Our monthly newsletter that brings you the latest on the development of the Rio+20 Earth Summit in June in Brazil. Topics range from political will, green economy, and to innovative approaches to sustainable development. Hot titles include "Turning Rio+20 into Kony 2012: sustainable development for the facebook generation" "From "Earth Hour" to "Earth Summit": can we do more than just celebrate this spring?"The greatest challenge of our species" and more!

1. REFLECTIONS ON THE April 12, 2012 Newsletter
www.Race2Rio.org
RACE TO RIO Twitter @NRDCRio
Dear friends and colleagues,
After participating in Rio+20 preparatory meetings last month at the United Nations, it appears to us that governments will
spend thousands of hours this spring arguing over a draft Rio+20 output document now more than 200-page long. We heard
for the first time people worried that Rio could turn into
another Copenhagen.
We have been struck by the lack of urgency and energy in the
formal discussions. In contrast, Luis Ubiñas, President, Ford
Foundation opened a Rio+20 side event with these words: We
know that we are at a crossroads. Will we live in world defined by
unsustainable growth and social and economic inequity? A world that
is literally burning, both physically and politically? Or, do we want to
fight for a more Just world?”
In March, more than 3000 scientists, policy makers and civil
society members gathered at the Planet Under Pressure
conference in London. They declared: A strong contribution from
all stakeholders should make the UN’s Rio+20 conference a defining
moment that sparks global innovation to move us towards a Source: Correio do Brasil
sustainable future. We urge the world to grasp this moment and make
history.
In other words, Rio+20 could be about “crowdsourcing sustainability.” There is growing support for stakeholders to come
to Rio with specific, measurable commitments, which would contribute to globally-negotiated goals. There are already a
number of initiatives, including the UN Secretary General’s Sustainable Energy for All, which are seeking such pledges.
We have just launched the Earth Summit Watch 2012 to track what each national government is doing to get ready for Rio. Go to
SummitWatch.org to see if your president or prime minister has publically committed to going and what actions they will be bring with
them.
We are only 10 weeks away from Rio+20, and the gathering has gained little attention with the media and the public. The
Arab Spring and Kony 2012 have demonstrated the power of social media and connectivity to make real change – we are
now calling for an Earth Spring. As a result of a UN side event on “Communicating Rio+20”, we are hopeful that there will
be more cooperation among all the engaged offices and organizations (Here are the presentations and watch NY Times
reporter Elisabeth Rosenthal’s interview).
Recent NRDC blogs
This June's Rio 20 Earth Summit in Brazil is an Olympic challenge the U.S. can't ignore - When Brazil’s President
Rousseff met President Obama in the White House on April 9th, they undoubtedly discussed the upcoming 2014 World Cup
and the 2016 Olympics. But the Earth Summit will require an Olympic spirit and deserve both Presidents’ full
attention.

2. Turning Rio+20 into Kony 2012: sustainable development for the facebook generation - We need to utilize the power
of the Internet and social media to inject a sense of hope and optimism that Rio+20 can be a truly transformative Summit.
This is why NRDC proposes the Global Registry of Sustainability Commitments: an online, user-friendly platform that will
highlight both local and global commitments toward sustainable development.
From "Earth Hour" to "Earth Summit": can we do more than just celebrate this spring? - From the symbolic global
movement to Rio+20 Earth Summit, we need our leaders to take more substantial actions to change the status quo. We need
to harness the connectivity power of social media to bring about an Earth Spring in 2012.
James Cameron's record dive exposes need for global protection of the high seas - Filmmaker James Cameron’s
successful one-man venture to the ocean’s deepest point comes at a pivotal time for the deep ocean. As world leaders
prepare for Rio+20 to discuss the future of our planet’s resources, the fate of the deep ocean is at stake.
NRDC & Kyra Sedgwick take global call to end plastic pollution to U.N. - Actress and environmentalist Kyra
Sedgwick joined with NRDC to launch a Global Call to End Plastic Pollution. NRDC attorny Leila Monroe and Kyra started
the day on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and ended it at a side event during the Rio+20 March meeting at the UN. See also Lisa
Boyle’s Huffington Post blog from inside the side event.
"Twenty Years After Rio, Why are We Not There Yet?" Opening Remarks from the US/Canada Citizens Summit
for Sustainable Development - The summit kicked off with a panel with three veterans of the 1992 Earth Summit – Dan
Esty, Jacob Scherr, and Kimo Goree. They reflected on why more progress has not been made in the last 20 years and what
needs to be done to make the next Earth Summit a success.
Weathering extreme heat in Ahmedabad, India: protecting residents from increasing temperatures - Indian city
goes ahead to prepare for the hotter and hotter days. Disaster readiness efforts like this are highlighted as a “critical issue” at
Rio+20.
Global Highlights
Political Will and Urgency for Action
Joint statement by President Obama and President Rousseff - Regarding Rio+20, both Presidents underscored the
importance of innovation, broad stakeholder engagement, attendance of top leaders at the High-Level meeting, as well as
mobilizing investments in smart and sustainable infrastructure. (White House, April 9, 2012)
Brazil stresses need for world consensus at Rio+20 meet -Brazil: Rio+20 must yield a commitment to manage the world
economy in a way that respects the environment and fights poverty and deliver instruments to make sustainable
development a paradigm for the economy and environment. (AFP)
Kenya boosts preparedness to Rio+20 Summit - Kenya is utilizing diplomatic arsenals to rally the international
community towards a consensus on accelerating growth options that are eco-friendly, inclusive and socially conscious.
Kenya is among African Union member States that have pledged to elevate Rio+ 20 Summit in national policy agendas.
(Africa Science News)
The greatest challenge of our species – “Human ingenuity should be up to the challenge. But it has to recognize the
problem and address it with immediacy and at scale,” Thomas Lovejoy wrote commenting on Rio+20 and the Planet under
Pressure conference. (New York Times)
Shadow of 'Anthropocene' falls over Rio Summit – “This century is special in the Earth's history. It is the first when
one species – ours - has the planet's future in its hands," said Martin Rees of Britain's academy of sciences. (Mother Nature
Network)

3. Rio+ 20 suffers leadership void weeks ahead of summit - The current negotiation in the UN poses less of a North-South
confrontation. Rather, the conflict dwells on the definition of green economy and attacks on human rights and equity. (IPS)
Green Economy
World’s leading economies to push for action on clean energy - Energy ministers from 23 of the world's leading
economies will meet in London from 25-27 April, to work together on accelerating the transition to clean energy technologies
ahead of Rio+20. (Renewable Energy Focus)
What's new for Rio +20? - Carl Pope, former executive director of Sierra Club, recognizes that Rio+20 will not produce a
further agreement on climate, but is excited about the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's call for "Sustainable Energy for
All" campaign. (Huffington Post)
Itália quer apresentar projeto para remodelar favela do Rio - The Italian embassy in Brazil has announced that Prime
Minister Mario Monti will go to Rio+20, accompanied by a group of entrepreneurs. Italy and Brazil also recently joined force
on a project to remodel the Leme favela in the city of Rio de Janeiro to improve its accessibility and integration with the rest
of the city. (In Portuguese: Terra Brazil)
Rio+20: an opportunity for the World Bank to help solve energy access for poor nations - It's clear that if energy
access is going to be honestly and effectively addressed in Rio, another approach is desperately needed – financial
institutions need to put their collective weight on distributed clean energy systems. (Energy Bloom)
Innovative Approaches
Change the approach to sustainable development - The rates of global environmental change are accelerating but it is
not clear that another conventional assessment will catalyze swifter action. The research community should rally behind an
integrated analysis but do it differently. (Nature)
Rwandan: make broadband access a global priority -Rio+20 presents an opportunity to mobilize the world's leaders to
make broadband more widely accessible and affordable for the millions of unconnected people, said President Kagame. (All
Africa)
Climate change: understanding Rio+20 - IRIN analyzes the trending ideas being proposed around Rio+20: the
“doughnut” concept of social capital, sustainable community resources management, planetary boundaries, etc. (IRIN)
About the Rio+20 Earth Summit About the Natural Resources Defense
Council
In June, the Brazilian government expects some 150
presidents and prime ministers to join 50,000 leaders and The NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy
citizens in Rio de Janeiro for the Rio+20 Earth Summit, organization with more than 1.3 million members and
commemorating the 20th anniversary of the historic Earth online activists. Since the 1972 UN Conference on the
Summit in 1992. It is anticipated that countries, Human Environment in Stockholm, NRDC has actively
corporations and communities will make promises there to engaged in a range of international sustainability issues. Our
take action on clean energy, green economy jobs, oceans, current priorities include green economy and jobs, climate
cities and other key areas. change and energy, oceans, and toxics. In the 1990s, NRDC
organized Earth Summit Watch to report on the
implementation of commitments made at the 1992 Earth
Summit.
For more information about the newsletter and our campaign, please contact Yiting Wang: yiting.wang@nrdc.org.
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