in the developing countries, in order to facilitate the search for better ways of improving living standards, requested the Secretary-General to continue to implement General Assembly resolution 3345 (XXIX) in order to assist all States, particularly developing countries e and the organs of the United Nations in their efforts to advance knowledge on the interrelated issues of resources, population, environment and development; further requested the Secretary-General to prepare a report on patterns of consumption and related socio-economic indicators, based on the views of all interested States and on information about the work done so far by relevant bodies in the United Nations system, in particular the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, and to submit the report to the Statistical Conxnission at its twenty-fourth session for consideration) and requested the Economic and Social Council to repor, thereon to the Assembly at its forty-second session (resolution 401179). At its second regular session of 1997, the Economic and Social Council took note of the information on action to be taken in pursuance of General Assembly resolution 401179, contained in the report of the Statistical Commission on its twenty-fourth sessionr recommended that a report setting forth the views of Governments and containing a small number of case studies or national monographs on the preparation of a set of indicators in the fields identified in paragraph 2 of Assembly resolution 40/179 and the indicative patterns of consumption referred to in paragraph 3 thereof be prepared by the Secretary-General and the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, in consultation with other appropriate organisations of the United Nations system, including UNICSP, CUSP, FAO, the World Bank, the regional commissions and other appropriate research institutesr and also recommended that the report be considered by the Statistical Coxssission at its 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the implementation of a United Nations resolution aimed at improving living standards in developing countries, focusing on the interrelated issues of resources, population, environment, and development. The resolution requests the preparation of a report on patterns of consumption and related socio-economic indicators, which suggests a focus on economic development and its relationship with the environment.

**Category**
Economic development, Natural resources and environment