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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) held its first major session during the last half of May in New York City, under its new chairman Klaus Töpfer, the environment minister of Germany. The CSD is charged with implementing the broad array of goals spelled out in the Agenda 21 text at the 1992 Earth Summit.

According to accounts in Intl. Environ. Rptr. (pp. 457-458, June 1) and Global Environ. Change Rep. (p. 3, June 10), progress was modest. Two ad hoc working groups were established, on finance, and on land, desertification and biodiversity. The group gave qualified endorsement to economic instruments such as tradable emission rights and taxes on pollution, with Töpfer calling for innovative approaches such as an international air traffic tax to support sustainable development projects.

A recent issue of Earth Negotiations Bulletin contains a summary and analysis of the CSD meeting. It is published free of charge by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, 161 Portage Ave. E, 6th Fl., Winnipeg MB R3B 0Y4, Can. (tel: 204-958-7700; fax: 204-958-7710).