Rio+20
The UN Conference on Sustainable Development : “Rio+20”
Background information
The UN Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Earth Summit 2012, or “Rio+20” took place 4-6 June 2012. The official web site for Rio+20 is: http://www.earthsummit2012.org/
Alongside governments, there were nine stakeholder 'Major Groups' participating in the conference: Indigenous Peoples, Farmers, Workers & Trade Unions, Local Authorities, Business and Industry, Science and Technology Community, Women, Children & Youth, NGOs.
ICSU and the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) were co-organising partners for the Science and Technology Community. DIVERSITAS was invited to contribute to Rio+20 through ICSU.
ICSU contribution to Rio+20 included:
- Participation in official global and regional intergovernmental preparatory meetings
- Organisation of regional science and technology workshops
- Organisation of a Forum on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development at Rio+20
- Mobilising ICSU National and Union Members.
DIVERSITAS contribution to Rio+20
The major contribution of DIVERSITAS to Rio+20 was via co-organising the Planet under Pressure OSC2012 conference. In this context, a series of white papers and policy briefs were released prior to the conference, and fed into the Rio+20 preparatory process. The outcome of OSC 2012 were presented at Rio+20.
- Press release by Planet under Pressure Consortium: "UN overhaul required to govern Planet's life support system"; 23 Nov 2011.
- Policy Brief jointly prepared by SC-DIVERSITAS, UN-STAP, GEF and the Secretariat of CBD: "Biodiversity and ecosystems: Transition to sustainability: interconnected challenges and solutions".
- Policy Briefs from ESSP partners on Food security, Water security, Health, Interconnected risks and solutions, Reforming environmental governance.
DIVERSITAS was also involved in the organisation of the ICSU-UNESCO Regional science and technology workshops and of the Forum on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development.
