UN Economic and Social Development
Division for Sustainable Development

Chapter 38 of Agenda 21 addresses the international institutional arrangements needed to further integration of environment and development issues at national, subregional, regional and international levels, including in the UN system.

The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI), in Section XI (paras 137-170) similarly proposes measures to strengthen institutional arrangements on sustainable development, at all levels, within the framework of Agenda 21, build[ing] on developments since the United Nations conference on Environment and Development and lead[ing] to the achievement of a number of objectives.   In this regard, the JPOI addresses the role and functions, relating to sustainable development, of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Commission on Sustainable Development, international institutions, regional institutions and national level institutions, as well as major groups.

The CSD at its eleventh session (2003) adopted a new multi-year programme of work based on a two-year cycle to 2017, alternating between review and policy sessions.  The programme of work also incorporates improved methods of work that focus on implementation, including from contributions of partnerships, regional commissions and major groups, the scientific community and educators.

At its thirteenth session (2005), the CSD reaffirmed both its mandate and that it should continue to be the high-level commission responsible for sustainable development within the UN system, and it addressed measures for voluntary monitoring, reporting and assessment at national and regional levels.