Monday, May 5, 2008

Food for Thought...

CSD Reboot?

In 2005 Stakeholder Forum held a workshop for governments, UN Agencies and Programmes and stakeholders to review the CSD after its first cycle. That workshop made some recommendations that might have helped improve the process. This year, with two and a half cycles completed, would be a very good time to reflect on whether the CSD is going in the right direction. The issue brings forward some questions in my mind, which I would like to share with you.

• Is the two-year cycle working?

• Could the review and policy be completed in one year?

• Do we need to review the role of the Chair and the role of the Bureau?

• What could be done to help governments produce their national reports?

• The mandate of the CSD includes reviewing 0.7% commitment of governments in relation to the issues under discussion. What could be done to make this meaningful?

• Could the CSD provide information on what other resources are available?

• Should the CSD support mainstreaming sustainable development within the UN system?

• How could the CSD deal with emerging issues such as Biofuels, Energy Security, and water security?

• Could the Regional Implementation Meetings focus more on implementation?

• Could the CSD utilize the model that UNEP uses of parallel discussions of Ministers in small groups of 10-15 Ministers or High Level representatives?

• Should the InterAgency Committee on Sustainable Development be reactivated to help build better coordination between the different UN Agencies and Programmes?

• What could be done to enhance stakeholders’ role in implementing the CSD decisions?

• What could be done to re-introduce stakeholder involvement at the national level?

• What can the CSD do about partnerships?

• Should the CSD have a section in the agenda to address organizational problems?

• Should the CSD have the Ministerial section at the beginning of the CSD to ensure Ministers frame the policy discussion policy?

• In regards politically sensitive issues, could governments offer to host intersessional meetings to give these issues more discussion space (similar to CSD 1994-2001)?

• How can the former Chairs of the CSD be helpful after their term ends?

• How could the CSD be made more media relevant?

• What actually makes a successful CSD?