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Branches & Units

I. Communication & Outreach Branch (COB)

Major functions:

  • Improves the visibility and accessibility of the work of the Division across all sustainable development stakeholders
  • Seeks to cultivate relationships and build networks of practice within the UN System and externally with the global sustainable development community
  • Undertakes communication and outreach through the electronic and print media and dissemination of publications
  • Designs, develops and manages the Division’s information base for internal and external sustainable development intelligence

National Information Analysis

  • Analysis of national information for trends in implementation of commitments related to Agenda 21, Rio+5, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation for the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
  • Preparation of CSD guidelines for national information and reporting as well as 5-year country profiles
  • Development and maintenance of interactive databases on national information, national sustainable development strategies and indicators of sustainable development

II. Emerging Issues Branch (EIB)

Major functions:

  • Seeks to enhance international cooperation in addressing emerging issues on sustainable development
  • Supports developing countries and countries in transition in meeting sustainable development challenges posed by emerging issues
  • Identifies and analyzes the sustainable development implications of future economic, social and environmental problems and challenges
  • Builds adequate networking and informational capacity in anticipation of the consideration of emerging issues by intergovernmental bodies

III. Global Policy Branch (GPB)

Major functions:

  • Supports the intergovernmental processes, working to lead formulation and consensus building of global policies on sustainable development
  • Provides substantive support to the work of the intergovernmental bodies, including the CSD, the 2nd Committee of the General Assembly, and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
  • Promotes the integrated and coordinated implementation of sustainable development agenda by reaching out to Governments and major groups and promoting partnerships
  • Assesses and reports on the progress made in achieving sustainable development
  • Prepares reports, briefing material, presentations, speeches, and policy proposals and advice on sustainable development issues

IV. Policy Analysis and Networks Branch (PAN)

Major functions:

  • Deepens understanding and enriches policy deliberations in the inter-governmental process, and among governments, major groups and the public at large
  • Undertakes integrated policy research on topics of priority for Member States, Major Groups, the broader sustainable development community and the concerned public
  • Engages leading policy researchers, think tanks and networks in joint research and knowledge exchange to enrich intergovernmental policy discussions
  • Serves as bridge between the academic and the global policy making communities
  • Links policy analysis closely to technical cooperation and capacity building initiatives, ensuring cross-fertilization between normative, analytical and practical work

V. Small Islands Developing States Unit (SIDS Unit)

Major functions:

  • Promotes and facilitates the SIDS efforts to implement the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (BPoA) and the Mauritius Strategy (MSI) for its further implementation
  • Provides technical assistance and advice to the SIDS
  • Mobilizes the support of the UN system and the international community
  • Supports the intergovernmental and inter-agency coordination mechanisms
  • Monitors and reports on progress toward the BPoA

VI. Water, Energy & Strategies Branch (WES)

Major functions:

  • Undertakes technical cooperation and capacity building work on behalf of the Division
  • Translates policy, especially outputs from the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) into action by supporting member countries in the key areas of water, energy and national sustainable development strategies
  • Reaches out to governments, civil society and business sectors to design, coordinate and implement the sustainable development agenda
  • Carries out work in the context of a strategic technical cooperation framework to build local capacity to absorb the required skills to achieve national development objectives
  • Provides a unified platform for delivery of the services necessary for sustainable development through substantive technical cooperation in the areas of water and energy and work on national sustainable development strategies