The United Nations brings together member countries to discuss international sustainable development issues. The FCO is active across the range of UN institutions and promotes a sustainable development approach across the organisation. Of particular interest is the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), which is the body responsible for following up commitments made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg in 2002. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) are key to delivery of these and related commitments through global, regional and national action.

The FCO works to ensure an effective UN, with institutions capable of delivering sustainable development commitments. We work with other government departments; particularly the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department for International Development (DFID) to promote improved international sustainable development governance. This means closer collaboration to achieve sustainable development goals between UN bodies, governments, International Financial Institutions, civil society and the private sector. We are particularly interested in improving international environmental governance through the reform of UNEP and are actively involved in follow-up to the 2005 UN World Summit Outcomes on improving the UN's environmental activities.

Our relationship with EU partners is very important for our international sustainable development objectives since the UK speaks through the EU in the majority of UN negotiations.

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Read our delivery plan on International Sustainable Development Governance

For more information see:

Johannesburg Plan of Implementation UN Commission on Sustainable Development UN Environment Programme UN World Summit follow-up
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