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INFORMATION PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS:

The CSD is charged with monitoring progress made to implement Agenda 21, and it, therefore, needs information from governments regarding national progress. The Secretariat issued guidelines for the format in which such information should be provided to the CSD, but many complained that it was overly complicated. Working Group I first discussed the Chair's draft text on this issue on Tuesday, 24 May. The text called for simplified guidelines and welcomed the offers of some nations to provide assistance for the preparation of these reports.

The G-77 suggested that the title be "Information provided by Governments and organizations." The Czech Republic, Finland and the US, suggested that reports include information on indicators, since the draft text on indicators for sustainable development would not be discussed. The G-77 stated that many delegations had advised the Chair not to take up this issue. Japan suggested that the Secretariat's format be developed by the end of August 1994.

The final text (E/CN.17/1994/L.7) recommends: the development of simplified guidelines for the preparation of reports, which could be organized in tabular form; countries may wish to include relevant national indicators already in use; and relevant organizations within and outside the UN system and donors could provide technical and financial assistance to countries in the preparation of national reports and national Agenda 21 action plans.