As the host of Rio+20, the Brazilian government has defined guidelines for achieving success at the upcoming world summit, whose aim is to assess and strengthen what has been done since the 1992 Earth Summit, the first global meeting on sustainable development.
There is still no consensus on the draft outcome document for Rio+20 – the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development – but Brazilian Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira confidently forecasts positive results.
“Those who do not attend will regret it. Representatives from assertive, self-confident economies will be present,” said Teixeira, referring to countries that have already confirmed their attendance at the Jun. 20-22 summit, including “emerging countries with a new importance” in their own right.
Participation by many heads of state is seen as a first step for the success of the conference in Rio de Janeiro, as it demonstrates “the great extent of international interest on the topic,” said the executive secretary of the National Commission for Rio+20, Luiz Alberto Figueiredo.
Giancarlo Summa, the coordinator of the U.N. Information Centre in Brazil, said that so far 135 heads or deputy heads of state and government have confirmed their attendance, including presidents, vice-presidents and prime ministers, among the 183 confirmed country delegations out of the total of 193 U.N. member countries.
In Minister Teixeira’s view, the conference will be “exceptionally” successful if it concludes with “an obligation for everyone” to meet commitments on sustainable production and consumption.
We can confidently forecast that the parties will commit to studying binding, measurable commitments at follow-up meetings as long as they’re at pleasant venues with fine amenities and good airport connections.