Countdown to Rio
Rio+20 Comment: Summit whimpers to an inevitable conclusion
The acceptance of failure at the UN summit of sustainable development is almost worse than the failure itself.
Rio+20: Draft outcome on sustainable development signed-off
Troubled negotiations end but many unsatisfied with watered down proposals.
Volkswagen, Siemens and Deutsche Bank join rallying call at Rio+20
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) pushes for progress on sustainable development agenda in Rio as major businesses joins call to action.
Brazilian diplomat: Rio+20 can open new path to sustainable development
Country’s ambassador to the UK says summit can overcome high expectations and mimic the impact that the original Earth Summit had on Brazil.
Scientists urge population rethink ahead of Rio+20
New study which warns the world is dangerously close to planet-wide tipping point calls for population to be drastically lowered, and for people to be forced to be materially poorer.
Tempers flare at Rio+20 negotiations as Ban Ki-moon urges progress
Co-chairs call for calm as diplomats lose cool during last pre-Rio talks on sustainable development agenda.
Ban Ki-moon wades into Rio+20 agenda dispute with “three clusters of ideas”
After criticising agenda negotiations last week UN Secretary General declares his own ideas for the summit.
UNFCCC chief: Rio+20 and climate change talks have common goals
Christiana Figueres stresses that while the Earth Summit is not part of formal climate negotiations, work on both agendas offer positive reinforcement.
Rio+20: What would business do?
The Aldersgate Group brought together a group of corporate leaders including Unilever, Microsoft and PepsiCo, and gave them 100 seconds to pitch an idea for a sustainable future. Food, energy and water security all featured but which would win the day?
Rio+20 needs a compass. Will it turn out to be a doughnut?
If Rio+20 is going to put the world on course for sustainable development, it would certainly help if we agreed on where we wanted to go. Oxfam’s Kate Raworth may have the answer…
Planet’s “health” has declined since first Rio Earth Summit
Living Planet Index has declined 30% since 1970 as WWF calls for change of pace in the response at Rio+20.
Rio 1992: Did you sign the “Pledge Wall”?
Thousands of delegates at the Earth Summit in 1992 pledged to make the planet a better home for future generations. RTCC wants to hear how the original signatories think they are doing.
Five reasons why we need Rio+20
Lindsay Clinton from the SustainAbility think tank explains the impending Rio Summit can help link business, environment and development for everyone’s benefit.
Ban Ki-moon: 40 days and 40 nights to ensure Rio+20 is success
UN Secretary-General calls for progress on draft agenda before summit to maximise results of summit.
Countdown to Rio+20: VIDEO Big-hitters bemoan lack of action
The head of UNEP and the Secretary Generals of Rio ’92 and Rio+10 joins other senior figures in praising the achievements of the seminal conference, but call for more action in this Regeneration Project video.
Countdown to Rio+20: George Bush Senior starts 20 years of stalemate
George Bush Senior told the Earth Summit in 1992 that his country would be the “world leader” in environmental protection, but look a little closer and the next 20 years of US policy can be seen under the surface.
Emergency round of Rio+20 talks called after negotiators run out of time
Two-week long second round of talks could only agree on 21 of 420 paragraphs.
Countdown to Rio+20: How has the world changed in 20 years?
The challenges facing policy makers at this summer’s Rio+20 have evolved significantly since 1992. RTCC looks though the major changes in the world from cattle stock growth to cattle class passengers via climate change and urbanisation.
RTCC Rio+20 Student Workshop: Setting a sustainable agenda
The RTCC Rio+20 Student Workshop showed that the breadth of the conference’s agenda leads to huge complexity but also massive potential.
Countdown to Rio+20: Fidel Castro’s 1992 speech
The Cuban dictator has remained engaged with the environmental sector recently criticising Canada’s exploitation of the tar sands. As part of our Rio+20 coverage, we look back at his speech from the Earth Summit in 1992.