Background. In December 2009 the UN General Assembly decided to hold the next UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012. The conference will see high-level representatives from countries, international organizations, civil society and business travel to Rio de Janeiro. There has been over twenty years of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA’s), declarations, institutions and commitments aimed at protecting the environment and delivering social development. Those present at Rio+20 will review progress made, plan and commit to further action.

The opportunity. Indicators on the state of the global environment continue to show rapid and marked decline. There is increased recognition of the inter-connected nature of the challenges faced: from volatile oil and food prices, to the financial crisis, to climate change. Yet confronting these challenges is also an opportunity. According to the 2010 UN Global Trends report, global investments in renewable energy reached $162bn in 2009. National governments need to seize the opportunity to implement their action plans and fine words, something that up to now they have often failed to do.

Objectives and themes of the Rio+20 ConferenceThe objectives of the conference were decided in December 2009 at the UN General Assembly in Resolution 64/236.

1. Secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development. It is imperative that there is committed engagement through the diplomatic and political process by national governments and all stakeholders in the lead up to the conference. The attendance of heads of state or government in June 2012 is vital.

2. Assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development. ICLEI is contributing to the assessment process on behalf of local governments, and will conduct a thorough review of lessons learnt from two decades of local initiatives for sustainability.

3. Address new and emerging challenges. A list of urgent challenges has been compiled by stakeholders and governments including the financial crisis, food crisis and climate security. Urbanization is also being discussed, and would be

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ICLEI Briefing Sheet May 2011

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) will be held on the 4-6 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro. Rio+20 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Earth Summit in 1992 and aims to re-invigorate political commitment and action towards implementing sustainable development. The conference will focus on two important contemporary issues: how to create a truly green economy, and how to improve the international institutional framework for sustainable development. ICLEI, in its role as the local government group organizing partner is strongly involved in the preparatory phase.

Spirit of Rio“Today, as the challenges have become more urgent, the world is again in need of the ‘spirit of Rio’. [Rio+20] offers a chance to revive the enthusiasm and the energy by showing how to build upon the foundation that was laid in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.”

UN General Assembly, 2010

SustainabilityThe capacity to endure; a state in which resources (env i ronmenta l , soc ia l , economic) are not used quicker than they can be replenished. ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, 2011

Sustainable development The process by which we get to sustainability: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Brundtland Commission, 1987

Rio+20: Towards the UN Conference on Sustainable Development 2012

ICLEI Briefing Sheet – May 20112

especially significant for local governments.

The conference will aim to meet these three objectives through an explicit focus on two important themes in global sustainability:

Theme 1: Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication: "A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.” UNEP Green Economy Initiative, January 2011

There is some controversy surrounding the term "green economy". Proponents, including many developed country governments, businesses and UN organizations, believe it represents an opportunity to reorientate economic growth to fully take into account environmental and social concerns. Opponents, including some developing country governments and civil society groups, claim the concept fails to deal with the underlying causes of unsustainable development.

Theme 2: An institutional framework for sustainable development: “The enormity and interconnectedness of the problems we face have outgrown the institutions we set up to deal with them.” Pardee Center, 2010

Rio+20 is considered an opportunity to reassess and strengthen international environmental governance to ensure faster and more effective progress towards sustainable development. How this can be achieved is being debated, with a focus on coherence and coordination across the UN system, especially looking at the role of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. The role of international financial institutions may also be examined.

Actors at Rio+20 National governments. Almost 200 governments negotiate the terms and outcomes of Rio+20 through the UN process.

The UN. Many UN agencies are involved, but three play a particularly active role. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA, New York) hosts the Rio+20 Secretariat, and works closely with the UN Environment Programme

ICLEI contribution to theme 1: Green urban economyCities have a crucial role to play in creating a global green economy. McKinsey recently reported that in 2007 the largest 100 urban economic areas accounted for 38 percent of global GDP. Published in January 2011 ICLEI’s Briefing Sheet “Green Urban Economy” outlines the opportunities local governments have to green their urban economies. Recent ICLEI Case Studies highlight measures being taken to create green urban economies, for example on tax mechanisms for the conservation of green areas in Yokohama, Japan.

More examples available at www.iclei.org/casestudies.

ICLEI contribution to theme 2:Global environmental governanceICLEI Secretary General Konrad Otto-Zimmermann has contributed to governance discussions through a recent ‘think piece’. He argues a framework of truly global environmental governance is required. Local and regional governments, businesses and NGOs would evolve from being observers to equal partners, wi th g lobal governance structures allowing meaningful and active involvement of all stakeholders. Think piece available at www.iclei.org/local2012

Green jobs for green economy.

ICLEI Briefing Sheet – May 2011 3

(UNEP) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on conference preparations.

Major Groups. In the UN context, a stakeholder is any actor who has an interest in a UN decision making process. Stakeholders are formally recognized as nine major groups. Each major group has an organizing partner, which collects views and represents its constituents during the preparatory process for each conference.

The Bureau. This is an elected body of member state representatives which decides on the roadmap and organization of work of the preparatory process. It consists of two elected members from each region, and a Brazilian ex-officio member.

The Secretariat. Located in UNDESA, the Secretariat assists the bureau and the Conference Secretary General in steering the preparatory process, including supporting the bureau and delegations, major groups and dealing with outreach, logistics and fund-raising.

Stakeholder engagementMechanisms. Stakeholders can influence the policy-making process for sustainable development during both the preparatory process for decennial UN summits and through the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). The UNCSD was set-up in 1992 to implement Agenda 21 and stakeholders can contribute during an annual two-day dialogue process.

ICLEI, in its role as ‘Local Authority Major Group Organizing Partner’, has helped ensure a constant local government presence at UNCSD annual meetings. At each meeting ICLEI makes the case for increased local government recognition.

Increasing engagement. Ever since the 1992 Earth Summit, stakeholders from civil society have played an increasing role in international negotiations at the UN. There are now 3,400 NGOs with consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the broadest level of engagement NGOs can achieve. The WSSD in Johannesburg in 2002 saw the direct interaction of non-state actors with national representatives, rather than in parallel forums, a set-up which is also

Past UN Conferences on Sustainable Development

UNCHE 1972: Environment on the table The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm is credited with launching new institutions and arrangements for international environmental governance.UNCED 1992: Global agreement The 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, or the first “Earth Summit”, was at the time the largest summit in UN history. It created a large number of MEA's and conventions:• Rio Dec la ra t ion : A

declaration of principles for sustainable development

• Agenda 21: A blueprint for achieving sustainable development

• Chapter 28 of Agenda 21: Local Agenda 21, a locally-focused part of the blueprint

• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

• UN Convent ion on Biological Diversity

• UN Convention to Combat Desertification

• The Forestry Principles

WSSD 2002:Reflecting on progress The Wor ld Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (Rio+10): The 3-day ‘Local Government Sessions’ organized by ICLEI together with numerous partners attracted almost 1000 local representatives and their partners, and was the second biggest parallel event at the WSSD.

Various actors are involved in the preparation of Rio+20.

ICLEI Briefing Sheet – May 20114

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is an international association of local governments implementing sustainable development. ICLEI’s mission is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global sustainability with special focus on environmental conditions through cumulative local actions. © 2011 by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. All rights reserved. May 2011

ICLEI World SecretariatCapacity CenterKaiser-Friedrich-Strasse 7D-53113 Bonn, GermanyTel: +49-228/ 976 299-00Fax:+49-228/ 976 299-01Email: capacity.center@iclei.orgwww.iclei.org

ICLEI Office of the Secretary GeneralExecutive and Policy AssistantSusanne Salzsecretary.general@iclei.orgwww.iclei.org/local2012

ICLEI Briefing Sheets: A service of the ICLEI World SecretariatThis ICLEI Briefing Sheet is part of a series providing background information to current themes related to local and urban sustainability: www.iclei.org/briefingsheets.Main author: Steven Bland, ICLEI Capacity Center

Further reading z Further news updates on preparations, discussions and plans for the local

government delegation will be included in the ICLEI Members Bulletin and on this dedicated ICLEI website: www.iclei.org/local2012.

z ICLEI Paper #1 (2011) Embarking on global environmental governance. (www.iclei.org/local2012)

z ICLEI Briefing Sheet #1 (2011): Green Urban Economy. (www.iclei.org/local2012) z Stakeholder Forum (2011) Pocket Guide to Sustainable Development Governance z www.earthsummit2012.org

Run by the Stakeholder Forum, this website is an informative collection of material on the conference and opportunities for stakeholder engagement.

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requested for Rio+20.

Local Governments. While local governments have been active in calling for greater inclusion of stakeholders in the UN, they have also been calling for greater recognition of their special status as governmental institutions. This special status was recognized for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Cancun in December 2010, where local governments were described as “governmental stakeholders” for the first time.

The pathway to RioThe preparatory process. Preparations for Rio+20 are underway. A series of preparatory meetings of vaying degrees of formality have begun and will run until June 2012. More have been added following concerns that not enough time had been allowed for discussions. In these meetings, named "preparatory committee meetings", "intersessionals", and "informal informals", planning and early decision-making for Rio+20 will be conducted. This will include the preparations of a draft text, the initial deadline for which is the 1st November. ICLEI will continue to bring local government suggestions, concerns and solutions to the table throughout this process, and urges local governments to get involved by contributing to this process through ICLEI, and stimulating debate in their localities.

Local Agenda 21 (LA21)During the 1992 Earth Summit, ICLEI proposed LA21 as a notion to compliment the national governments' Agenda 21. LA21 was created to assist municipalities in their implementation of Agenda 21 by establishing ongoing sustainable development planning processes.By 2001 more than 6000 local authorities in 113 countries had either made a formal commitment to LA21 or were actively seeking one. Since then, many more thousands of local governments have incorporated the main principle of LA21, which is to include stakeholders in planning and implementation processes.