If you/your organization want to affect the outcome and statement on sustainable development this June 20, 2012, you need to start acting now. The first draft of the “final statement” has just been prepared - called “0 draft” indicating it is now the foundation for future revisions. You’re not too late though, as there are scheduled further preparatory meetings in March, April, May, and June. The UN has been at saying that they at least want to hear from you. The Rio+20 theme is “The Future We Want.” The UN has prepared a short film report as well: - See diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/rio20-your-future/29236. The pre-conference effort has reviewed 6,000 pages of various submissions from governments of Member States, international organizations and civil society groups (NGOs) in what UN News Centre describes as “an open, transparent and inclusive process spanning months. The goals set out: “Eradicating poverty and building socially just and inclusive societies, while protecting the planet’s fragile eco-systems remain the defining challenges of the 21st century, “ according to Sha Zukang, the Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). The multiple crises of food, energy, climate, finance and employment shape the different facets of the challenges. “We will need to keep up a brisk pace if we are to complete negotiations in a timely manner. We must present to the world leaders and, indeed, to the world's people, an outcome that will make a difference in our shared undertaking to achieve a sustainable future – a future we all want,” said Mr. Sha. Considerations addressing the Oceans was just adopted in Manial and will be also incorporated into the Rio+20 Agenda – Read: - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/healing-the-oceans-an-agreement/44248 Mr. Sha, a former Chinese diplomat, also offered that governments must make the draft ambitious and action-oriented, as many of them had emphasized, and ensure accountability. “We must not go home from Rio and forget our commitments the next day,” he said, adding that a mechanism to ensure genuine delivery of commitments must be spelt out in the outcome document. He called for “decisions that show the world we mean business, but not business as usual.” Link to UN & Civil Society Department - www.un.org/en/civilsociety/index.shtml Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey - FOLOW mo @MuhamedSacirbey Facebook-Become a Fan at “Diplomatically Incorrect”





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