New year brings new opportunities for governments as world looks to Rio

With the publishing of the ‘zero draft’ outcome document for the Rio +20 Summit, the diplomatic process that culminates in Rio de Janeiro in June this year is now well underway. The summit is an opportunity for governments to step back from the recent differences of opinion on climate change and look at some of the other important issues and the common ground that can be found in global society.

Environmental decline is a key factor up for discussion, along with issues like world health, food supply and access to energy. Sustainable energy for all has been pushed by the UN for some time, with goals like the provision of clean burning fuels for cooking a priority.

Development of 3rd world countries will also be heavily debated; with 1st world budgets getting squeezed by the financial crisis. Important aid budgets and money pumped into developing the poorest nations are facing an uncertain future. The EU is a huge contributor to these funds and so the financial crisis will cause much anxiety for those countries dependant on them.

Another key aim of the summit will involve deciding on new development goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s), which will expire in 2015. The success of the previous goals is mixed, with some showing excellent progress while others have not improved at all.

The draft report released this week includes an evaluation of the key indicators used to measure the wealth of a country, a process that encourages sustainability initiatives in large companies, and the development of a toolbox of workable ideas that can be used in developing countries.

The subject of electronic waste will be discussed, as well as dealing with marine pollution and damage and the possibility of a High Commissioner for Future Generations. The draft is just that, a draft, but it shows a wide range of issues to be discussed and June should prove to be eventful.