United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20, was a major conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 20 to 22, 2012. It was organized by the United Nations and aimed to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess the progress to date, and address new and emerging challenges.

Background

The conference marked the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also held in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. The Rio+20 conference was a follow-up to these previous conferences and aimed to build on their outcomes.

Objectives

The main objectives of the conference were:

• To secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development.
• To assess the progress and gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of major summits on sustainable development.
• To address new and emerging challenges.

Themes

The conference focused on two main themes:

• A green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.
• The institutional framework for sustainable development.

Outcomes

The primary outcome of the conference was a non-binding document titled "The Future We Want," which was negotiated and agreed upon by member states. The document contains clear and practical measures for implementing sustainable development and emphasizes the importance of a green economy, poverty eradication, and the strengthening of the institutional framework for sustainable development.

Key Areas of Focus

The conference addressed several key areas, including:

• Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
• Green economy
• Poverty eradication
• Sustainable consumption and production
• Climate change
• Biodiversity
• Water resources
• Energy
• Sustainable cities
• Food security
• Oceans

Participation

The conference saw participation from a wide range of stakeholders, including heads of state and government, ministers, representatives from international organizations, the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other major groups.

Legacy

The Rio+20 conference played a significant role in shaping the global sustainable development agenda. It laid the groundwork for the development of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.

See Also

• United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
• World Summit on Sustainable Development
• Sustainable Development Goals
• 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Green economy
• Climate change