The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was established by the UN General Assembly with the adoption of Resolution A/RES/47/191 in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit.

The Commission was responsible for reviewing progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; as well as providing policy guidance to follow up the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) at the local, national, regional and international levels. The JPOI reaffirmed that the CSD is the high-level forum for sustainable development within the United Nations system.

The CSD met annually in New York, in two-year cycles, with each cycle focusing on clusters of specific thematic and cross-sectoral issues, outlined in its new multi-year programme of work (2003-2017).

The CSD opened its sessions to broad participation from both governmental and non-governmental actors and supported a number of innovative activities, such as the Partnerships Fair, the Learning Centre and a series of panels, roundtables and side events. The High-level segment featured dialogue among Ministers, and Ministers also held a special dialogue session with Major Groups.

As a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), CSD had 53 Member States (about one third of the members were elected on a yearly basis). Each session of the CSD elected a Bureau, comprised of a Chair and four vice-Chairs.