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United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as Rio 2012, Rio+20 (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁi.u ˈmajʒ ˈvĩtʃi]), or Earth Summit 2012 was the third international conference on sustainable development aimed at reconciling the economic and environmental goals of the global community. Hosted by Brazil in Rio de Janeiro from 13 to 22 June 2012,[2][1] Rio+20 was a 20-year follow-up to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in the same city, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg.

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
Date(s)13–22 June 2012[1][2]
Location(s)Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Previous eventEarth Summit 1992
Earth Summit 2002
Website

The ten-day mega-summit, which culminated in a three-day high-level UN conference, was organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and included participation from 192 UN member states – including 57 Heads of State and 31 Heads of Government, private sector companies, NGOs and other groups. The decision to hold the conference was made by UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/64/236 on 24 December 2009. It was intended to be a high-level conference, including heads of state and government or other representatives and resulting in a focused political document designed to shape global environmental policy.[3]

During the final three days of the Conference, from 20 to 22 June 2012, world leaders and representatives met for intense meetings which culminated in finalizing the non-binding document, "The Future We Want", which opens with: "We the Heads of State and Government and high-level representatives, having met at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 20 to 22 June 2012, with the full participation of civil society, renew our commitment to sustainable development and to ensuring the promotion of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet and for present and future generations."[4]

Background edit

In 1992, the first conference of its kind, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), commonly referred to as the Rio Conference or Earth Summit, succeeded in raising public awareness of the need to integrate environment and development. The conference drew 109 heads of state to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to address what were dubbed urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development.[5] The Earth Summit influenced subsequent UN conferences, including Rio+20 and set the global green agenda. "The World Conference on Human Rights, for example, focused on the right of people to a healthy environment and the right to development; controversial demands that had met with resistance from some Member States until the Earth Summit."[6]

Major outcomes of the conference include the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – a climate-change agreement that led to the Kyoto Protocol, Agenda 21, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). It also created new international institutions, among them the Commission on Sustainable Development, tasked with the follow-up to the Rio Conference and led to the reform of the Global Environment Facility.[7]

Ten years later, Earth Summit 2002, informally nicknamed Rio+10, was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, with the goal of again bringing together leaders from government, business and NGOs to agree on a range of measures toward similar goals. At Rio+10, sustainable development was recognized as an overarching goal for institutions at the national, regional and international levels. There, the need to enhance the integration of sustainable development in the activities of all relevant United Nations agencies, programs and funds was highlighted. The discussion also encompassed the role of institutions in stepping up efforts to bridge the gap between the international financial institutions and the multilateral development banks and the rest of the UN system.[7]

Major outcomes of that conference include the Johannesburg Declaration and almost 300 international partnership initiatives meant to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Objectives edit

The conference had three objectives – to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, to assess the progress and implementation gaps in meeting previous commitments, and to address new and emerging challenges.

Conference themes edit

The official discussions had two main themes, how to build a green economy to achieve sustainable development and lift people out of poverty, including support for developing countries that will allow them to find a green path for development; and how to improve international coordination for sustainable development by building an institutional framework.

Rio+20 formal preparatory process edit

In the months leading up to the beginning of the conference, negotiators held frequent informal consultations at UN headquarters in New York City, and in the two weeks before the conference was scheduled to begin, they managed to reach consensus on the sensitive language in the then proposed outcome document for the summit.[8]

According to historian Felix Dodds in his 2014 co-authored 2014 book entitled, From Rio+20 to a New Development Agenda: Building a Bridge to a Sustainable Future, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development – Rio+20 formal preparatory process, can be divided into three phases.

Phase one took place from May 2010 to January 2012 – when preliminary intergovernmental discussions and negotiations began, and national, regional, and local level preparations were being made. This stage ended with the January 2012 publication of the draft document, "The Future We Want"[9][10] The 1st Preparatory Committee was held from 16 to 18 May 2010, immediately after the conclusion of the eighteenth session and the first meeting of the nineteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development. The 1st Intersessional – which was not a negotiation session – featured panel discussions, from academia, non-governmental organizations as well as Delegates and UN system representatives – was held from 10 to 11 January 2011 at UN Headquarters, New York. The 2nd Preparatory Committee was held from 7–8 March 2011, at United Nations Headquarters in New York, immediately following the Intergovernmental Policy Meeting for the 19th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development.[11] The 2nd Intersessional was held from 15 to 16 December 2011 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.[12]

Phase two – from March 2012 to April 2012 – began with the first informal negotiations and concluded with the April 2012 release of co-chairs streamline text of "The Future We Want".[9] The 3rd Intersessional was held from 5–7 March 2012 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.[13]

Phase three – from 9 April 2012 to 15 June 2012 – began with the second round of negotiations starting on 9 April 2012, and ending with the 15 June 2012 closing of the Third Preparatory Committee meeting, when negotiators were already in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[9] Th three-day intense meetings with hundreds of "heads of states from around the world" met in Rio de Janeiro after the 3rd Preparatory Meeting had concluded.[2]

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development edit

According to a 13 June 2012 Washington Post article, the "giant, 10-day-long" Conference underway in Rio de Janeiro which would end on 22 June 2012, was "expected to draw 50,000 participants, including delegates, environmental activists, business leaders, and indigenous groups." For the final three days of the conference, "about 130 heads of state from around the world were expected to be present."[2][1]

Billed as the biggest UN event ever organized – with 15,000 soldiers and police guarding about 130 heads of state and government, from 192 countries, and the more than 45,000 individuals gathered in Rio de Janeiro – the 10-day mega-conference was intended to be a high-level international gathering organized to re-direct and renew global political commitment to the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social improvement and environmental protection; focusing on reducing poverty while promoting jobs growth, clean energy and more fair, sustainable uses of resources; goals first established at Earth Summit in 1992.[3][14][15]

The conference centered around Agenda 21, the outcome document from Earth Summit 1992. That document was considered revolutionary in that it essentially created the term sustainable development and created the global environmental agenda for the next 20 years. The representatives of participating governments gathered in Rio to discuss what was then the draft text of the outcome document.

Rio+20 sought to secure affirmations for the political commitments made at past Earth Summits and set the global environmental agenda for the next 20 years by assessing progress towards the goals set forth in Agenda 21 and implementation gaps therein, and discussing new and emerging issues.[16] The UN wanted Rio to endorse a UN "green economy roadmap", with environmental goals, targets and deadlines, whereas developing countries preferred establishing new "sustainable development goals" to better protect the environment, guarantee food and power to the poorest, and alleviate poverty.[17]

Rio+20 attracted many protests, and more than 500 parallel events, exhibitions, presentations, fairs and announcements as a wide range of diverse groups struggled to take advantage of the conference in order to gain international attention. The British online newspaper The Guardian reported that, "Downtown Rio de Janeiro was partly shut-down as an estimated 50,000 protesters, some of whom were naked, took to the streets."[18]

The future we want edit

From 20 to 22 June 2012, world leaders and representatives met for intense meetings which culminated in finalizing the non-binding document, "The Future We Want: Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20–22 June 2012", which opens with, "We the Heads of State and Government and high-level representatives", having met at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 20 to 22 June 2012, with the full participation of civil society, renew our commitment to sustainable development and to ensuring the promotion of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet and for present and future generations."[4]

The first draft of the document was released in January 2012 as a result of preliminary intergovernmental discussions and negotiations that had taken place since May 2010.[9] A streamlined version of "The Future We Want" was released in April 2012 following the second phase of negotiations.[9]

At the Rio+20 Conference in June 2012, the heads of state of the 192 governments in attendance, renewed their political commitment to sustainable development and declared their commitment to the promotion of a sustainable future through the 49-page nonbinding document,[16] "The Future We Want: Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20–22 June 2012." The dates 20 to 22 June reflect the three-day meeting of world leaders, the culmination of Rio+20.[4]

The document largely reaffirms previous action plans like Agenda 21.[19]

The document, "The Future We Want," called for the development of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of measurable targets aimed at promoting sustainable development globally. It is thought that the SDGs [would] pick up where the Millennium Development Goals leave off and address criticism that the original Goals fail to address the role of the environment in development.[20]

There were eight key recommendations regarding the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which included strengthening its governance to potentially become, a "leading global environmental authority", through universal membership, increasing its financial resources and strengthening its engagement in key UN coordination bodies.

According to a 23 June 2012 The Guardian article, nations agreed to explore alternatives to GDP as a measure of wealth that take environmental and social factors into account in an effort to assess and pay for 'environmental services' provided by nature, such as carbon sequestration and habitat protection.[21]

Recognition that "fundamental changes in the way societies consume and produce are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development." EU officials suggest it could lead to a shift of taxes so workers pay less and polluters and landfill operators pay more.

The document calls the need to return ocean stocks to sustainable levels "urgent" and calls on countries to develop and implement science-based management plans.[19]

All nations reaffirmed commitments to phase out fossil fuel subsidies.

In addition to the outcome text, there were over 400 voluntary commitments for sustainable development made by Member States.

At the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment, 40 African countries agreed to implement "The Future We Want".[22]

Leaders in attendance edit

 
World leaders in attendance at Rio+20

A few key global leaders – mostly G20 leaders and namely United States President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and UK Prime Minister David Cameron – did not attend the conference and blamed their absence on the ongoing European sovereign-debt crisis. Their collective absence was seen as a reflection of their administrations' failure to prioritize sustainability issues.[23] "In not attending, the prime minister is sending out a powerful signal that the UK government does not see sustainability as a priority", Joan Walley, chair of the UK environmental audit committee said to The Guardian.

among others

Environmental and Indigenous Rights Activists edit

 
Demonstration at Rio+20. Picture shows effigy of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff with a chainsaw and embracing a replica of the Statue of Liberty.

Activists took initiative at Rio+20 by staging numerous protests. Activists joined forces to stand up to what they said was exploitation and degradation of the Earth, as well as the negation of the rights of indigenous peoples. National Geographic said that activists that support protecting the environment, are particularly relevant in Brazil, as deforestation threatens Amazonian ethnic groups every day.[43]

In addition to holding signs and shouting chants, the crowds took a theatric route to convey their messages. Firstly, they poked at Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, claiming she has given in to the global North's corporate hand.[44] Rousseff's controversy has arisen over her steadfast desire to further industrialize Brazil, and its economy. Additionally, the crowds assembled for a ritual and symbolic "tearing up" of the plenary's negotiated text,[45] conveying their disapproval.

Thousands of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) gathered at the Flamengo Park in Rio. They criticized the draft negotiating text, particularly for its failure to mention planetary boundaries or nuclear energy, in light of the Fukushima disaster in Japan.[16] Organizations, such as Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature, as well as members of indigenous communities, activists and artists participated. The Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, the leader of the group AIDOH, and the Group 92 used his Freedom to Pollute sculptures to focus on global warming and its resulting increased flow of refugees. About 20,000 flyers about Freedom to Pollute were distributed during Rio+20 and a related television program was produced in Denmark.

 
Demonstration against the President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

There were some demonstrations protesting the participation of the President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad along with the Iranian delegation.[46][47] The controversy of Iranian attendance at the summit surrounds the fact that Iran has serious environmental issues, which it has refused to address, continuing human rights violations and is refusing to cooperate with the IAEA over its contentious nuclear program.[48] Ahmadinejad was met with demonstrations, attended by thousands of people, on his 20 June arrival in Rio,[49][50]

with some protesters waving banners with the slogan "Ahmadinejad go home".[51]

Participation by Civil Societies edit

 
RIO +20 Logo in Hindi created by CCLP Worldwide Team

During RIO +20 event and preparatory events UNCSD included stakeholders who were invited to organize side events, promote the RIO event, submit literature and help the Rio secretariat with translation work. The logo and promotion of RIO +20 was available in languages used in United Nations. Civil societies also translated the logo image and literature in other local and National languages.[52]

ProjectEarth Network edit

Ecology and Environment Inc., a New York-based Environmental Engineering and Consultation company partnered with UNCSD to create Project Earth Network, an online platform where schools around the world could showcase their remarkable environmental projects. In coordination with the Rio+20 event, the platform hosted a World Environment Day Global School Contest in which 7th graders at the International School of Ulaanbaatar (ISU) in Mongolia were declared the Global Winners for their awareness campaign on the environmental impact of plastic shopping bags, including research on plastic bag manufacturing processes, development of videos documenting plastic bag waste, and a school presentation at which reusable cloth shopping bags were sold to approximately 50 percent of the community.

Sarasota, Florida's Brookside Middle School won in the World Environment Day contest's North American sub-category for its mangrove propagule growth project while International School of Brussels in Belgium won the European sub-category, for their creation of a sustainable food source and composting program. The Middle-Eastern sub-category winner was Hridith Sudev, a seventh grader from Indian School Salalah in Oman for his organization, 'Project GreenWorld International', which helped promote sustainable awareness across the region through interactive projects. Hridith Sudev later went on to become an inventor and the organization has become a global environmental presence. The World Environment Day contest followed an Earth Day "Green Schools" contest regionally focused toward 6th to 12th grade students in the Western New York area.

The idea behind the platform was to encourage sustainability in students across the world. Despite the huge response, the platform was taken down two years later due to technical and economic constraints but has since remained as a positive legacy through the activities of students who were first recognized by the network.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Summary of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development: 13-22 June 2012" (PDF). Earth Negotiations Bulletin. A Reporting Service for Environment and Development Negotiations (UNCSD). 27 (51). International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). 25 June 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d . The Washington Post via Associated Press. 13 June 2012. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b . Uncsd2012.org. 22 June 2012. Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  4. ^ a b c The Future We Want: Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20–22 June 2012 (PDF) (Report). June 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  5. ^ "United Nations Earth Summit+5". United Nations. 27 June 1997. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Earth_Summit". United Nations. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Rio+20 – United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development". Uncsd2012.org. 29 July 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Agreement Reached on Weakened Outcome Text as Leaders Arrive for Rio Summit | International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development". Ictsd.org. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d e Dodds, Felix; Laguna-Celis, Jorges; Thompson, Liz (7 February 2014). From Rio+20 to a New Development Agenda (1 ed.). New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-71654-3.
  10. ^ Romero, Simon (16 May 2012). "Brazil's Leader Faces Defining Decision on Bill Relaxing Protection of Forests". The New York Times.
  11. ^ "Rio+20 – United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development". Uncsd2012.org. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  12. ^ . www.uncsd2012.org. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  13. ^ . www.uncsd2012.org. Archived from the original on 11 November 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  14. ^ . Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  15. ^ [1] 24 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ a b c Gerhardt, Tina (20 June 2012). "Rio+20 Kicks Off". The Progressive.
  17. ^ Vidal, John (19 June 2012). "Rio+20: Earth summit dawns with stormier clouds than in 1992". The Guardian. London.
  18. ^ "Rio+20 summit opens amid protests – video". The Guardian. London. 21 June 2012.
  19. ^ a b uncsd2012 (19 June 2012). "The Future We Want Rio+20 Outcome Document". Slideshare.net. Retrieved 4 August 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "Agreement Reached on Weakened Outcome Text as Leaders Arrive for Rio Summit | International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development". Ictsd.org. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  21. ^ Watts, Jonathan; Ford, Liz (23 June 2012). "Rio+20 Earth Summit: campaigners decry final document". The Guardian. London.
  22. ^ "At UN-backed conference, African countries adopt sustainable development measures". UN News Centre. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  23. ^ Vidal, John (11 June 2012). "David Cameron criticised for skipping Rio+20 Earth summit". The Guardian. London.
  24. ^ "Ambassador Ferit Hoxha's Opinion about Rio +20". Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  25. ^ "Antigua and Barbuda Contributes to the Outcome of Rio+20". Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  26. ^ . Buenos Aires Herald. 20 June 2012. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  27. ^ a b c d Gerhardt, Tina (25 June 2012). "Rio+20: A Crisis Is a Terrible Thing to Waste". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  28. ^ a b c Vaughan, Adam (21 June 2012). "Rio+20 summit: Thursday as it happened". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  29. ^ a b . The Times of India. 20 June 2012. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  30. ^ a b "From the Green Economy to Communality". Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  31. ^ Chrisafis, Angelique (18 June 2012). "Rio+20: France seeks one agenda to end poverty and protect environment". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  32. ^ a b Tercek, Mark (28 June 2012). "Rio+20: Leadership from New Directions". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  33. ^ "Haiti – Politic : Speeches of President Martelly to Rio+20". Haiti Libre. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  34. ^ "Rio+20 a generational opportunity' says PM". The Himalayan Times. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  35. ^ "Jonathan, Rio 20 and the Environment". This Day. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  36. ^ "'Godmother Gro' hailed in Rio". 20 June 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  37. ^ "World Leaders to Tour Region after G20 and Rio+20". Americas Quarterly. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  38. ^ "South Africa: President Zuma Returns From Rio+20 Conference". 24 June 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  39. ^ "Lee champions green growth at Rio+20 meeting". The Korea Times. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  40. ^ a b Vaughan, Adam (20 June 2012). "Rio+20 summit: Opening day live blog". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  41. ^ "Rio 20 proves a damp squib of a summit". The Sunday Times. 24 June 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  42. ^ "Speech by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt at Rio +20 Summit on Sustainable Development". Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  43. ^ Wallace, Scott. . National Geographic. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  44. ^ Barnes, Taylor (4 August 1692). "Stars of the Earth Summit". Green Blog.
  45. ^ Jonathan Watts, in Rio de Janeiro (21 June 2012). "The Guardian June 21, 2012". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  46. ^ Cárdenas, Emilio (5 June 2012). "Ahmadinejad, otra vez en América latina". La Nación. Lanacion.com.ar. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  47. ^ "Iranian president to attend Rio+20 Conference " Iran Daily Brief". Irandailybrief.com. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  48. ^ "Iraniano acredita que Ahmadinejad vem à Rio +20 para mostrar que o Irã tem amigos – GloboNews – Vídeos do Jornal das Dez – Catálogo de Vídeos". G1.globo.com. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  49. ^ "Activists walk through Rio, demonstrating against the presence of the Iranian delegation at the summit". Flickr.com. 17 June 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  50. ^ "Activists walk through Rio, demonstrating against the presence of the Iranian delegation at the summit". Flickr.com. 17 June 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  51. ^ Rozen, Laura (25 June 2012). "Blame it on Rio? Israeli delegate says Iran's Ahmadinejad waved at them | The Back Channel". Backchannel.al-monitor.com. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  52. ^ "Rio+20 : The Seventh issue of the magazine". Uncsd2012.org. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2014.

External links edit

  • Rio+20 Portal. Building the Peoples Summit
  • Rio + 20: An Endangered Species?, March/April 2012 journal Environment
  • Rio+20 and Sustainable Development: 12 Things to Know Asian Development Bank
  • The Future We Want
  • International Conference on Sustainable Development
  • Only One Earth – the Long Road via Rio to Sustainable Development, the history from Stockholm to Rio by Felix Dodds, Michael Strauss with Maurice Strong
  • From Rio plus 20 to the New Development Agenda by Felix Dodds, Jorge Laguna-Celis, Liz Thompson

22°54′35″S 43°10′35″W / 22.9098°S 43.1763°W / -22.9098; -43.1763

united, nations, conference, sustainable, development, uncsd, also, known, 2012, portuguese, pronunciation, ˈʁi, ˈmajʒ, ˈvĩtʃi, earth, summit, 2012, third, international, conference, sustainable, development, aimed, reconciling, economic, environmental, goals,. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development UNCSD also known as Rio 2012 Rio 20 Portuguese pronunciation ˈʁi u ˈmajʒ ˈvĩtʃi or Earth Summit 2012 was the third international conference on sustainable development aimed at reconciling the economic and environmental goals of the global community Hosted by Brazil in Rio de Janeiro from 13 to 22 June 2012 2 1 Rio 20 was a 20 year follow up to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development UNCED held in the same city and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development WSSD in Johannesburg United Nations Conference on Sustainable DevelopmentDate s 13 22 June 2012 1 2 Location s Rio de Janeiro BrazilPrevious eventEarth Summit 1992Earth Summit 2002Websiteuncsd2012 The ten day mega summit which culminated in a three day high level UN conference was organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and included participation from 192 UN member states including 57 Heads of State and 31 Heads of Government private sector companies NGOs and other groups The decision to hold the conference was made by UN General Assembly Resolution A RES 64 236 on 24 December 2009 It was intended to be a high level conference including heads of state and government or other representatives and resulting in a focused political document designed to shape global environmental policy 3 During the final three days of the Conference from 20 to 22 June 2012 world leaders and representatives met for intense meetings which culminated in finalizing the non binding document The Future We Want which opens with We the Heads of State and Government and high level representatives having met at Rio de Janeiro Brazil from 20 to 22 June 2012 with the full participation of civil society renew our commitment to sustainable development and to ensuring the promotion of an economically socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet and for present and future generations 4 Contents 1 Background 2 Objectives 3 Conference themes 4 Rio 20 formal preparatory process 5 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 5 1 The future we want 6 Leaders in attendance 7 Environmental and Indigenous Rights Activists 8 Participation by Civil Societies 9 ProjectEarth Network 10 See also 11 References 12 External linksBackground editIn 1992 the first conference of its kind the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development UNCED commonly referred to as the Rio Conference or Earth Summit succeeded in raising public awareness of the need to integrate environment and development The conference drew 109 heads of state to Rio de Janeiro Brazil to address what were dubbed urgent problems of environmental protection and socio economic development 5 The Earth Summit influenced subsequent UN conferences including Rio 20 and set the global green agenda The World Conference on Human Rights for example focused on the right of people to a healthy environment and the right to development controversial demands that had met with resistance from some Member States until the Earth Summit 6 Major outcomes of the conference include the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC a climate change agreement that led to the Kyoto Protocol Agenda 21 the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity CBD and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification UNCCD It also created new international institutions among them the Commission on Sustainable Development tasked with the follow up to the Rio Conference and led to the reform of the Global Environment Facility 7 Ten years later Earth Summit 2002 informally nicknamed Rio 10 was held in Johannesburg South Africa with the goal of again bringing together leaders from government business and NGOs to agree on a range of measures toward similar goals At Rio 10 sustainable development was recognized as an overarching goal for institutions at the national regional and international levels There the need to enhance the integration of sustainable development in the activities of all relevant United Nations agencies programs and funds was highlighted The discussion also encompassed the role of institutions in stepping up efforts to bridge the gap between the international financial institutions and the multilateral development banks and the rest of the UN system 7 Major outcomes of that conference include the Johannesburg Declaration and almost 300 international partnership initiatives meant to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals Objectives editThe conference had three objectives to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development to assess the progress and implementation gaps in meeting previous commitments and to address new and emerging challenges Conference themes editThe official discussions had two main themes how to build a green economy to achieve sustainable development and lift people out of poverty including support for developing countries that will allow them to find a green path for development and how to improve international coordination for sustainable development by building an institutional framework Rio 20 formal preparatory process editIn the months leading up to the beginning of the conference negotiators held frequent informal consultations at UN headquarters in New York City and in the two weeks before the conference was scheduled to begin they managed to reach consensus on the sensitive language in the then proposed outcome document for the summit 8 According to historian Felix Dodds in his 2014 co authored 2014 book entitled From Rio 20 to a New Development Agenda Building a Bridge to a Sustainable Future the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio 20 formal preparatory process can be divided into three phases Phase one took place from May 2010 to January 2012 when preliminary intergovernmental discussions and negotiations began and national regional and local level preparations were being made This stage ended with the January 2012 publication of the draft document The Future We Want 9 10 The 1st Preparatory Committee was held from 16 to 18 May 2010 immediately after the conclusion of the eighteenth session and the first meeting of the nineteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development The 1st Intersessional which was not a negotiation session featured panel discussions from academia non governmental organizations as well as Delegates and UN system representatives was held from 10 to 11 January 2011 at UN Headquarters New York The 2nd Preparatory Committee was held from 7 8 March 2011 at United Nations Headquarters in New York immediately following the Intergovernmental Policy Meeting for the 19th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development 11 The 2nd Intersessional was held from 15 to 16 December 2011 at United Nations Headquarters in New York 12 Phase two from March 2012 to April 2012 began with the first informal negotiations and concluded with the April 2012 release of co chairs streamline text of The Future We Want 9 The 3rd Intersessional was held from 5 7 March 2012 at United Nations Headquarters in New York 13 Phase three from 9 April 2012 to 15 June 2012 began with the second round of negotiations starting on 9 April 2012 and ending with the 15 June 2012 closing of the Third Preparatory Committee meeting when negotiators were already in Rio de Janeiro Brazil 9 Th three day intense meetings with hundreds of heads of states from around the world met in Rio de Janeiro after the 3rd Preparatory Meeting had concluded 2 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development editAccording to a 13 June 2012 Washington Post article the giant 10 day long Conference underway in Rio de Janeiro which would end on 22 June 2012 was expected to draw 50 000 participants including delegates environmental activists business leaders and indigenous groups For the final three days of the conference about 130 heads of state from around the world were expected to be present 2 1 Billed as the biggest UN event ever organized with 15 000 soldiers and police guarding about 130 heads of state and government from 192 countries and the more than 45 000 individuals gathered in Rio de Janeiro the 10 day mega conference was intended to be a high level international gathering organized to re direct and renew global political commitment to the three dimensions of sustainable development economic growth social improvement and environmental protection focusing on reducing poverty while promoting jobs growth clean energy and more fair sustainable uses of resources goals first established at Earth Summit in 1992 3 14 15 The conference centered around Agenda 21 the outcome document from Earth Summit 1992 That document was considered revolutionary in that it essentially created the term sustainable development and created the global environmental agenda for the next 20 years The representatives of participating governments gathered in Rio to discuss what was then the draft text of the outcome document Rio 20 sought to secure affirmations for the political commitments made at past Earth Summits and set the global environmental agenda for the next 20 years by assessing progress towards the goals set forth in Agenda 21 and implementation gaps therein and discussing new and emerging issues 16 The UN wanted Rio to endorse a UN green economy roadmap with environmental goals targets and deadlines whereas developing countries preferred establishing new sustainable development goals to better protect the environment guarantee food and power to the poorest and alleviate poverty 17 Rio 20 attracted many protests and more than 500 parallel events exhibitions presentations fairs and announcements as a wide range of diverse groups struggled to take advantage of the conference in order to gain international attention The British online newspaper The Guardian reported that Downtown Rio de Janeiro was partly shut down as an estimated 50 000 protesters some of whom were naked took to the streets 18 The future we want edit From 20 to 22 June 2012 world leaders and representatives met for intense meetings which culminated in finalizing the non binding document The Future We Want Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio de Janeiro Brazil 20 22 June 2012 which opens with We the Heads of State and Government and high level representatives having met at Rio de Janeiro Brazil from 20 to 22 June 2012 with the full participation of civil society renew our commitment to sustainable development and to ensuring the promotion of an economically socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet and for present and future generations 4 The first draft of the document was released in January 2012 as a result of preliminary intergovernmental discussions and negotiations that had taken place since May 2010 9 A streamlined version of The Future We Want was released in April 2012 following the second phase of negotiations 9 At the Rio 20 Conference in June 2012 the heads of state of the 192 governments in attendance renewed their political commitment to sustainable development and declared their commitment to the promotion of a sustainable future through the 49 page nonbinding document 16 The Future We Want Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio de Janeiro Brazil 20 22 June 2012 The dates 20 to 22 June reflect the three day meeting of world leaders the culmination of Rio 20 4 The document largely reaffirms previous action plans like Agenda 21 19 The document The Future We Want called for the development of Sustainable Development Goals SDGs a set of measurable targets aimed at promoting sustainable development globally It is thought that the SDGs would pick up where the Millennium Development Goals leave off and address criticism that the original Goals fail to address the role of the environment in development 20 There were eight key recommendations regarding the UN Environment Programme UNEP which included strengthening its governance to potentially become a leading global environmental authority through universal membership increasing its financial resources and strengthening its engagement in key UN coordination bodies According to a 23 June 2012 The Guardian article nations agreed to explore alternatives to GDP as a measure of wealth that take environmental and social factors into account in an effort to assess and pay for environmental services provided by nature such as carbon sequestration and habitat protection 21 Recognition that fundamental changes in the way societies consume and produce are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development EU officials suggest it could lead to a shift of taxes so workers pay less and polluters and landfill operators pay more The document calls the need to return ocean stocks to sustainable levels urgent and calls on countries to develop and implement science based management plans 19 All nations reaffirmed commitments to phase out fossil fuel subsidies In addition to the outcome text there were over 400 voluntary commitments for sustainable development made by Member States At the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment 40 African countries agreed to implement The Future We Want 22 Leaders in attendance edit nbsp World leaders in attendance at Rio 20 A few key global leaders mostly G20 leaders and namely United States President Barack Obama German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister David Cameron did not attend the conference and blamed their absence on the ongoing European sovereign debt crisis Their collective absence was seen as a reflection of their administrations failure to prioritize sustainability issues 23 In not attending the prime minister is sending out a powerful signal that the UK government does not see sustainability as a priority Joan Walley chair of the UK environmental audit committee said to The Guardian nbsp Albania Prime Minister Sali Berisha 24 nbsp Antigua amp Barbuda Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer 25 nbsp Argentina President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner 26 nbsp Australia Prime Minister Julia Gillard 27 nbsp Bolivia President Evo Morales 28 see Bolivian government proposal Harmony with nature nbsp Brazil President Dilma Rousseff 28 nbsp Bulgaria President Rosen Plevneliev nbsp Chile President Sebastian Pinera nbsp China Premier Wen Jiabao 29 nbsp Costa Rica President Laura Chinchilla Miranda 27 nbsp Denmark Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt 27 nbsp Ecuador President Rafael Correa 30 nbsp France President Francois Hollande 31 nbsp Grenada Prime Minister Tillman Thomas 32 nbsp Haiti President Michel Martelly 33 nbsp India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 29 nbsp Indonesia President Susilo Yudhoyono 32 nbsp Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 27 nbsp Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaite nbsp Nepal Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai 34 nbsp Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan 35 nbsp Norway Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg 36 nbsp Portugal Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho 37 nbsp Russia President Dmitry Medvedev 28 nbsp South Africa President Jacob Zuma 38 nbsp South Korea President Lee Myung bak 39 nbsp Spain Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy 40 nbsp Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa 41 nbsp Sweden Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt 42 nbsp Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow nbsp Uruguay President Jose Mujica 30 nbsp Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe 40 among othersEnvironmental and Indigenous Rights Activists edit nbsp Demonstration at Rio 20 Picture shows effigy of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff with a chainsaw and embracing a replica of the Statue of Liberty Activists took initiative at Rio 20 by staging numerous protests Activists joined forces to stand up to what they said was exploitation and degradation of the Earth as well as the negation of the rights of indigenous peoples National Geographic said that activists that support protecting the environment are particularly relevant in Brazil as deforestation threatens Amazonian ethnic groups every day 43 In addition to holding signs and shouting chants the crowds took a theatric route to convey their messages Firstly they poked at Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff claiming she has given in to the global North s corporate hand 44 Rousseff s controversy has arisen over her steadfast desire to further industrialize Brazil and its economy Additionally the crowds assembled for a ritual and symbolic tearing up of the plenary s negotiated text 45 conveying their disapproval Thousands of non governmental organizations NGOs gathered at the Flamengo Park in Rio They criticized the draft negotiating text particularly for its failure to mention planetary boundaries or nuclear energy in light of the Fukushima disaster in Japan 16 Organizations such as Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature as well as members of indigenous communities activists and artists participated The Danish artist Jens Galschiot the leader of the group AIDOH and the Group 92 used his Freedom to Pollute sculptures to focus on global warming and its resulting increased flow of refugees About 20 000 flyers about Freedom to Pollute were distributed during Rio 20 and a related television program was produced in Denmark nbsp Demonstration against the President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad There were some demonstrations protesting the participation of the President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad along with the Iranian delegation 46 47 The controversy of Iranian attendance at the summit surrounds the fact that Iran has serious environmental issues which it has refused to address continuing human rights violations and is refusing to cooperate with the IAEA over its contentious nuclear program 48 Ahmadinejad was met with demonstrations attended by thousands of people on his 20 June arrival in Rio 49 50 with some protesters waving banners with the slogan Ahmadinejad go home 51 Participation by Civil Societies edit nbsp RIO 20 Logo in Hindi created by CCLP Worldwide Team During RIO 20 event and preparatory events UNCSD included stakeholders who were invited to organize side events promote the RIO event submit literature and help the Rio secretariat with translation work The logo and promotion of RIO 20 was available in languages used in United Nations Civil societies also translated the logo image and literature in other local and National languages 52 ProjectEarth Network editEcology and Environment Inc a New York based Environmental Engineering and Consultation company partnered with UNCSD to create Project Earth Network an online platform where schools around the world could showcase their remarkable environmental projects In coordination with the Rio 20 event the platform hosted a World Environment Day Global School Contest in which 7th graders at the International School of Ulaanbaatar ISU in Mongolia were declared the Global Winners for their awareness campaign on the environmental impact of plastic shopping bags including research on plastic bag manufacturing processes development of videos documenting plastic bag waste and a school presentation at which reusable cloth shopping bags were sold to approximately 50 percent of the community Sarasota Florida s Brookside Middle School won in the World Environment Day contest s North American sub category for its mangrove propagule growth project while International School of Brussels in Belgium won the European sub category for their creation of a sustainable food source and composting program The Middle Eastern sub category winner was Hridith Sudev a seventh grader from Indian School Salalah in Oman for his organization Project GreenWorld International which helped promote sustainable awareness across the region through interactive projects Hridith Sudev later went on to become an inventor and the organization has become a global environmental presence The World Environment Day contest followed an Earth Day Green Schools contest regionally focused toward 6th to 12th grade students in the Western New York area The idea behind the platform was to encourage sustainability in students across the world Despite the huge response the platform was taken down two years later due to technical and economic constraints but has since remained as a positive legacy through the activities of students who were first recognized by the network See also editEarth Summit Agenda 21 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development Durban III The conference opened on 22 September 2011 Planetary boundaries Sustainable Development Goals The United Nations Ocean ConferenceReferences edit a b c Summary of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 13 22 June 2012 PDF Earth Negotiations Bulletin A Reporting Service for Environment and Development Negotiations UNCSD 27 51 International Institute for Sustainable Development IISD 25 June 2012 Retrieved 8 April 2020 a b c d Giant 10 day long UN conference on sustainable development gets underway in Rio de Janeiro The Washington Post via Associated Press 13 June 2012 Archived from the original on 14 June 2012 Retrieved 8 April 2020 a b Rio 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Uncsd2012 org 22 June 2012 Archived from the original on 18 August 2014 Retrieved 4 August 2014 a b c The Future We Want Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio de Janeiro Brazil 20 22 June 2012 PDF Report June 2012 Retrieved 8 April 2020 United Nations Earth Summit 5 United Nations 27 June 1997 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Earth Summit United Nations Retrieved 4 August 2014 a b Rio 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Uncsd2012 org 29 July 2011 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Agreement Reached on Weakened Outcome Text as Leaders Arrive for Rio Summit International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development Ictsd org 31 July 2014 Retrieved 4 August 2014 a b c d e Dodds Felix Laguna Celis Jorges Thompson Liz 7 February 2014 From Rio 20 to a New Development Agenda 1 ed New York Routledge ISBN 978 0 415 71654 3 Romero Simon 16 May 2012 Brazil s Leader Faces Defining Decision on Bill Relaxing Protection of Forests The New York Times Rio 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Uncsd2012 org 22 June 2012 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Rio 20 2nd Intersessional Meeting of UNCSD UN Secretariat www uncsd2012 org Archived from the original on 28 July 2011 Retrieved 17 January 2022 Rio 20 3rd Intersessional Meeting of UNCSD UN Secretariat www uncsd2012 org Archived from the original on 11 November 2011 Retrieved 17 January 2022 Rio 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Archived from the original on 25 August 2012 Retrieved 4 August 2012 1 Archived 24 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine a b c Gerhardt Tina 20 June 2012 Rio 20 Kicks Off The Progressive Vidal John 19 June 2012 Rio 20 Earth summit dawns with stormier clouds than in 1992 The Guardian London Rio 20 summit opens amid protests video The Guardian London 21 June 2012 a b uncsd2012 19 June 2012 The Future We Want Rio 20 Outcome Document Slideshare net Retrieved 4 August 2014 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Agreement Reached on Weakened Outcome Text as Leaders Arrive for Rio Summit International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development Ictsd org 15 July 2014 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Watts Jonathan Ford Liz 23 June 2012 Rio 20 Earth Summit campaigners decry final document The Guardian London At UN backed conference African countries adopt sustainable development measures UN News Centre 14 September 2012 Retrieved 16 September 2012 Vidal John 11 June 2012 David Cameron criticised for skipping Rio 20 Earth summit The Guardian London Ambassador Ferit Hoxha s Opinion about Rio 20 Retrieved 30 April 2013 Antigua and Barbuda Contributes to the Outcome of Rio 20 Retrieved 30 April 2013 CFK arrives in Brazil to take part at Rio 20 Summit Buenos Aires Herald 20 June 2012 Archived from the original on 12 May 2013 Retrieved 30 April 2013 a b c d Gerhardt Tina 25 June 2012 Rio 20 A Crisis Is a Terrible Thing to Waste The Huffington Post Retrieved 30 April 2013 a b c Vaughan Adam 21 June 2012 Rio 20 summit Thursday as it happened The Guardian London Retrieved 30 April 2013 a b Rio 20 All eyes on Manmohan Singh Wen Jiabao The Times of India 20 June 2012 Archived from the original on 22 June 2012 Retrieved 30 April 2013 a b From the Green Economy to Communality Retrieved 30 April 2013 Chrisafis Angelique 18 June 2012 Rio 20 France seeks one agenda to end poverty and protect environment The Guardian London Retrieved 30 April 2013 a b Tercek Mark 28 June 2012 Rio 20 Leadership from New Directions The Huffington Post Retrieved 30 April 2013 Haiti Politic Speeches of President Martelly to Rio 20 Haiti Libre Retrieved 30 April 2013 Rio 20 a generational opportunity says PM The Himalayan Times 22 June 2012 Retrieved 30 April 2013 Jonathan Rio 20 and the Environment This Day 26 June 2012 Retrieved 30 April 2013 Godmother Gro hailed in Rio 20 June 2012 Retrieved 30 April 2013 World Leaders to Tour Region after G20 and Rio 20 Americas Quarterly Retrieved 30 April 2013 South Africa President Zuma Returns From Rio 20 Conference 24 June 2013 Retrieved 30 April 2013 Lee champions green growth at Rio 20 meeting The Korea Times 21 June 2012 Retrieved 30 April 2013 a b Vaughan Adam 20 June 2012 Rio 20 summit Opening day live blog The Guardian London Retrieved 30 April 2013 Rio 20 proves a damp squib of a summit The Sunday Times 24 June 2012 Retrieved 30 April 2013 Speech by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt at Rio 20 Summit on Sustainable Development Retrieved 30 April 2013 Wallace Scott Last of the Amazon National Geographic Archived from the original on 10 August 2011 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Barnes Taylor 4 August 1692 Stars of the Earth Summit Green Blog Jonathan Watts in Rio de Janeiro 21 June 2012 The Guardian June 21 2012 The Guardian Retrieved 4 August 2014 Cardenas Emilio 5 June 2012 Ahmadinejad otra vez en America latina La Nacion Lanacion com ar Retrieved 4 August 2014 Iranian president to attend Rio 20 Conference Iran Daily Brief Irandailybrief com 30 May 2012 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Iraniano acredita que Ahmadinejad vem a Rio 20 para mostrar que o Ira tem amigos GloboNews Videos do Jornal das Dez Catalogo de Videos G1 globo com 30 May 2012 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Activists walk through Rio demonstrating against the presence of the Iranian delegation at the summit Flickr com 17 June 2012 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Activists walk through Rio demonstrating against the presence of the Iranian delegation at the summit Flickr com 17 June 2012 Retrieved 4 August 2014 Rozen Laura 25 June 2012 Blame it on Rio Israeli delegate says Iran s Ahmadinejad waved at them The Back Channel Backchannel al monitor com Retrieved 4 August 2014 Rio 20 The Seventh issue of the magazine Uncsd2012 org 11 April 2012 Retrieved 4 August 2014 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio 20 Portal Building the Peoples Summit Rio 20 An Endangered Species March April 2012 journal Environment Rio 20 and Sustainable Development 12 Things to Know Asian Development Bank The Future We Want International Conference on Sustainable Development Only One Earth the Long Road via Rio to Sustainable Development the history from Stockholm to Rio by Felix Dodds Michael Strauss with Maurice Strong From Rio plus 20 to the New Development Agenda by Felix Dodds Jorge Laguna Celis Liz Thompson Portal nbsp Politics 22 54 35 S 43 10 35 W 22 9098 S 43 1763 W 22 9098 43 1763 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development amp oldid 1221742869, wikipedia, wiki, book, 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