ENB @ CSD-12

	Twelfth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-12) United Nations Headquarters, New York \| 19-30 April 2004

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19 April
20 April
21 April
22 April
23 April
26 April
27 April
28 April
29 April
30 April & Summary

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Highlights from Monday, 19 April

On Monday, 29 April, CSD-12 began consideration of the thematic cluster for its 2004/2005 implementation cycle, focusing on water, sanitation and human settlements. In the morning, delegates heard opening addresses, reports from key intersessional meetings, and general statements. Delegates also heard statements on the overall review of implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21, and the JPOI. In the afternoon, delegates engaged in a thematic discussion on water, considering themes relating to the status of implementation of the MDGs and JPOI goals and targets, and integrated water resources management (IWRM). Photo: UNEP Executive Director Klaus Töpfer, His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange, Crown Prince of the Netherlands, and CSD-12 Chair and Norway's Environment Minister Børge Brende

Opening Session and Statements

UNEP Executive Director Klaus Töpfer

Prince William Alexander of Orange of the Netherlands

CSD-12 Chair and Norway's Environment Minister Børge Brende

Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT

Zephirin Diabre, Associate Administrator of UNDP

José Antonio Ocampo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

Reports on Outcomes of Meetings

Damla Yesin Say, Turkey reports on the Istanbul Meeting on Governance for WSSD Implementation in Countries in Transition

Arcado Ntagazwa, Tanzania’s Minister of State in charge of the Environment reports on the Eighth Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum

Ambassador Rashid Alimov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Tajikistan to the UN, reports on results and lessons learned from the International Water Forum held in Dushanbe, 29 August-1 September, 2003

Abdellah Benmellouk, Morocco reports on the Marrakesh Meeting on Sustainable Consumption and Production

Alberto Gagliardi, Under-Secretary for Regional Affairs, Italy, Outcome of the International Forum on Partnerships for Sustainable Development, Rome, 4-6 March, 2004

Zhang Yishan, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the UN, reports on the UN Asia-Pacific Leadership Forum: Sustainable Development for Cities

Bjørn Skogmo, Norway, reports on the "Water for the Poorest" International Conference held in November 2003 in Stavenger, Norway

Brief Opening Remarks

Mike Muller, Director-General, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic, on behalf of Landlocked Developing Countries, highlighted their special circumstances and vulnerabilities, and expressed support for SIDS.

World Business Council on Sustainable Development (right)

United Federation of Agricultural Producers (not pictured)

Officials statements on key issues related to implementation

Ireland, speaking on behalf of the EU, said CSD-12 must focus and strengthen activities to meet the MDGs and WSSD goals, and look at progress, identify challenges, constraints and obstacles encountered in implementation.,

Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China, called for the international community to be more responsive to the needs of developing countries, particularly on means of implementation.

Thematic Discussion on Water

--Status of implementation of MDG/JPOI goals related to water, from global to local levels

--Integrated water management and water efficiency plans--integrating water management into national sustainable development strategies, including poverty reduction strategies, action on the ground and implications for water supply and sanitation

Thematic Discussion on Water (left to right): Conall O'Connell, Deputy Secretary, Department of Environment and Heritage Australia, Jerson Kelman, Director-President, Agencia Nacional de Aguas (ANA), Brazil, JoAnne DiSano, Director, Division for Sustainable Development, CSD Chair Børge Brende, Alexander Debaros (Secretariat) Alvaro Umaña, Leader, Environmentally Sustainable Development Group, UNDP, and Roberto Lenton, Co-Chair, MDG Task Force on Water and Sanitation

Alvaro Umaña, Leader, Environmentally Sustainable Development Group, UNDP

Roberto Lenton, Co-Chair, MDG Task Force on Water and Sanitation

Conall O'Connell, Deputy Secretary, Department of Environment and Heritage Australia (;eft)

Jerson Kelman, Director-President, Agencia Nacional de Aguas (ANA), Brazil

Delegates from Japan and the Russian Federation intervene during the discussion

Side Event: Good Governance: Challenges of Achieving the Millennium Development Goals--organized by the Stakeholder Forum for Our Common Future

Stakeholder Forum hosted a side-event: "Crisis in Global Governance: Challenges in Achieving the MDGs". The meeting sought to explore the dilemmas and contradictions inherent in achieving coherence between international, national and local governance issues, with a particular focus on the review of the Millennium Development Goals, and the other international processes converging in 2005. The meeting was attended by over 40 representatives of civil society and government delegations. Three key issues were raised for further consideration: The need for coherence in policy and decision making at the national level; the need for equity and parity in participation; NGO accountability and transparency.

Jan-Gustav Strandenaes, Georgina Ayre, and Felix Dodds, Stakeholder Forum

Special Event: Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy (IWRM) 2005 Plans: Experiences, Status and the Way Forward--organized by the Global Water Partnership (GWP)

This event was organized by the Global Water Partnership with support from the Governments of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The HRH Prince of Orange, GWP Patron delivered introductory remarks followed by a presentation on "Why is IWRM Important" by Jerson Kelman, President, ANA-National Agency for Water, Brazil. Cases from countries well underway with IWRM plans were heard from Bhutan (Sonam Tshering, Director, Department of Energy, Ministry of Trade and Industry), Burkina Faso (Francis Bougare, Director, Water Department), Costa Rica (Allan Flores, Vice Minister, Ministry of Environment) and Poland (Janusz Kindler, Chair GWP Central and Eastern Europe). GWP member Albert Wright, Per Bertilsson and Roberto Lenton all spoke on different aspects of the meeting the IWRM 2005 Target.

Two documents were presented at the event - Guidance in Preparing a National Integrated Water Resources and Management and Efficiency Plan: Advancing the WSSD Plan of Implementation and the Informal Stakeholder Baseline Survey: Current Status of National Efforts to Move Towards Sustainable Water Management Using and IWRM Approach (and Annex). Both publications were funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Environment. To obtain electronic copies please e-mail leanneburney@nyc.rr.com

Photo: Prince William Alexander of Orange of the Netherlands and Emilio Gabbrielli, Global Water Partnership Executive Secretary