Rio + 20: priority to the fight against poverty and the right to development (Policy Brief 303 - November 2012)
In June 2012, the Conference "Rio +20" reaffirmed the primacy of the fight against poverty on other aspects of sustainable development. This trend will probably mark the future international negotiations on environmental issues.
- Rio + 20: priority to the fight against poverty and the right to development
Beyond a final statement for some little ambitious, Rio + 20 conference carries lessons on the evolution of international negotiations. It confirms that, in the field of sustainable development, the time is no longer the global agreements top-down constraints which impose States. It also reveals the enormous gap between today's emerging position of the European Union (EU), despite the support of the civil society remains isolated in the negotiations.
The initial agenda of the summit planned to reach a common definition of "green economy", but Brazil, China, India and South Africa, and many developing countries (DCs) have seen both the desire to monetize the environmental protection and the desire of developed countries to defend a "green protectionism" could constrain growth.
They wanted to focus on the top social progress and the right to development: the agreement of June 2012 and the sustainable development objectives that have been adopted thus give priority to the eradication of poverty, which is considered a prerequisite essential for sustainable development, food security, access to decent employment or energy. The summit also marked the return of a North / South and the reaffirmation of the desire for equity between nations reflect these developments in future international negotiations is imperative for the European Union if it wants to be heard developing countries in global negotiations. European diplomacy, and could pursue the following four strategic directions.
Summary
- Beyond the disappointment, the conference resulted in a work program
- Grounds for a pragmatic agreement
- Implement "the future we want"
- Authors: Dominique Auverlot and Blandine Barreau, Sustainable Development Department, in collaboration with Franck Olivia.
Keywords: Rio +20, UN, UNEP, World Organization of the environment, sustainable development goals, ODD, Millennium Sustainable Development, MDGs, right to development, the fight against poverty, high seas, sustainable development, European Union.