The Earth Charter International Council and Secretariat have identified goals and objectives to help those involved in the Earth Charter Initiative to contribute to the Rio 2012 Conference and its preparatory process.
The Rio+20 Conference’s objectives are to (a) secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, (b) assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and (c) address new and emerging challenges. The focus of the Conference will also include the following two themes: (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development. This Conference will take place on 4 – 6 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The goal of the Earth Charter Initiative for Rio 2012 is to emphasize the need for a comprehensive ethical framework, articulating shared values and principles to inspire and guide different actors in the transition to a sustainable future. The aim is as well to demonstrate the relevance of the Earth Charter to the objectives of Rio 2012 Conference and process.
The ECI Rio+20 objectives are to:
1. Collaborate with the preparatory process and help ensure the successful outcome of the Rio+20 goals.
2. Draw government and non-state actors’ attention to the need for an inclusive ethical framework and shared values that inspire and help guide intergovernmental and government decisions toward strong sustainability and a green economy, and to understand the role the Earth Charter can play in facilitating this process.
3. Present the Earth Charter as a comprehensive articulation of shared values, a vision of strong sustainability, and an integrated ethical foundation for a green economy.
4. Invite governments and non-state actors to make use of the Earth Charter as an ethical framework and guide for advancing sustainability.
The ECI Secretariat is committed to actively collaborating in the preparatory process of Rio 2012, and in making extra efforts to ensure the successful implementation of this Conference.
In this context, the Secretariat has collaborated with the Stakeholder Forum and Bioregional to produce a paper called: “Principles for the Green Economy: A collection of principles for the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication“.
The paper hopes to contribute to the emerging debate on defining principles for the green economy to ensure that it serves in the interest of sustainable development. It can be found at a special site created by the Stakeholders Forum in relation to the Rio 2012 Summit:
In addition, the ECI Secretariat has produced a paper called: “The Earth Charter and the Green Economy” that analyzes the synergies between the efforts towards a green economy and the work of the Earth Charter.
More information on the Rio+20 Conference can be found at
http://www.uncsd2012.org
http://www.earthsummit2012.org