Canada's participation in Commission on Sustainable Development

The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) emerged from Agenda 21, the programme of action for sustainable development adopted in June 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the “Earth Summit”.  It is a high-level forum in the UN that formally brings together environment, social and economic interests.  The CSD meets annually in New York and operates on two-year cycles which focus on specific thematic and cross-sectoral issues.  The first year of each cycle focuses on the sharing of best practices and lessons learned. The second year focuses on negotiating non-binding policy direction and possible actions across the themes.

Canada is one of 53 member states, but CSD sessions also include participation from the governments of 193 countries, non-governmental organizations, unions, women, youth, indigenous people, and UN Organizations. Canada’s involvement with the CSD is led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade with policy support from various other departments. During the current two-year cycle (2010-2011), Environment Canada is providing significant policy guidance on the themes of chemicals and waste management; and contributing to the themes of mining, transport, and sustainable consumption and production.

Information on Canada's national CSD reports regarding the themes of chemicals, waste management, mining, transport, and sustainable consumption and production can be found at: http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/dsd_aofw_ni/ni_natiinfo_canada.shtml