4 March 2011: The Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) for the 19th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 19) took place at UN Headquarters in New York from 28 February-4 March 2011.

The IPM’s role in the lead up to CSD 19 was to provide a forum to discuss policy options and possible actions to enable the implementation of measures and policies concerning the thematic issues under consideration during the CSD 18/CSD 19 (2010-2011) two year “implementation cycle.” These thematic issues are: transport, chemicals, waste management, mining, and sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Building on CSD 18, which conducted a “review” of these issues in May 2010, CSD 19 will be a “policy” session, during which delegates will negotiate decisions on measures related to the thematic areas. To assist in this process, the IPM considered each thematic area and delegates outlined possible policy options and actions for adoption at CSD 19. Delegates also considered inter-linkages, cross-cutting issues and means of implementation, as well as small island developing states (SIDS). Finally, there were two multi-stakeholder dialogues designed to elicit feedback from different groups on the thematic issues, as well as on expectations for CSD 19 within the context of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio 2012).

The IPM’s deliberations resulted in a Chair’s draft negotiating text, which most delegates felt would provide a good starting point for negotiations. Attention now turns to CSD 19, which is scheduled to take place from 2-13 May 2011 in New York, and what it could and should deliver, with many at the IPM highlighting agreement on the 10-year framework of programmes (10YFP) on SCP as a “crucial” deliverable. [IISD RS coverage of the IPM] [Advance Unedited Copy of Chair’s Draft Negotiating Document]