1 December 2011: The UN General Assembly’s Second Committee has agreed on several issues related to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), including the dates, organization of work, and use of the trust fund.

The draft resolution on “Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development” (A/ A/C.2/66/L.59) was adopted under the Committee’s agenda item on sustainable development, on 1 December 2011, as orally corrected by Brazil, the facilitator of the draft.

By the resolution, the UNGA would: endorse the preparation process for the UNCSD draft outcome document as proposed in the report of the second session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom II); decide to hold the UNCSD from 20-22 June 2011, and PrepCom III from 13-15 June 2011, both in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; encourage Heads of State and Government to represent their countries at the Conference; recommend a provisional agenda for adoption by the Conference; decide on an organization of work for the Conference, including six plenary meetings, on the basis of two meetings a day, and four high-level round-table sessions, to be held in concurrence with the plenary meetings; and strongly encourage States to conclude negotiations on the draft outcome document at PrepCom III.

Finally, the UNGA would express “deep concern” that the resources available in the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) voluntary trust fund are insufficient to fund the participation of representatives from developing countries and of major groups in the preparatory process and the Conference itself. The draft resolution calls for additional contributions to the fund, and encourages that funds be prioritized for economy-class air tickets, daily subsistence and terminal expenses.

Also under the agenda item on sustainable development, the Committee adopted draft resolutions on: on sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America (A/C.2/66/L.37); agricultural technology for development (A/C.2/66/L.41/Rev.1); the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (A/C.2/66/L.64), as orally corrected by Mexico, the facilitator of the draft; implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) (A/C.2/66/L.60), as orally corrected; and promotion of new and renewable sources of energy (A/C.2/66/L.66). [Draft Resolution on Implementation of Agenda 21, including Organization of Work] [List and Status of All Draft Resolutions in Second Committee]