of General Assembly 61/16 on the Strengthening ofECOSOC.Highlevel political forum84.We decide to establish a universal intergovernmental high levelpolitical forum, building on the strengths, experiences, resourcesand inclusive participation modalities of the Commission onSustainable Development, and subsequently replacing the Commission.The high level political forum shall follow up on the implementationof sustainable development and should avoid overlap with existingstructures, bodies and entities in a cost-effective manner.85.The high level forum could:(a)provide political leadership, guidance, and recommendations forsustainable development;(b)enhance integration of the three dimensions of sustainabledevelopment in a holistic and cross-sectoral manner at all levels;(c)provide a dynamic platform for regular dialogue, and stocktaking andagenda setting to advance sustainable development;(d)have a focused, dynamic and action-oriented agenda, ensuring theappropriate consideration of new and emerging sustainable developmentchallenges;(e)follow up and review progress in the implementation of sustainabledevelopment commitments contained in Agenda 21, Johannesburg Plan ofImplementation, Barbados Programme of Action, Mauritius Strategy forImplementation and the outcome of this Conference and, asappropriate, relevant outcomes of other UN summits and conferences,including the outcome of the Fourth United Nations Conference on theLeast Developed Countries, as well as their respective means ofimplementation;(f)encourage high-level system-wide participation of UN Agencies, fundsand programmes and invite to participate, as appropriate, otherrelevant multilateral financial and trade institutions, treatybodies, within their respective mandates and in accordance with UNrules and provisions;(g)improve cooperation and coordination within the UN system onsustainable development programmes and policies;(h)promote transparency and implementation through further enhancing theconsultative role and participation of Major Groups and otherrelevant stakeholders at the international level in order to bettermake use of their expertise, while retaining the intergovernmentalnature of discussions;(i)promote the sharing of best practices and experiences relating to theimplementation of sustainable development, and on a voluntary basis,facilitate sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges,and lessons learnt;(j)promote system-wide coherence and coordination of sustainabledevelopment policies;(k)strengthen the science-policy interface through review ofdocumentation bringing together dispersed information andassessments, including in the form of a global sustainabledevelopment report, building on existing assessments;(l)enhance evidence-based decision-making at all levels and contributeto strengthen ongoing efforts of capacity building for datacollection and analysis in developing countries.86.We decide to launch an intergovernmental and open, transparent andinclusive negotiation process under the General Assembly to definethe high level forums format and organizational aspects with theaim of convening the first high level forum at the beginning of the68th session of the General Assembly. We will also consider the needfor promoting intergenerational solidarity for the achievement ofsustainable development, taking into account the needs of futuregenerations, including by inviting the Secretary General to present areport on this issue.C.Environmental pillar in the context of sustainable development87.We reaffirm the need to strengthen international environmentalgovernance within the context of the institutional framework forsustainable development, in order to promote a balanced integrationof the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainabledevelopment as well as coordination within the UN system.88.We are committed to strengthening the role of the United NationsEnvironment Programme as the leading global environmental authoritythat sets the global environmental agenda, that promotes the coherentimplementation of the environmental dimension of sustainabledevelopment within the United Nations system and that serves as anauthoritative advocate for the global environment. We reaffirmresolution 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972 which established