Citation
(2006), "UN starts new review cycle on sustainability", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 17 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/meq.2006.08317eab.005
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
UN starts new review cycle on sustainability
UN starts new review cycle on sustainability
Ministers and delegates from over 80 countries who participated in the latest session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in May, reviewed progress in the areas of energy, industrial development, air pollution and climate change since the 2002 Johannesburg sustainability summit.
The meeting is the first stage of a two-year discussion cycle that will end next year with the adoption of guidelines on achieving internationally agreed goals in the four areas. It follows a round of talks on water, sanitation and human settlements. According to a summary document issued by the meeting's chairman, progress is slow and uneven. Climate change is regarded as a major threat to the implementation of Agenda 21, the blueprint for sustainable development in the twenty-first century agreed at the 1992 Rio Earth summit.
Several delegates argued that mitigation and adaptation policies must proceed in tandem as doing one without the other makes “little sense”. The document refers to energy efficiency as a cost effective way to achieve “substantial reductions” in greenhouse gas emissions and greater industrial competitiveness.
Other discussions focused on increasing access to energy in developing countries to reduce air pollution and improved health. Present at the meeting, EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas announced a 220m fund to support projects such as the promotion of renewable energy, mainly in Africa. Details are available at:www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/envdev898.doc.htm