Rio+20 United Nations Earth Summit - Post Conference Review

Andy Lester, A Rocha UK's Conservation Director has issued this briefing note on the results of the Rio+20 conference.

Context
In 1992 the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro was a two-week event involving over 100 world leaders. The issues tackled included climate change, biodiversity and future sustainability. The summit produced a number of outcomes:
• The Convention on Biological Diversity
• The Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Principles of Forest Management
• The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
• Agenda 21

Twenty years on, Rio +20 was held over three days (June 20-22 2012) and was this time led by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

Future we Want
In November 2011 a campaign known as “Future We Want” was launched to promote the conference (http://futurewewant.org/). The goal was to engage people around the world to develop ideas for improving quality of life and encouraging sustainability. The results of the campaign were presented a Rio+20 in the form of a declaration for attendees to sign (download of draft available at http://www.uncsd2012.org/content/documents/370The%20Future%20We%20Want%2...).

Hopes for Rio +20
There was general despondency around the impetus that this summit could have. It was known before the meeting took place that there would be no new treaties and it was not anticipated that leaders will have to sign up to anything of substance that was not in the original Rio declaration. The absence of some world leaders who sent representatives in their place (including David Cameron who asked Caroline Spelman to represent the UK) set the tone for proceedings that disappointed activists.

There was particular emphasis placed on the need for protection in the Arctic, led by a Greenpeace campaign featuring celebrities such as Paul McCartney, and a call for marine conservation to be on the agenda. Specific hopes included:

• Creation of a new system for global water governance to protect international rivers and maintain irreplaceable underground water reserves for future generations
• Greater protection for marine ecosystems
• Establish new environmental governance that enable the poorest to better survive in a changing climate, specifically
o Encouraging the development of drought tolerant crops
o Supporting sustainable extraction of resources from ecosystems
o Ensuring good protection from floods and other natural disasters
• Greening of growth in emerging economies
• Greater equity in terms of energy, land, water and carbon emissions to control climate change
• Recognition that over population is a major issue that must be tackled within the context of other development goals

Outcomes
On the final day of proceedings the declaration of “a pathway for a sustainable century” was made. World leaders agreed to sign the Future we Want document, although there have been criticisms that it has been diluted and is not sufficiently binding.

Thinking positively, the main outcomes include:
 Recommitment to goals previously set, and to the phasing out of harmful fossil fuel subsidies
 Plan to set sustainable development goals (SDGs) within the next three years that will eventually be integrated into the Millennium Development Goals
 More secure funding, broader membership and additional research opportunities for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
 Alternative measures of wealth and well-being were discussed to replace GDP and place a higher value on nature

What failed to be decided, however, is summarised below:
- No SDGs have yet been set
- No commitment towards green economies has been made
- Although promising to enhance funding, the $30bn per year suggestion was rejected as too high and no new amount was put forward
- No plans were put in place to conserve or protect the world’s oceans
- Plans to ensure the poor have rights to clean water, adequate food and modern forms of energy were weakened during preparatory talks

Looking ahead
In agreeing to sign the Future We Want document, UN member states have pledged to work towards a sustainable future that recognises the value of the environment and equality of people. The setting of SDGs should be the next focus. Activists can still hope to influence these through appropriate action and influence the decision makers in order to ensure these goals are suitable and sufficient.

Links and References
http://www.sustainable-environment.org.uk/Action/Earth_Summit.php
http://e360.yale.edu/feature/rio_20_sustainability_conference_on_road_ba...
http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/sustainable_development?gclid=CL_0qsCL2LAC...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/23/rio-20-earth-summit-do...
http://futurewewant.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18447516
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18561223