Rio+20 - The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
Background & Resources
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 20 to 22 June 2012.
The road to Rio+20
1972 - United Nations Conference on the Human Environment–establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme
1983-1987 - Brundtland Commission, Our Common Future – defined sustainable development as '..development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'
1992 - United Nations Conference on Environment and Development the Rio Earth Summit, which delivered the:
- Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
- Agenda 21
- Convention on Biological Diversity
- Forest Principles
- Framework for the Convention on Climate Change (the precursor to the Kyoto Protocol).
1992 - Launch of Australia's National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development
1993 - First meeting of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development
1999 - Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
2000 - Millennium Summit Millennium Development Goals:
- Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
- Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
- Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
- Goal 5: Improve maternal health
- Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
- Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
2002 - World Summit on Sustainable Development Johannesburg Plan of Implementation which focuses on 'the worldwide conditions that pose severe threats to the sustainable development of our people, which include: chronic hunger; malnutrition; foreign occupation; armed conflict; illicit drug problems; organized crime; corruption; natural disasters; illicit arms trafficking; trafficking in persons; terrorism; intolerance and incitement to racial, ethnic, religious and other hatreds; xenophobia; and endemic, communicable and chronic diseases'.
2010 - UN Secretary General establishes High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability - the panel brings together a group of eminent persons to formulate a new blueprint for sustainable growth and prosperity, along with mechanisms for achieving it. Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, is a member of the GSP in his personal capacity.
2012 - The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) is held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 20 to 22 June 2012. Rio+20 was one of biggest international gatherings of 2012, and the largest event in the history of the United Nations. It provided the opportunity to re-direct and re-energise political commitment to the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social improvement and environmental protection. Australia's delegation to Rio+20 was led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Resources
This section includes all the factsheets outlining Australia's priorities at Rio+20.
The Basics of Rio+20
Download PDF (331 KB) | Download Word (108 KB)
Mining for Sustainable Development
Download PDF (313 KB) | Download Word (91 KB)
Food Security
Download PDF (341 KB) | Download Word (91 KB)
Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality
Download PDF (325 KB) | Download Word (90 KB)
Disaster Risk Reduction
Download PDF (351 KB) | Download Word (90 KB)
The Blue Economy
Download PDF (508 KB) | Download Word (94 KB)
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
Download PDF (360 KB) | Download Word (88 KB)
Find out about the Rio+20 conference, the objectives and themes of Rio+20, who will be going and the role Australia will be playing.
Young people and Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
Download PDF (341 KB) | Download Word (87 KB)
This factsheet, specifically targeted at young people, outlines how they can get involved in activities around sustainable development.
Australia's Road to Rio+20
Download PDF (644 KB) | Download Word (87 KB)
Australia has participated in sustainable development discussions for more than four decades. This fact sheet outlines the milestones Australia has achieved on the road to Rio+20.
