June 2011: At the 16th meeting of the Bureau for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) discussed the organization of work for PrepCom III and the Conference, and received an update on an ongoing study on the institutional framework for sustainable development, among other items.

The 16th Bureau meeting took place on 14 June 2011, in New York, US. Sha Zukang, Conference Secretary General, updated the Bureau on the study underway by the Secretariat and ECESA Plus (the Executive Committee of Economic and Social Affairs (ECESA), plus the UN Development Group (UNDG) and Environment Management Group (EMG)) on the institutional framework for sustainable development (IFSD), which will include an analysis of the options requested by the Governing Council of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and be subject to revision based on stakeholders’ comments on the draft, which is expected at the end of July 2011. He also updated Bureau members on support for national and regional preparations and Major Groups’ activities, the upcoming meeting on IFSD in Indonesia, and the status of the UNCSD Trust Fund.

The Bureau also discussed the following topics: Organization of Work for the third session of the UNCSD Preparatory Committee (PrepCom III) and the Conference; the Compilation Document and the possible need to provide guidance concerning the submission of inputs and contributions, on which it was decided that the Secretariat and Bureau would prepare a guidance note for States and other stakeholders; and an upcoming meeting of the Bureau with the Principals of UN System Entities. Finally, the Bureau endorsed the schedule of meetings for the remainder of the preparatory process.

The next two meetings of the UNCSD Bureau will take place on 7 July 2011, in Geneva, Switzerland, and 12 September 2011, in New York, US. [Minutes of 16th Meeting]