Maarg Manthan · Topic 18.10

Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)

Environment & Ecology › International Environmental Governance and Conventions · Topic 18.10

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), established by the UN General Assembly in December 1992 (resolution 47/191) to follow up the Earth Summit and ensure effective implementation of Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration and the Forest Principles. It had 53 member states elected for three-year terms from regional groups, and was supported by the UN Division for Sustainable Development. It met annually in New York from 1993, working in two-year cycles, each with a review year and a policy year, with thematic clusters such as water, energy, agriculture, transport, chemicals and waste. It encouraged participation by major groups, including NGOs, business and local authorities, and was a forum for sharing experience, though critics said that it was weak in making governments act. In 2012, the Rio+20 conference decided to replace the CSD with a High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), which was set up in 2013 and meets under the ECOSOC each July for eight days and under the General Assembly every four years at the level of heads of state. The CSD held its last session in 2013, and the HLPF now reviews the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · International Environmental Governance and Conventions

At a Glance

Set up December 1992
Under ECOSOC
Members 53
Replaced by HLPF, 2013
Task Follow up Agenda 21
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: International Environmental Governance and Conventions

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 and covers the body created to monitor them. It leads to the desertification and climate conventions that also grew out of the Rio process. Previous topic: Rio Declaration, 1992, and Agenda 21. Next topic: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

What Was the Commission on Sustainable Development?

Aspect	Details
Creation	UN General Assembly resolution 47/191 of December 1992 to follow up UNCED
Status	Functional commission of ECOSOC, reporting through it to the General Assembly
Membership	53 members elected for three-year terms on regional basis
Mandate	Monitor progress on Agenda 21 and the Rio documents, promote integration of environment and development, and mobilise finance
Working method	Annual sessions in New York, in two-year cycles with review and policy years, on themes such as water, energy, agriculture and chemicals
Participation	Major groups could take part, which was a new feature in the UN
End	Replaced by the High-level Political Forum in 2013 after Rio+20

Why Was It Replaced and What Does the HLPF Do?

Criticisms: limited impact on national policy, little finance, repeated negotiations without decisions
Rio+20 decision: The Future We Want called for a high-level political forum to replace the CSD
HLPF: meets under ECOSOC every July for eight days and under the General Assembly every four years
Universal: all UN member states can take part
Voluntary National Reviews: countries present reports on SDG progress; India has done so
Role: follow up the 2030 Agenda and SDGs
Link: HLPF uses Global Sustainable Development Report
Wider role: coordination with other UN bodies

What Else Should You Remember?

UNCED: Earth Summit in 1992
Resolution 47/191: December 22, 1992
ECOSOC: Economic and Social Council of the UN, with 54 members
First session: 1993 in New York
Chair: a Bureau headed by a Chairperson, elected each year
Regional groups: African, Asian, Eastern European, Latin American and Caribbean, and Western groups
Cycle themes: 1998-99 oceans and tourism, 2004-05 water, sanitation and human settlements, 2006-07 energy and climate
CSD-9: focused on energy and sustainable development
CSD-18 and 19: 2010-11 cycle on transport, chemicals, waste management and mining
Division for Sustainable Development: UN secretariat unit supporting the CSD
Johannesburg 2002: WSSD asked the CSD to take on partnership initiatives
Type II partnerships: voluntary partnerships launched at Johannesburg and registered with the CSD
Major groups dialogue: a regular feature of CSD sessions
Link to SDGs: the HLPF reviews the SDGs
UNEA and HLPF: different roles: environment assembly versus sustainable development forum
Rio+20 outcome: The Future We Want, 2012
Creation of HLPF: by UN General Assembly resolution 67/290 in 2013
Sustainable development financing: later handled by ECOSOC forum on financing for development
Monitoring: reports like Global Sustainable Development Report
Link to previous: see Rio Declaration, 1992, and Agenda 21
Link to next: see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Link to SDGs: see Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Environment-Related Indices
Caution: the CSD no longer exists; use HLPF for current reviews
Exam hint: remember 1992 creation, 53 members, ECOSOC, replaced by HLPF in 2013
Voluntary National Reviews: countries present their own SDG progress reports at the HLPF, and India has taken part
Why it mattered: the CSD gave sustainable development a standing place in the UN system and showed the value of stakeholder dialogue
Limits: it had no power to make binding decisions or to enforce Agenda 21, so progress depended on national action
Finance and technology: developing countries repeatedly asked the CSD for more finance and technology transfer, with limited results
Linkage to conventions: the CSD tried to coordinate with the UNFCCC, CBD and UNCCD, which have their own bodies
Sessions and outcomes: each CSD session ended with decisions or a chair’s summary, but few binding commitments
Sustainable consumption: the CSD took up themes like sustainable consumption and production, which later formed SDG 12

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Created: 1992
Members: 53
Parent body: ECOSOC
Current affairs link: HLPF reviews
Common errors: treating the CSD as a current body

As an analytical point, the CSD showed how a talk-based commission struggled to drive implementation. The HLPF is meant to fix this by being universal, higher level and tied to the SDG reviews, though it too relies on voluntary reporting.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Role Follow-up
Weakness No teeth
Successor HLPF

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Next topic: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Key People and Terms

CSD Commission on Sustainable Development
ECOSOC Economic and Social Council
HLPF High-level Political Forum
VNR Voluntary National Review
Major groups Stakeholder groups
DSD Division for Sustainable Development

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

CSD created 1992.
53 members.
Under ECOSOC.
Replaced in 2013.
Successor: HLPF.

Do Not Confuse With

CSD and HLPF Old commission versus current forum
CSD and UNEP Sustainable development monitor versus environment programme
CSD and ECOSOC Commission versus parent council

Memory Hook

Ninety-two born, fifty-three members, thirteen ends, HLPF takes over.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for facts about CSD and its successor. These points help.

Role Monitor
Limits Weak
HLPF Successor

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the role of the Commission on Sustainable Development and why it was replaced by the High-level Political Forum.”

How to Answer

Origin 1992.
Role Agenda 21.
Limits Weak.
HLPF 2013.

GS Relevance

Prelims: CSD facts, HLPF. GS Paper 2: UN bodies and sustainable development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Commission on Sustainable Development?

The Commission on Sustainable Development was a UN body created in December 1992 as a functional commission of ECOSOC to monitor the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration. It had 53 member states, met annually in New York and engaged major groups, before being replaced in 2013 by the High-level Political Forum.

Why was the CSD created?

The CSD was created after the 1992 Earth Summit to ensure effective follow-up of its outcomes. It was to review progress on Agenda 21, promote integration of environment and development in the UN system and encourage finance and technology transfer, while providing a forum for governments and major groups to share experiences.

Why was the CSD replaced?

Rio+20 in 2012 concluded that the CSD had limited influence on national policy and was not delivering enough results. Governments agreed to replace it with a universal High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which was set up in 2013 and later given the role of reviewing the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

What is the High-level Political Forum?

The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is the UN's main platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. It meets each July for eight days under ECOSOC and every four years at the level of heads of state under the General Assembly, and hosts Voluntary National Reviews by countries.

How many members did the CSD have?

The CSD had 53 members, elected by ECOSOC for three-year terms, with seats shared among regional groups. Other UN members, agencies, and representatives of major groups such as NGOs, business and local authorities could take part as observers, which was a significant innovation for the UN at the time.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The CSD was created in 1992.

True

After the Earth Summit.

2 The CSD was replaced by UNEP.

False

By the HLPF.

3 The CSD functioned under ECOSOC.