Mr. Chairman,

1. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on the means of implementation for the thematic areas addressed under CSD19. The Group wishes to thank the expert panelists for their useful presentations.

2. For the G77 and China, sustainable development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities. Consequently, any green initiative needs to be rooted in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

3. We attach great importance to the role of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which should continue to provide guidance and coordination on issues related to the integration of the three pillars of sustainable development, and more importantly the means of their implementation.

4. Developing countries are in need more than ever, of a strong system that is capable of delivering not only short-term assistance, but also long-term support that strengthens their national efforts for sustainable development. The value added of CSD is that it looks at the balance and integration of the three pillars of development: social, economic and environmental, it is in this framework that we must continue to analyze the themes under discussion and build a comprehensive assessment for effective implementation in the field.

5. The CSD 19 themes, mainly mining, waste management, chemicals, transport and sustainable consumption and production (SCP), require developing countries to broaden and to strengthen their sustainable development agenda. The multiple and interrelated crises, particularly food security, climate change, the global economic and financial crisis, have seriously challenged our capacity to respond. It is important that we undertake measures to prevent these crises from escalating further. In this regard, throughout the week we have heard the need for greater technology transfer, increase capacity building and particularly for additional and predictable resources. These three components are the essential tools for implementation, in order to bridge the gap between policy making and implementing in the field.

6. The Group reiterates that, for developing countries as a whole, the means to implement sustainable development plans and strategies are of utmost priority. Without the means of implementation, sustainable development plans and strategies will remain scarcely more than words on a page. It is not enough to compile a list of policy options, without finding ways and the means to implement them.

7. Mining, waste and chemicals management pose particular challenges in that these practices are particularly influenced by global demand. The regulations of these industrial operations are often set far away from the place of extraction or disposal, thus, it is imperative to develop greater accountability frameworks that take into account local concerns particularly those of the communities that are impacted.

8. There are many recommendations and policy options that are being presented. But the big question remains to be on the means of implementation, on how to fill the implementation gaps. There are many specific objectives that can be highlighted here, but they can all be summed under three main categories: Funding, Technology Transfer, and Capacity Building.

9. Finally, we would like to reiterate the importance that the G-77 and China attaches to the CSD 19 and to the themes under review. For developing countries, implementation remains the cornerstone and for that, financial resources need to be secured, technology transfer and capacity building are essential components. Access to a fair and equitable multilateral trade system is also of paramount importance.

I thank you.