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Rio+20: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

"Rio+20", the UN conference on sustainable development, was held in June 2012.   The conference aimed to secure renewed global political commitment for Sustainable Development. Rio+20 assessed progress made since Rio 1992 and Johannesburg 2002, and addressed implementation gaps and emerging challenges.

Rio+20 achieved advances in a number of areas:

• It recognised that the inclusive green economy is an important instrument towards achieving sustainable development.
• Commitments were made for action in key policy areas. This includes food security, land, sustainable agriculture, water, sustainable energy, oceans and fisheries, and sustainable consumption and production.
• Rio decided to develop Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are to be universal goals, applicable to all countries, and to be developed alongside post 2015 development policy.
• Means of Implementation and Financing for sustainable development.
• Reform of the International Institutional Framework (strengthening of UNEP, and working to the establishment of High level Political Forum on sustainable development). 

Concerning SDGs, proposals made by the EU during Rio+20 are mentioned in the Commission proposal for the 7th Environmental Action Programme (annex, paragraph 100(a)).

A public consultation on Rio+20 follow-up was launched in the final quarter of 2012. The summarized findings of the consultation are presented in a report.

On 27 February 2013, the Commission adopted the Communication (COM(2013) 92 final) "A DECENT LIFE FOR ALL: Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future" The Communication proposes a common approach to the follow-up to Rio+20, and in particular the Sustainable Development Goals, and the review of the Millenium Development Goals. It suggests to work towards an overarching framework to address these issues post 2015. The Communication also underlines the need for actions towards an inclusive green economy, and sets out main current and forthcoming actions in the EU and internationally that contribute to the implementation of Rio+20.

 

RELEVANT INFORMATION

UN web site on Rio+20

Rio+20 Outcome document:  The Future We Want

• Communication 2011: "Rio+20: towards the green economy and better governance"
• EU Submission 2011 to the UN's Zero Draft of the Outcome Document
• European Council Conclusions
• EESC and Commission public hearing of 18.12.2012 bringing together stakeholder views on Rio+20 follow up.
• Environment Council Conclusions:
• 25/10/2012
• 09/03/2012
• 11/10/2011
• Speeches:

• 10/12/2012: "The Imperative for, and Progress towards an Inclusive Green Economy"      
• 01/10/2012: "The success or failure of Rio will depend on us and be decided in the years to come"
• Janez Potočnik European Commissioner for Environment Rio +20: Oceans, land, water, fisheries Sessions on Rio +20 during the Informal Ministerial Roundtable on Climate Change, Brussels, 7-8 May 2012
• A joint press release giving initial views from Commissioner Potočnik and Ida Auken, Danish Environment for the Environment, was issued, on 19th June:

• "Rio+20 - Building on the pillars of life, development and poverty eradication", Meeting of the Committee of Infrastructure and Environment of the Dutch Parliament, The Hague, 11 April 2012
• "Resource efficiency is not a choice, it is inevitable", OECD Ministerial Meeting of the Environment Policy Committee, Brussels, 30 March 2012
• "Rio+20 - Making sure the future we want is the future we get", Workshop on Rio+20 high level conference – debate on green economy Rio de Janeiro, 16 March 2012
• "Making sure the future we want is the future we get", 12th Special Session of the Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) Nairobi, 21 February 2012
• "Sustainable Consumption and Production as a Vehicle for Green Growth", Seminar on the results of SWITCH-Asia and its applicability to other regions in the world Brussels, 8 February 2012
• "Go sustainable, be responsible!", European civil society on the road to Rio+20 Conference at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Brussels, 7 February 2012
• "EU objectives for Rio+20", Committee of Regions Plenary session Brussels, 15 December 2011

• 2011 Public Consultation