Rio+20: What‟s the point?

Meryl Burgess

doi:10.7552/73-0-73

Abstract

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit in 1992 was meant to create positive impacts for the future. When the first Rio conference on environmental sustainability took place in 1992, issues such as environmental sustainability, and global development without excessive environmental harm, let alone establishing treaties on climate change, desertification and biodiversity were not on my mind. I had just turned 5 years old, with few cares for anything but Barbie dolls and ice-cream. I had no idea what was taking place in the world at that time. Did this big event change something to the positive?

Highlights

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), known as the Earth Summit in 1992 was meant to create positive impacts for the future
Among Africa‘s primary needs are development and poverty alleviation. This will increase the use of natural resources, for instance via more extensive agriculture, as the sector is feeding the growing population and is creating employment opportunities in China and in Africa
This is the difficult challenge for China and Africa, seen in other developing parts of the world: the need for development versus the need to conserve already depleting natural resources

Summary

Introduction

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), known as the Earth Summit in 1992 was meant to create positive impacts for the future. When the first Rio conference on environmental sustainability took place in 1992, issues such as environmental sustainability, and global development without excessive environmental harm, let alone establishing treaties on climate change, desertification and biodiversity were not on my mind. What might be less in focus is that China and parts of Africa are home to some of the world‘s richest and most biologically diverse areas.

Results

Conclusion