Key Message
Making progress toward sustainable development demands that we get international decision-making right. IISD focuses on understanding what the right structures and mechanisms are for achieving optimal transparency, participation and accountability in our governance systems.
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Javed Ahmad comments on the December 2008 book, The Citizen is Willing, But Society Won't Deliver, by Norman Myers and Jennifer Kent (Flash Video - 2:21 min).
Governance for Sustainable Development
Finding a better way
What's New in Governance?
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International Environmental Governance Reform: Inputs to the African preparatory process
One of the two themes for discussion at Rio+20—the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, to take place in June, 2012—is “Institutional Frameworks for Sustainable Development,” within which international environmental governance (IEG) reform is a key topic.
IISD, funded by the Danish government, and working closely with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), conducted a project which identified key IEG issues for Africa through two high-level consultations with African stakeholders. These included representatives from African governments, regional economic communities, intergovernmental organizations, civil society and universities.
Two priority areas for action emerged as a result: First, to identify a number of fresh and innovative ideas that Africa might pursue, beyond the options already being considered by the region in its preparatory process for Rio. Second, to emphasize that any demands for institutional reform will be most effective if they are specific. Otherwise, reforms may be made in name only, leaving the function of the IEG regime unchanged.
The project resulted in a paper, entitled “International Environmental Governance Reform: Inputs to the African preparatory process,” that IISD submitted for the consideration of representatives at the African regional preparatory meeting for Rio+20.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development has long had an interest in governance as it relates to the achievement of sustainable development. From the institute's early days, our researchers, reporters and analysts have followed multilateral environmental agreements and other modes of national and international sustainable development decision-making.
As the need to improve the planet's condition intensifies, we have broadened our work and have learned a great deal about the flaws in current systems and opportunities for improvement.
Contents
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Governance: Structure and process for decision-making and accountability
IISD's exploration of decision-making and accountability mechanisms of Type 2 partnerships emerging from the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, and other large networks. -
Global Environmental Governance
Given increasing evidence of environmental degradation, our system of global environmental governance needs reform urgently—not because it has failed, but because it has outgrown its original design. IISD has published and presented extensively on the subject. -
Internet Governance and Sustainable Development
Internet governance has been on the international agenda for a relatively short time and IISD is at the forefront in the effort to understand the points of convergence between Internet governance and sustainable development. -
Sustainable Development Strategies
IISD's work in understanding sustainable development strategy development includes a sharp focus on national-level strategies, including a discussion on the necessary governance structures. -
Transparency in International Environmental Decision-making
IISD's Reporting Services division provides access to credible and timely information regarding negotiations of multilateral environmental agreements that is accessible to the public as well as experts in the field.