IISD Reporting Services Blog

CSD-16 - Highlights for Friday, 16 May 2008

CSD-16 Enters Final Day

The sixteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) convened for its final day on Friday, 16 May. In the morning, delegates heard ministerial statements on "The Way Forward." In the afternoon, delegates discussed the Chair's Summary - Part II, then considered other matters, including the provisional agenda for the seventeenth session of the Commission (CSD-17).

CSD-16 Chair Francis Nhema (Zimbabwe) closed the session at 6:07 pm, and immediately opened the first meeting of the seventeenth session (CSD-17), at which Gerda Verburg (Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the Netherlands) was elected Chair of CSD-17, and Javad Amin-Mansour (Iran) was elected to the CSD-17 Bureau. CSD-17 Chair Verburg had already left New York, so CSD-16 Chair Nhema declared the meeting closed at 6:13 pm.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

COP-MOP 4 - Highlights for Friday, 16 May 2008

President Wolfgang Koehler gaveled the meeting to a close at 8:23 pm.

The closing plenary convened at 3:00 pm, with the working group (WG) and contact group (CG) Chairs reporting on the outcomes of their decisions, respectively. Delegates resolved outstanding bracketed text in decisions on standards and identification regarding handling, transport, packaging and identification (HTPI) of living modified organisms (LMOs), and on socioeconomic considerations; and adopted most decisions by the WG and CG Chairs, including a decision on liability and redress. Plenary was adjourned at 4:30 pm to allow for informal consultations to resolve outstanding issues in decisions on: subsidiary bodies, public awareness, education and participation, and assessment and review. Plenary reconvened at 7:00 pm to adopt outstanding decisions of WG II and the budget.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

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CSD-16 - Highlights for Thursday, 15 May 2008

Representatives of UN organizations during the morning dialogue

The sixteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) continued its High-level Segment on Thursday, 15 May. Delegates held dialogues with UN organizations and major groups, and heard ministerial statements on "The Way Forward."

The Learning Centre continued throughout the day, and side events were held at lunchtime and the evening.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

COP-MOP 4 - Highlights for Thursday, 15 May 2008

L-R: Lyle Glowka (CBD), Ahmed Djoghlaf, CBD Executive Secretary and President Wolfgang Koehler (Germany)

COP/MOP 4 delegates convened in plenary in the morning to review progress, and working groups (WG) and contact group sessions met throughout the day. WG I considered draft decisions on socioeconomic impacts and handling, transport, packaging and identification (HTPI) of living modified organisms (LMOs); and adopted draft decisions on a number of other items. WG II considered a draft decision on risk assessment and risk management morning and evening sessions, with discussions on other items continuing into the night. The contact groups on liability and redress and the budget met throughout the day and in the evening.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

CSD-16 - Highlights for Wednesday, 14 May 2008

The General Assembly Hall during the morning session

The sixteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) began its High-level Segment on Wednesday, 14 May, in the General Assembly Hall, with remarks by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, followed by ministerial statements on “The Way Forward.”

In the afternoon, after general statements were completed, parallel ministerial roundtables were held on “Investing in Africa to achieve Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development” and “Inter-linkages among the thematic issues, including adaptation to climate change.”

The Learning Centre continued throughout the day, and side events were held at lunchtime and the evening.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

MEA Bulletin - Issue #47 now available!

UN Under-Secretary-General Cheick Sidi Diarra, UN Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang and CSD16 Chair Francis Nhema (Zimbabwe) open “SIDS Day”

CSD16 LINKS THEMATIC TOPICS WITH FOOD CRISIS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Delegates to the sixteenth session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD16) are meeting in New York, US, from 5-16 May 2008, to focus on the thematic cluster of agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa. This first year of the two-year CSD “Implementation Cycle” is reviewing barriers and constraints in implementation, as well as lessons learned and best practices, in relation to the thematic cluster. CSD17, in 2009, will negotiate policy recommendations based on CSD16’s review of the issues. Delegates have highlighted links between the CSD16 themes and the current food crisis and climate change, among other concerns. In addition to reviewing the thematic cluster of issues, CSD16 delegates reviewed implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), in relation to the thematic cluster of issues, and the CSD13 decisions on water and sanitation.

Read the full issue