Following up on our previous article, which reported on the record increase in greenhouse gas emissions in 2011, and the limited progress in Bonn the past two weeks, what’s expected at the coming Rio+20 conference?
Does that have better prospects?
Interestingly, the best hope may not be governments, but corporations, over 2000 of which will attend.
Although he doesn’t hold out much hope for summit negotiations, which UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon says are bogged down in minor details and narrow national interests, the UN will pursue partnerships with global industry leaders.
They can implement sustainability policies faster than countries, investing in renewable energy, clean water and poverty-eradication programs in a way that protects national economies, he told reporters according to Bloomberg.
The biggest difference between Rio ’92 and Rio ’12 is the coordinated effort by companies and investors to move sustainability forward, said Robert Orr, UN Assistant Secretary General for Policy Planning.
Green economies can address all the global challenges, says Ban.
Negotiations are moving so "painfully slowly," that Ban extended the talks in advance of Rio by five more days. The last minute talks will hopefully producing a face-saving outcome for the summit, which so far has failed to engage world leaders, says The Guardian.
Bureaucrats, who don’t have the power to make bold decisions, have been left with the task of the advance work leading up to Rio, says The Guardian. President Obama is focused on his re-election, and European leaders are consumed by the financial crisis.
Rio+20’s theme is Making it Happen. But much of what happens may be outside the government negotiations. Tens of thousands of business leaders, activists, and environmentalists will be there, working on ways to jumpstart a green economy.
Read our story on Rio+20:
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