Rio+20 - The future that wants us

20 years ago, 108 heads of state and total representatives from around 172 countries arrived in the idyllic city of Rio de Janeiro. The agenda was to save the earth. The response was so overwhelming that it was later nicknamed as the ‘earth summit’. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development was hailed to be a path breaking event, a watershed of sorts. ‘Sustainable development’ was given impetus. A new international framework was conceptualised. The Rio declaration laid stress on Sovereignty of the member states, the right of developing nations for development and various other measures.

2 decades later, as world leaders congregate at Rio, to mark the completion of 20 years of the Rio Conference, the future of the human race depends on the outcome of Rio+20. And it’s not just heads of state, but thousands of NGOs and private companies participated in Rio+20. The focus of the conference was (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development  & poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development. Based on these focus areas, the conference has earmarked 7 priority areas. 

Key takeaways for the develop world

      1.       Coming together of China, Brazil, India and South Africa and press for the rights of the developing world.

      2.       G-77 nations supporting the efforts led by India and the other BASIC countries.

      3.       India managing to get ‘elimination of poverty’ a priority over a green economy.

‘The Future We Want’

                The Rio+20 document, as the title suggests, was to create a way for the future that the world wants. But is it enough is the question everyone’s been asking. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) was stressed once again thwarting attempts by the US to scuttle the already existing international agreements. But then, that is what was done 20 years ago right? So why are we still stuck in a time warp? More importantly, merely reaffirming what we already knew for 2 decades that concerns such an important issue is in my opinion a sheer waste of the benefit of hindsight. Furthermore, the conference comes at a very inopportune time. European nations are undergoing a severe financial crisis with new countries being engulfed at regular intervals. The champions of the green cause cannot afford to cast a second glance at anything but getting their economies back into shape. They still tried to get the green economy concept going in Rio+20 but could not muster enough votes to get it incorporated in the final document. On the other hand, the US which also underwent a similar economic standstill and is now in election mode also has little to offer in terms of saving the environment. The US argues that such binding CDBRs give an unfair advantage to emerging economic giants such as India and China. 

So why this farce?

                Who doesn’t like being the saviour of the world? The developed nations have led the often hypocritical crusade of environmental protection. But they have grown for a longer time than most other developing nations. They have grown more advanced and have in the process ruined considerably, the environmental balance due to ruthless natural resource degradation. Whereas, countries such as India and China, who have lesser per capita emissions than these countries have just begun to eradicate poverty and provide a sustainable livelihood to their populace. Asking them to cut their development would not only be imprudent but would be borderline criminal. Nations must realise that such farce will only have short term benefits. In the long run, as Keynes put it, we will all be dead.  We have to act and act now! Countries that have the means should provide economically sustainable technology to the weaker nations to reduce their emissions. Also, first the developed nations should find ways to lower their own contribution to destroying the environment. We need to understand that selfish interests will serve no purpose. A mere diplomatic win at such conferences will remain only that. The world should unite to support the elevation of the poor and in the process assure them decent livelihood. It cannot come at the cost of a green economy and neither can a green economy come at the cost of wanton development. In the end, it has to be sustainable, so that we achieve development without compromising the ability of future generations to further their development.