The Rio+20 UN Summit on Sustainable Development has begun

The Rio+20 World Summit in Brazil on 20-22 June 2012 has started. World leaders, along with thousands of participants from governments, the private sector, NGOs and other groups, come together to shape how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet to get to the future we want.

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) is being organized in pursuance of General Assembly Resolution 64/236 (A/RES/64/236).

It marks the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg.

Themes of the Conference
The Conference will focus on two themes: (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development.

Seven priority areas
The preparations for Rio+20 have highlighted seven areas which need priority attention:
1. Jobs
2. Energy
3. Cities
4. Food
5. Water
6. Oceans
7. Disasters

What will happen at Rio+20?
Governments are expected to adopt clear and focused practical measures for implementing sustainable development, based on the many examples of success we have seen over the last 20 years.

What is sustainable development?
Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Seen as the guiding principle for long-term global development, sustainable development consists of three pillars: economic development, social development and environmental protection.

Read more on the Rio+20 website www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/about.html