from Friday, 13 May

On Friday, CSD 19 convened in the morning for a Ministerial Dialogue on moving towards sustainable development: expectations from Rio+20. Negotiations continued during the morning and through lunch under Working Groups 1 and 2 on means of implementation, transport, chemicals and waste management, in order to resolve outstanding issues in the text. In the afternoon, CSD 19 convened in plenary at 4:12 pm to address remaining procedural issues on the agenda and the first plenary of CSD 20 opened to elect members of its Bureau. As negotiations on means of implementation, chemicals and waste management had not yet concluded, the plenary suspended at 4:26 pm, pending resolution of outstanding issues. As of 6:00 pm, plenary had still not reconvened.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and CSD Chair László Borbély

Dessima Williams, Grenada, speaking for the Alliance of Small Island States

Zheng Wanton, Vice Chairman, National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference

Annabella Rosenberg, Workers and Trade Unions

A view of the room during the dialogue

Baya Bensmail, Algeria, G-77/China coordinator on Means of Implementation

G-77/China members with the CSD Chair's representative dicussing the waste management text

Tariq Banuri with CSD 20 Chair Mazhit Turmagambetov

Highlights from Thursday, 12 May

On Thursday the high-level segment of CSD 19 continued with four ministerial roundtables. In the morning, roundtables on developing programmes and a framework to accelerate the shift towards SCP, and enhancing access to sustainable urban and rural transport took place. In the afternoon, roundtables on moving towards zero waste and sound management of chemicals, and creating an enabling environment for sustainable mining convened. Throughout the day and into the evening negotiations took place under the Working Groups and in contact groups on waste management, mining, chemicals, 10YFP, preamble and IL and CCI, including MOI, in order to resolve outstanding issues in the text.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Thursday, 12 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Thursday, 12 May

Mohan Munasinghe, Chairman, Munasinghe Institute for Development, Sri Lanka, discussed the idea of setting “Millennium Consumption Goals” (MCGs) as a way to prompt the cultural changes needed to ensure achievement of SCP and sustainable development.

A view of the room during the roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP)

A view of the dais during the roundtable on chemicals and waste (l-r): Prasad Modak, Executive President, Environmental Management Center, Mumbai, India, Craig Boljkovac, Former Chair of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC), Jim Willis, Joint Executive Secretary of the Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions, and Roundtable Co-Chairs Cherif Rahmani, Ministry of Environment, Algeria, and Nikola Ružinski, State Secretary for Environment, Croatia

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner during the SCP roundtable

Transport Roundtable: Joan Clos, Executive Director, UN-HABITAT, and Roundtable Co-Chair Phil Hogan, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Ireland

Mining Roundtable Co-Chairs Zoltan Illes, Minister of State for Environmental Affairs, Hungary, and Luis Alberto Ferrate Felice, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Guatemala

Ann Maest, Managing Scientist, Stratus Consulting, US, and Ben Peachy, Communication Director, International Council on Mining and Metals, UK

Side Event: The Future of Sustainable Lifestyles: Visions and Pathways: Side event participants met in smaller groups to discuss different aspects of how to achieve a sustainable lifestyle

Wednesday, 11 May

On Wednesday the high-level segment of CSD 19 began. In the morning delegates convened in a plenary session and in the afternoon in a multi-stakeholder dialogue on policy options, practical measures and the way forward. The Working Groups convened in the afternoon to continue addressing under Working Group 1 chemicals and under Working Group 2 the preamble. Delegates also participated in various side events.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Wednesday, 11 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Wednesday, 11 May

A view of the General Assembly Hall during the opening of the high-level segment

CSD Chair László Borbély, UN Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang, and Vivian Pliner, Secretariat

Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, gave a keynote address

Ashok Khosla, President, IUCN, gave a keynote address

Jeffrey Sachs, Earth Institute, Columbia University, gave a keynote address

Side Event: Transport for Sustainable Development: Joan Clos, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat (center), speaking at this UN-Habitat organized event. Arab Hoballah, UNEP (left), Cesar Rafael Chavez Ortiz, Mexico (second from right), and Jon Orcutt, New York City Department of Transportation, (right) also spoke

NGOs prepare for their intervention during the Multistakeholder Dialogue

Respresentatives of the Scientific and Technological Community, Business and Industry and Workers and Trade Unions during the Multistakeholder Dialogue

Highlights for Tuesday, 10 May

Throughout Tuesday, CSD 19 Working Groups 1 and 2 convened to continue addressing issues in the Chair’s negotiating text. In the morning, Working Group 1 took up mining, and Working Group 2 continued negotiations on waste management. In the afternoon, Working Group 1 addressed interlinkages (IL) and cross-cutting issues (CCI), including means of implementation (MOI), while Working Group 2 continued working on the 10-year Framework Place on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP on SCP). In the late afternoon, a stocktaking plenary took place to assess progress. Negotiations continued into the evening with sessions addressing transport and IL and CCI, including MOI under Working Group 1, while the 10YFP and waste management were discussed by Working Group 2. Delegates also participated in various side events and a Learning Center.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Tuesday, 10 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Tuesday, 10 May

Kartika Handaruningrum, Indonesia, speaking for the G-77/China on mining, consulting with Ayser Tayeb, Saudi Arabia

Working Group 2 Facilitator Andrew Goledzinowski (center) consulting with delegates from the US, the EU and the G-77/China

Working Group 1 Facilitator Yvette Banzon Abalos, Philippines

Lynne Gadkowski, US, during the mining discussions

Side Event: Implementation challenges and solutions for SCP programmes in developing countries:
The role of governments, business and development partners, and the case of SWITCH-Asia

A view of the dais during the side event, which was organized by the delegation of the European Union (l-r): Sarah Beatty, Green Depot, Liana Bratasida, Indonesian State Ministry of the Environment, Rajan Gandhi, Society in Action Group in India, Thomas Wiley, DG DEVCO-European Commission, and Charles Arden-Clarke, SCP Branch, UNEP

The delegation of Gabon

Highlights for Monday, 9 May

Throughout Monday, CSD 19 Working Groups 1 and 2 reconvened to continue addressing issues in the Chair’s negotiating text. In the morning, Working Group 1 took up mining, and Working Group 2 began the second reading of the text on waste management. In the afternoon, Working Group 1 addressed the text on interlinkages and cross-cutting issues, including means of implementation, while Working Group 2 continued work on the text on the 10 Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). A contact group also convened to discuss chemicals. Negotiations continued into the evening with sessions addressing transport and chemicals under Working Group 1, while the preamble was discussed by Working Group 2. Delegates also participated in a Learning Center, Partnerships Fair and various side events.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Monday, 9 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Monday, 9 May

EU delegates during the negotiations on the 10 Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP)

Vladimir Lenev, Russian Federation, intervenes in the mining discussions

Side Event: Integrating Sound Management: Engaging Civil Society in Sustainability

Donald Cooper (second from left), Executive Secretary of the Stockholm Convention and Co-Executive Secretary of the Rotterdam Convention during this event, which was organized by the UNCSD Education Caucus and the Global Youth Action Network- TIG

Working Group 2 Co-Chair Abdelghani Merabet during the discussions on waste

Henry Tachie Menson, Ghana, speaking for the G-77/China on waste management

Learning Center: Freight Sustainability: SmartWay Transport Partnership

Buddy Polovick, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provides an overview of the EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership

Highlights for Friday, 6 May

Throughout Friday, CSD 19 Working Groups 1 and 2 convened to continue addressing issues in the Chair’s negotiating text. In the morning, Working Group 1 took up chemicals, and Working Group 2 discussed began the first reading of the preamble text. In the afternoon, Working Group 1 addressed the text on interlinkages and cross-cutting issues, including means of implementation while Working Group 2 continued work on the text on the 10 Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). A brief stock-taking Plenary closed the first week of CSD 19. Delegates also participated in a Learning Center, Partnerships Fair and various side events.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Friday, 6 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Friday, 6 May

Tariq Banuri, Director, Division for Sustainable Development, CSD Chair László Borbély, and Vivian Pliner, Secretariat, during the afternoon stocktaking plenary

Noluzuko Gwayi, South Africa, speaking for the G-77/China on chemicals

Sergei Kononuchenko, Russian Federation, Jimena Leiva Roesch, Guatemala, and Wu Ye-Min, Singapore, during the negotiations on the 10YFP for SCP

Learning Center: Reaching globally agreed environmental goals: what do indicators tell us?

Highlights for Thursday, 5 May

Throughout Thursday, CSD 19 Working Groups 1 and 2 convened to continue addressing issues in the Chair’s negotiating text. In the morning, Working Group 1 took up mining, and Working Group 2 discussed waste management. In the afternoon, Working Group 1 addressed the text on transport, while Working Group 2 continued work on the text on the 10YFP. Delegates also participated in a Learning Center, Partnerships Fair and various side events.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Thursday, 5 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Thursday, 5 May

Israeli delegates consulting during Working Group 1

Stephen Powell, Australia, intervenes during the discussions on transport

Working Group 1 Co-Chair Eduardo Meñez consulting with the Secretariat

US delegates consulting on the mining text

Learning Center event on Implementing the 10YFP: A global research forum on sustainable production and
consumption

Highlights for Wednesday, 4 May

Throughout Wednesday, CSD 19 Working Groups 1 and 2 convened to continue addressing issues in the Chair’s negotiating text. In the morning, Working Group 1 took up cross-cutting issues, and Working Group 2 discussed waste management. In the afternoon, Working Group 1 addressed the text on transport, while Working Group 2 continued the second reading from Tuesday on the 10YFP. Delegates also participated in a Learning Center, Partnerships Fair and various side events.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Wednesday, 4 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Wednesday, 4 May

Partnership Fair: SIDSNet: The global platform for facilitating partnerships in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

Working Group 1 Co-Chair Eduardo Meñez and Sangeeta Sharma, Secretariat

Delegates from Peru, Brazil and Saudi Arabia

Highlights for Tuesday, 3 May

Throughout the day on Tuesday, CSD 19 Working Groups 1 and 2 convened to continue negotiations on issues in the Chair’s negotiating text. In the morning, Working Group 1 took up mining and Working Group 2 discussed waste management. In the afternoon Working Group 1 took up chemicals, while Working Group 2 continued discussions from Monday on the 10YFP. Delegates also participated in a Learning Center, Partnerships Fair and various side events.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Wednesday, 4 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Tuesday, 3 May

Jeremy Adler and Patrick Chevalier, Canada

Tamás Hámor, Hungary, speaking for the EU, on mining

Delegates from Peru, Brazil and Saudi Arabia

Jeremy Adler and Patrick Chevalier, Canada

Julius Langendorff, European Commission (right) during the discussions on waste

Side Event: Sustainable Transport Policies, Eco-Efficient Infrastructure and Green Economy in the
Americas and Asia

A view of the room during the side event, which was organized by UN-ECLAC, Columbia University and UN-ESCAP

Highlights for Monday, 2 May

The nineteenth session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 19) opened on Monday. In the morning, the opening session took place. Delegates adopted the agenda and organization of work and made opening statements. In the afternoon, Working Group 1 on transport, chemicals, mining and cross cutting issues and Working Group 2 on the 10-year framework of programmes (10YFP) on sustainable consumption and production (SCP) convened. Throughout the day delegates participated in a Learning Center, Partnerships Fair and various side events.

Read the ENB daily report with highlights from Wednesday, 4 May in English (in HTML or PDF format) and French (in HTML or PDF format).
ENB web coverage for Monday, 2 May

Dais during the opening session (l-r): Tariq Banuri, Director, Division for Sustainable Development, Sha Zukang, UN Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, and CSD 19 Chair László Borbély, Minister of Environment and Forests of Romania

Sudan, speaking for the Arab Group

Hungary raises his flag in the working group

Tariq Banuri, Director, Division for Sustainable Development, chaired the side event, which was organized by DESA/DSD, the UN Regional Commissions, UNEP and other partners

Ricardo Jordan, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, speaking for the five UN Regional Commissions

Felix Dodds, speaking for the local authories