outreach2012zero3

This morning the Secretary General’s High Level Panel on Global Sustainability presented a number of key highlights from their report ‘Resilient People: Resilient Planet, A Future Worth Choosing’, which is to be published on Monday. The report makes 56 recommendations, writes Freya Seath, BioRegional Development Group… More

If we learned one thing from our series of 30+ Rio+20 Youth Prepcoms in the course of 2011, it was that youth were angry that they had spent a lot of years in school – studying what their teachers told them to study – and the Rio+20 issues never came up, writes David Woollcombe, Peace Child International… More

When I was just beginning kindergarten, the leaders of the world came together in Rio de Janeiro for a groundbreaking Earth Summit that put the concept of sustainable development and biological diversity on the global political agenda, writes Lisa Curtis… More

Recognising the number of global environmental challenges and security issues, there is a need to improve the knowledge base of all stakeholders, particularly decision-makers on the interplay of human and natural systems, with an understanding of new opportunities for investment, new technologies, and innovations, among others. writes Pam Puntenney, UNCSD Education Caucus… More

Over the past 20 years, development has moved us closer to the risk of transgressing the ‘planetary boundaries’ of our Earth system — from the climate, to biodiversity, to land use. Yet while facing these challenges we must further enhance efforts towards meeting present and future global needs, putting in place a green economy model, as well as securing greater social equity and human wellbeing. writes Gisbert Glaser, International Council for Science (ICSU) … More

The US President’s State of Union referenced energy policy 23 times and climate policy once. The White House still can, and must, lead the nation and the world on both climate change and energy policy. One place this can be done is on the road to the approaching Rio+20 Summit, writes M. K. Dorsey, Prof. of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College… More

Trust and credibility have become a focal point for corporations today, especially during the wake of the financial crisis. A result of this is that there is now an array of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to help businesses adopt socially responsible and sustainable long-term strategies, writes Jeannet Lingan, Stakeholder Forum… More

The zero draft, which summarises key issues forming the basis of the Rio+20 final agreement is a good starting point for subsequent negotiations. But it still falls far short of the hopes and ambitions of organised civil society in Europe, for what could and should be achieved by the Rio process, writes Staffan Nilsson, President of the European Economic and Social Committee … More

Profile: Liz Thompson

Nationality: Barbadian (born in UK but lived longer in Barbados)

Country of residence: USA

Current Position: UN Assistant Secretary General/Executive Coordinator Rio+20… More

There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.  That idea is with us today.  That time is now, writes Kirsty Schnee Berger, Stakeholder Forum… More

This is one of the key questions to be discussed during the last phase of the preparatory process of the Rio+20 conference. The negotiations need to aim at a bold and innovative decision; one which will be vital to the success of the conference, and contribute to the future we want. To this end, the zero draft represents a good starting point, referencing the disclosure of sustainability information by businesses, writes Teresa Fogelberg, GRI … More

It is the start of a new year and the time for making resolutions to change our ways. Yet we all know how hard it is to give up old habits. This reality was evidenced by the just released zero draft of the output document for the Rio+20 (Earth Summit), writes Jacob Scherr, Global Strategy and Advocacy … More

With the publication of the zero draft, many ingredients for the recipe of the much needed change of paradigm are now on in the kitchen. The question now is: will the international community get the dish right over the next months? Certainly the meal being prepared is not an ordinary one. Time is as limited as ever. And we are talking about the chance for world leaders to take realistic stock on the state of our societies and trace a courageous, realistic and results-oriented path to sustainable development (SD), writes Maruxa Cardama, nrg4SD … More

Emmanual Prinet, details the three high-leverage policies in the Canadian Earth Summit Coalition‘s submission to the Compilation Document… More

Our world is experiencing rapidly growing inequality, with 80% of the world’s population sharing a mere 30% of the world’s wealth. According to the International Labour Organisation, the income of just 1% of the world’s population (the 61 million persons) is equal to that of 56% (3.3 billion persons). Linked with this inequality, corporation-led practices, such as mining, the use of chemicals and pesticides, water pollution, and deforestation, have a severe and dangerous effect on the Earth. These combined actions have created an unsustainable future for the human community, writes Fatima Rodrigo, NGO Representative at the United Nations, International Presentation Association of the Sisters of the Presentation … More

Quote of the day

Twenty years after sustainable development was first put on the agenda the world’s youth are planning to call this meeting to order.

Lisa Curtis, Youth Representative

Outreach is a multi-stakeholder magazine which is published daily at Rio+20 Intersessional and Preparatory Meetings. The articles written are intended to reflect those of the authors alone or where indicated a coalition’s opinion. An individual’s article is the opinion of that author alone, and does not reflect the opinions of all stakeholders.

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