A Council for Sustainable Development: A possible outcome of the Rio+20 Process

A significant outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Establishing a new United Nations Council on Sustainable Development would be a momentous decision, and one that would signal to the world the critical urgency and the high priority given to the issue of sustainable development. A series of environmental urgencies, increasing disparities and lack of global social equity, absence of equitable financial development, failures of the three pillars of sustainable development all substantially documented, have created a situation in which it has become a political necessity to act simply to save the future of the world.

Creating a new UN body such as the Council on Sustainable Development2 will require and reflect political courage. A decision of this calibre would demonstrate the international political will and provide the institutional governance mechanisms to effectively support the three interdependent pillars of sustainable development ? social equity, economic stability and environmental protection. It would be a forward looking decision, pointing towards the future and responding to the demands of humanity to protect the sustainability of the environment and improve the well-being of the global population.

The Council on Sustainable Development should be established in accordance with Article 7, Paragraph 2 of the Charter as a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly, on par with the Human Rights Council.