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Background, Detail and Latest Action
Md. Inzamul Haque SazalMSc, BSc in Geography & EnvironmentShahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet-3114, [email protected]
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit , Rio Summit, Rio Conference, and Earth Summit (Portuguese: ECO92), was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992.
In 2012, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development was also held in Rio, and is also commonly called Rio+20 or Rio Earth Summit 2012. It was held from 13 to 22 June.
Working towards international agreements which respect the interests of all and protect the integrity of the global environmental and developmental system, recognizing the integral and interdependent nature of the Earth, our home.
WHAT IS RIO SUMMIT
1972 | 1982 | 1992 | 2002 | 2012
2002Johannesburg
World Summit on Sustainable Development
2012Rio de Janeiro
UN Conference on the Human Environment,
Earth Summit
1992Rio de Janeiro
UN Conference on the Human Environment,
Earth Summit
1987Brundtland Report
“Our Common Future”
1972Stockholm
UN Conference on Sustainable Development
1997New York
Rio+5UNGASS 19
Background: Timeline 1972-2012
The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm put environmental issues on the international agenda for the first time.The Stockholm Conference, June 5-16, 1972 laid the groundwork for progress in the environment and development.
One important outcome from Stockholm was the creation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
“Man is unlikely to succeed in managing his relationship with nature unless in the course of it he learns to manage better the relations between man and man.” – Maurice Strong, Secretary-General of the Stockholm Conference
Historical Background: Stockholm, 1972
Declaration of the UN Conference on the Human Environment http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?documentid=97&articleid=1503Report of the UN Conference on the Human Environment http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?documentid=97
The 1987 Brundtland Report, “Our Common Future,” helped define sustainable development.
“Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” - Part One of the Brundtland Report
In 1983, UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar asked Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland* of Norway to create an organization independent of the UN to focus on environmental and developmental problems and solutions.The World Commission on Environment and Development, known as the Brundtland Commission, was formed. The Commission’s report highlighted how growth rates in both developing and industrialized nations would prove to be unsustainable.
Historical Background: Brundtland, 1987
Historical Background: Earth Summit 1992The first global gathering on sustainability was the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.The Earth Summit – the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) June 3-14 – produced Agenda 21, a blueprint to rethink economic growth, to advance social equity and to ensure environmental protection. More than 178 Governments adopted: Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests.
Two important legally binding agreements were opened for signatures: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and, the Convention on Biological Diversity, to conserve biodiversity. The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created to ensure effective follow-up to the Summit.
“If you don’t know how to fix it, please don’t break it.” – 12-yr old Canadian Severn Cullis-Suzuki at Earth Summit 1992
Rio+5 June 23-27, 1997 in New York ended without significant action.UNGASS-19, the 19th Special Session of the UN General Assembly was promoted as “Rio+5” and was convened to review and appraise the implementation of Agenda 21.
The Summit noted many shortfalls in progress, particularly failures to achieve an increase in monetary aid and technical assistance to developing nations.
After three attempts, the process failed to produce a defining Political Statement, though leaders recommitted to the goals of Agenda 21.
"Our words have not been matched by deeds."
- Razali Ismail, UN General Assembly president, from Malaysia
Historical Background: Rio+5 1997
The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) produced the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.At Rio+10 Aug. 26-Sept. 4 in Johannesburg, South Africa the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPI) set out new commitments in poverty eradication, health, trade, education, science and technology, regional concerns, natural resources, and institutional arrangements.
Economic development Social development Environmental
development
The JPI also identified three mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development.
“a collective responsibility to advance and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development – economic development, social development and environmental protection – at local, national, regional and global levels.” – Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
Three Pillars of Sustainable Development
Historical Background: Rio+10 2002
Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development scheduled for June 20-21, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is intended to set a global sustainability agenda for the coming decade .Delegates from 183 countries, some of them represented by their presidents, vice-presidents, and premiers, along with more than 50,000 participants from governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other groups will attend.The Conference is being promoted as “The Future We Want”.
Historical Background: Rio+20 2012
Issues Addressed in Rio Summit 1992
TOP ISSUES-• Systematic scrutiny of patterns of production — particularly the production of toxic
components, such as lead in gasoline, or poisonous waste including radioactive chemicals
• Alternative sources of energy to replace the use of fossil fuels which are linked to global climate change
• New reliance on public transportation systems in order to reduce vehicle emissions, congestion in cities and the health problems caused by polluted air and smoke
• The growing scarcity of water
Outcome
Convention on Biological Diversity
Framework Convention on Climate
Change(UNFCCC)
United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification
Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development
Agenda 21
Forest Principles
Convention on Biological Diversity
• The conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
• Developed a global strategy with guidelines for action by international, national and local governments and institutions to save, understand, and use biodiversity sustainably and equitably.
• Signed by over 150 countries
• The U.S. was the only attending country not to sign the biodiversity treaty.
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
• Lead to the implementation of Kyoto Protocol
• Stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system
• To ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.
• The key elements of the convention are: -new and additional financial resources to meet convention goals; -promotion of transfer of technology to developing countries; and -an institutional mechanism to enable the international community to manage the climate change problem over the long term, working with the IPCC.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements.
It is the first and only internationally legally binding framework set up to address the problem of desertification. The Convention is based on the principles of participation, partnership and decentralization the backbone of good Governance and Sustainable Development.
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
The Rio Declaration consisted of 27 principles intended to guide future sustainable development around the world.
These principles define the rights of people to development, and their responsibilities to safeguard the common environment. They build on ideas from the Stockholm Declaration at the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.
The Rio Declaration states that the only way to have long term economic progress is to link it with environmental protection.
This will only happen if nations establish a new and equitable global partnership involving governments, their people and key sectors of societies. They must build international agreements that protect the integrity of the global environmental and the developmental system.
Agenda 21
• A non-binding, voluntarily implemented action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development.• A 300-page document divided into 40 chapters that have been grouped into 4 sections:
Section I: Social and Economic Dimensions is directed toward combating poverty, especially in developing countries, changing consumption patterns, promoting health, achieving a more sustainable population, and sustainable settlement in decision making.Section II: Conservation and Management of Resources for Development Includes atmospheric protection, combating deforestation, protecting fragile environments, conservation of biodiversity, control of pollution and the management of biotechnology, and radioactive wastes.Section III: Strengthening the Role of Major Groups includes the roles of children and youth, women, NGOs, local authorities, business and industry, and workers; and strengthening the role of indigenous peoples, their communities, and farmers.Section IV: Means of Implementation: implementation includes science, technology transfer, education, international institutions and financial mechanisms.
Forest Principles
• The informal name given to the Non-Legally Binding Authoritative Statement of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management, Conservation and Sustainable Development of All Types of Forests.
• The Montreal Process, also known as the Working Group on Criteria and Indicators for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Temperate and Boreal Forests, was started in 1994 as a result of the Forest Principles.
• Forestry issues and opportunities should be examined in a holistic and balanced manner.
• Forests are essential to economic development and the maintenance of all forms of life.
Objectives of Recent Rio Summit (Rio+20)
The stated objectives of Rio+20 are to: renew political commitment, assess progress, and address challenges.
Renew Political Commitment to Sustainable Development techniques, discuss structural modifications within political institutions in relation to development technology.
Assess Progress on various country commitments to sustainable development practices, look into gaps in progress, and evaluate the success of outcomes of major international summit meetings on sustainable development. Discuss Emerging Challenges that have become more critical: food crises, water scarcity, natural disasters, health security, migration, and biodiversity and ecosystem loss; and reach agreement on comprehensive mitigation.
Themes of Recent Rio Summit (Rio+20)
Discussion at Rio+20 was shaped by two themes: the Green Economy and Institutional Framework.
Key Considerations link goals for the environment with those for the economy
rather than one taking precedent over the other.
integrate the knowledge that ecosystems currently undergo stress from production techniques, and that extreme poverty still exists throughout the world.
shift methods of development to those that are both economically and environmentally friendly.
Green Economy in the Context of Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development
Themes of Recent Rio Summit (Rio+20)
Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development
Key Considerations reform UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
establish a UN Environment Organization (UNEO) or World Environment Organization (WEO)
Monitor and enforce global agreements on environment and sustainable development
Strengthen the CSD (Commission on Sustainable Development).
The theme of Institutional Framework stresses the importance of integrating sustainable development practices into global political institutions.
Rio+20 have highlighted seven areas which need priority attention: jobs, energy, cities, food, water, oceans, disasters.
Jobs – Jobs are critical for social stability, and green jobs contribute to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment. [UNCSD Issues Brief 7]
Energy - Sustainable energy is needed for strengthening economies, protecting ecosystems and achieving equity. [Sustainable Energy for All]
Cities –The challenges cities face must be overcome in ways that create prosperity, while improving resource use and reducing poverty. [UNCSD Issues Brief 5]
Food – A profound change in global agriculture is needed to nourish today's 925 million and the additional 2 billion people expected by 2050. [UNCSD Issues Brief 9]
Water – Water scarcity, poor quality and inadequate sanitation negatively impact food security, livelihoods and educational opportunities. [UNCSD Issues Brief 11]
Oceans – The world's oceans - their temperature, chemistry, currents and life - drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. [UNCSD Issues Brief 4]
Disasters – Smart choices help us recover from disasters, choices related to how we grow our food, where and how we build our homes, how our financial system works, what we teach in schools, and more. [UNCSD Issues Brief 8]
Focal Areas of Recent Rio Summit (Rio+20)
