CitNet Activities

[This page is being updated]

May 2006:
CitNet members attend CSD-14
Members of the Citizens Network for Sustainable Development attended the 14th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, participating in the review of progress in addressing issues of energy, air pollution, climate change and industrial development. More.

July 2005:
CitNet News Summer 2005 released
The Summer 2005 edition of the CitNet newsletter CitNet News was released in July 2005. This edition features editorials on values and sustainability, regional news from across the country, national and global news, publications and sustainability events.

April 2005:
CitNet members attend CSD-13
Members of the Citizens Network for Sustainable Development attended the 13th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, and participated in the ongoing discussions and deliberations about water, sanitation and human settlements. They also participated in the US government briefings on these issues.

Sept 2004:
CitNet News re-launched, highlights community leadership
The newsletter of the Citizens Network for Sustainable Development is back in production, thanks to the editorial efforts of ISF. CitNet News highlights the efforts of citizens taking leadership for sustainability around the country. The e-newsletter provides a forum for U.S. sustainability activists to share news, views, and stories about the sustainability movement in their communities.

July 2004:
Campaign for leadership on sustainable development launched Recognizing a need for more focus and support of U.S. leaders committed to sustainability, Citizens Network for Sustainable Development launched their Campaign for Leadership on Sustainability over the Independence Day holiday. (ISF serves as the secretariat for CitNet. See press release for details.)

October 2003:
SPAC Strategy meeting at the UNEP RONA
ISF hosted an informal strategy meeting on behalf of the Sustainable Production and Consumption Working Group (SPAC WG) of the Citizen's Network for Sustainable Development (CitNet). This meeting, was held at the United Nations Environment program office in Washington DC.
See details

April 2003:
Side event at CSD-11
Consumers International and Integrative Strategies Forum (on behalf of CitNet) organized a side event titled "Changing production and consumption patterns: National strategies, CSD and the 10-year framework" at the 11th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development. Details are available here.

November 2002:
Congressional briefing
CitNet organized a briefing on the Hill to inform and educate congressional staff on the significance of the World Summit and the undermining role of the US Administration there.

September 2002:
Next steps after Johannesburg:
CitNet initiated post-WSSD strategy discussions for launch of National Campaign for Leadership on Sustainability (see http://citnet.org/events/26Sept02-NextSteps.aspx and http://citnet.org/events/27Sept02-Campaign.aspx)

September 2002:
Press release on US administration role at the WSSD
CitNet issued a press release clarifying the nature of the civil society protest during Secretary Powell's speech on sustainable development during the WSSD.

 

August 2002:
CitNet side event during WSSD
CitNet and Consumers International organized a side event titled "The World in 2012: Towards a 10-year plan to achieve sustainable production and consumption", bringing together members from various stakeholder groups to discuss what might be in such a programme, how to monitor and verify progress and towards what targets and timetables.
Report

August 2002:
Coordinated US NGO statements on sustainability
CitNet coordinated the drafting and the receipt of endorsements of two statements from the US NGO community calling attention to the need for leadership on sustainability and an assessment of the role of the US government at the WSSD. The Bali and Johannesburg Statements are available here.

May 2002:
U.S. on the road to Bali: Finalizing commitments at PrepCom IV
CitNet organized a citizen's consultation at the offices of the National Wildlife Federation to give citizens and interested groups an opportunity to ask the US delegation to Bali about their preparations and positions and coordinate among themselves regarding their plans for the 4th PrepCom at Bali.

Mar 2002:
Preparing for PrepCom II: The US in the global review of progress
In preparation for the Third Global Preparatory Committee meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, CitNet and the Environmental Law Institute organized a citizens consultative meeting to discuss the following questions:

•  How is the USA positioning itself regarding the "gap in implementation" of Agenda 21?

•  How "good" is the US definition of "good governance?"

•  How good is the record?

•  What do YOU want to see come out of the Summit?

•  What message will or should US citizens bring to the upcoming PrepCom?

Jan 2002:
Preparing for PrepCom I: The US in the global review of progress
CitNet and the National Wildlife Federation organized a citizens consultative meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development titled "Preparing for PrepCom II: The US in the global review of progress". The purpose of the meeting was to examine:

• Where does the USA stand with the rest of the world in examining its progress in implementing Agenda 21?
• What messages will the US government and its citizens bring to the UN to share with the governments and citizens of other regions?
• What messages do YOU want US civil society to bring to this meeting?

Details

2001- 2002:
Facilitated the Citizens Preparatory Committee for WSSD
CitNet organized and participated in a number of events in order to facilitate US NGO and citizen participation and input into the World Summit for Sustainable Development. Among other activities, CitNet:

•  Developed the Citizens Guide to the Summit website and the website of the US Citizens Preparatory Committee to the WSSD to provide both an introduction to the Summit and a central reference of relevant information and links for US NGOs (non-profits), citizens and journalists engaged in the WSSD process.

•  Organized a series of consultative meetings that allowed NGOs to meet with the members of the US delegation to the WSSD. In these meetings, The meetings provided a forum for citizen groups to share their concerns with the administration, for the US delegation members to provide updates on preparation activities within the government, and to inform newcomers of recent activities surrounding the WSSD.

•  Organized a series of Issue Forums on energy and climate change, freshwater, health and environment, sustainable production and consumption and globalization and accountability. The issue forums involved discussions by experts on US progress towards sustainability, examination of obstacles to implementation, and recommendations for next steps.

•  Published the semi-weekly newsletter WSSD News to provide updates on activities in the US regarding the World Summit.

•  Set up listservers to facilitate communication among US NGOs involved or interested in activities surrounding the Johannesburg Summit.

October, 2001
Report from Geneva: A Citizens Consultation on the ECE Regional Ministerial Meeting
On October 19, the CitNet and National Wildlife Federation organized a meeting in Washington, DC to discuss with US government representatives the significance of the 2001 ECE ministerial meeting with regard to US policy on sustainable development and to the United States' preparations for the World Summit.
Report

July 2001
Multistakeholder Consultation on Food, Agriculture and Land Resources for the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development
CitNet and the International Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (IPSA) organized a Multistakeholder Consultation on Food, Agriculture and Land Resources in preparation for the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.
Details

June 2001
Prospects for Sustainability in North America, Europe and Countries in Transition: ECE Regional Preparations for the World Summit
This meeting was organized by CitNet at the headquarters of the Center for Respect for Life and the Environment. The purpose of the meeting was to allow citizen groups an opportunity to be updated on the latest information about preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and more specifically to be briefed and discuss priorities for the upcoming regional preparatory meeting for North America, Europe and Countries in Transition, planned for June 12-13 in Geneva.

May 2001:
Rio + 10 planning meeting
CitNet organized a Rio+10 planning meeting at CRLE.

May 2001:
CSD side event
ISF and other CitNet members organized a side event at the UN CSD (New York), "US NGO Preparations for Rio+10:Towards the US Summit on Sustainable Development," on May 1, 2001 to discuss US NGO plans for the World Summit, including plans for organizing a national preparatory conference, the US Summit on Sustainable Development.

April 2001:
Ten Years After The Earth Summit: Toward National Leadership On Sustainability
CitNet organized a citizens preparatory meeting titled "Ten Years After The Earth Summit: Toward National Leadership On Sustainability" to discuss next steps in planning for Rio + 10 and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The meeting was held at at CRLE in Washington DC.

February 2001:
Planning meetings
Two CitNet planning meetings to strategize and coordinate for Rio + 10, as well as CSD9, were organized at CRLE headquarters in Washington DC.

2000:
Towards 2002 and beyond
Integrative Strategies Forum, the new secretariat of the Citizens Network for Sustainable Development, convened a National Strategy Meeting titled "Towards 2002 and beyond" in Rockville, MD. In this meeting, ISF announced its decision to accept the responsibility of the CitNet Secretariat.   At that meeting, the group also identified four immediate priorities for CiNet’s next steps: (i) CSD Initiative: CSD9 (energy, transportation & information) (ii) CSD Initiative: Rio+10 (National Report Card) (iii) Sustainable Communities Initiative:  Regioner planning (iv) Campaign on National Leadership

1999:
National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America
CitNet held a learning session titled "Building a Sustainable Future: Citizens Networks as Tools for Change" during the National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America held at Detroit on May 1999. Details of the event are available here.

1997:
International sustainable communities forum
Believing that there needed to be more connection with the sustainable community efforts going on in other countries, that there is much to learn by sharing experiences and ideas with NGOs and sustainable community organizers and advocates in Africa, Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia, CitNet members and ANPED organized an International Sustainable Communities Forum in April 1997 in New York, during the time of the Commission on Sustainable Development.  

1996:
Sustainable Communities Initiative
CitNet's 1996 national strategy meeting launched a sustainable communities initiative. Details are available here.