Health and the Environment: RIO 20

The UN Rio + 20 preparatory document named as “draft zero” (United Nations, 2012) renews the commitment to sustainable development, expressing determination to pursue the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. It points out the need to strengthen the institutional framework for sustainable development. These actions should fill the implementation gaps and achieve greater integration among the three pillars of sustainable development – the economic, the social and the environmental.

Although It recognizes some progresses from Rio 92 commitments, because of multiple interrelated crises – financial, economic and volatile energy and food prices, much remains to be done. Food insecurity, climate change and biodiversity loss have adversely affected development gains. New scientific evidence points to the gravity of the threats we face. New and emerging challenges include the further intensification of earlier problems calling for more urgent responses. Concern is that around 1.4 billion people still live in extreme poverty and one sixth of the world’s population is undernourished, pandemics and epidemics are omnipresent threats. Unsustainable development has increased the stress on the earth's limited natural resources and on the carrying capacity of ecosystems. Our planet supports seven billion people expected to reach nine billion by 2050.

It is important to enable all members of civil society to be actively engaged in sustainable development by incorporating their specific knowledge and practical know-how into national and local policy making. We also acknowledge the role of national parliaments in furthering sustainable development, acknowledging the important role of the private sector in moving towards sustainable development. It encourages business and industry to show leadership in advancing a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Local governments have an essential role to be fully integrated into all levels of decision making on sustainable development.