This document provides information about the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) happening in 2012. It discusses proposals for Sustainable Development Goals to commit stakeholders to achieving sustainability targets, similar to the Millennium Development Goals. Major groups are finding ways to scale up their initiatives and participate in the Rio+20 process. Upcoming events related to Rio+20 preparation are also listed.

1. Available Now: Rio+20 Brochure
Rio+20: Making it Happen
Newsletter of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
Special Issue on Major Groups
30 September 2011, Volume 2, Issue 18
The SDGs: What Are They?
If Rio+20 aims to secure renewed
political commitment to sustainable
development, then we need concrete
ways of grounding that commitment
on the agenda of Member States, say
the Governments of Colombia and
Guatemala in a proposal that aims
In our efforts to enhance the
broadly to commit stakeholders to
participation of major groups, we are
achieving a sequence of targets for
dedicating this special issue of Rio+20:
sustainable development—similar to
Making it Happen to the perspectives
the Millennium Development Goals
of major groups stakeholders.
(MDGs)—known as the Sustainable
Development Goals (or SDGs) that would be tied to accelerating the implementation of Agenda
21.
The proposal insists that SDGs and MDGs be fully complimentary. However, while the MDGs
applied only to developing countries, SDGs would have universal application.
Quote A global movement of NGOs also believes that sustainable development must be achieved in
"One of the fundamental prerequisites “an ambitious, time-bound and accountable manner”. A team of experts from 25 civil society
for the achievement of sustainable organizations presented a set of 17 draft SDGs as part of the Chair’s Text to the 64th DPI/NGO
development is broad public Conference on Sustainable Societies, Responsive Citizens in Bonn, which aims to inform the
participation in decision-making.” Rio+20 process.
Agenda 21, Chapter 23 Those NGOs in Bonn highlight the necessity of achieving the full implementation of Agenda 21,
and see SDGs as a plan for all governments to do that within their respective capacities.
Will major groups come to more broadly embrace the SDGs as a way forward? Some of the
SDGs suggested are based on commitments already made by governments and other
stakeholders, others are newly proposed by civil society, and much remains to be articulated.
All nine major groups sectors have affirmed their desire to renew multi-stakeholder dialogues
with Member States and UN system partners to explore initiatives such as the SDGs throughout
the Rio+20 process.
Youth Harmonize Strategies for Rio+20
Sometimes called the ‘moral stakeholders’ of sustainable development, youth undoubtedly
stand to lose the most as a consequence of global inaction. But influencing negotiations from a
position of inexperience requires strategy and willingness to compete for the attention of
young people in order to captivate and mobilize their inputs for Rio+20.
www.uncsd2012.org/majorgroups Such is the challenge of the major group for Children and Youth, which produced its first
unified strategy for Rio+20 under the auspices
of the European Youth Forum, held from 21 to
25 September at the University on Youth and
Development in Mollina, Spain.
Follow Rio+20 Featured prominently in Mollina was the
Visit us on Facebook and Twitter theme of youth volunteerism, similarly reflected
at the DPI/NGO Conference in Bonn just several
weeks prior where the 10th anniversary of the
International Year of Volunteers was recognized
as a main theme alongside sustainable develop-
ment. Most partners and advocates from the
Send us feedback major group for Children and Youth are themselves volunteers, and balance the work of
uncsd2012@un.org coordinating the major group with demanding professional lives.
More information on the official steering committee for Rio+20 can be found online here.
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2. Major Groups Scale-up Their Initiatives Upcoming Events
The most compelling strengths of major groups can be Delhi Dialogue on ‘Green Economy
shared through their experiences of implementing and Inclusive Growth’
sustainable development around the world. That is 3 - 4 October 2011
why many are working to scale-up their initiatives to New Delhi, India
present to Member States in Rio de Janeiro next year. [more information]
The major group for Local Authorities has proposed a
Green Jobs Summit
global town hall at Rio+20 in order to convene a central
4 October 2011
dialogue on green urban economies and the urban
Toronto, Canada
future of our planet. The major group for Farmers is exploring the opportunity for Rio+20 to
[more information]
build a knowledge base for agriculture, improve education for the rural poor and enhance the
dialogue between food production, income, stewardship and quality of life. Sharing Green Economy Best Practices
Major groups have traditionally been important innovators, partners and implementers Towards Rio+20
alongside governments and UN agencies. Key global stakeholders mustn’t delay in bringing 11 - 12 October 2011
their initiatives forward in order to explore effective partnerships and build linkages so that Warsaw, Poland
their messages will resonate at the highest political level next year. [more information]
More information on major groups initiatives and activities can be found online here.
European Regional Science and
Technology Workshop
12 - 14 October 2011
CIVICUS Gets Behind Rio+20 Helsinki, Finland
Effective and sustainable civic participation requires citizens who enjoy rights of free associa-
[more information]
tion and engage all sectors of society, says CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation,
which recently became a global Nigerian Youth Summit on Sustainable
co-organizing partner on behalf of the Development - SustainNIGERIA
major group for Non-governmental 14 - 15 October 2011
Organizations. The arrival of CIVICUS Abuja, Nigeria
onto the diverse scene of major groups [more information]
organizing partners promises to deliver
more engagement with stakeholders Rio+20 Preparatory Meeting in the
from the global South and contribute Arab Region
toward articulating the social pillar of 16 -17 October 2011
sustainable development. Cairo, Egypt
The Brussels-based Northern Alliance [more information]
for Sustainability (ANPED) has performed
crucial coordination functions for major Major Groups & Stakeholders
groups within sustainable development Tristan Brand/CIVICUS Asia-Pacific Meeting ‘The Road to
processes for years, and is pleased to welcome CIVICUS as a co-organizing partner for the NGOs Rio 2012: Charting our Path’
sector in the run-up to Rio+20. 17 - 18 October 2011
The 10th CIVICUS World Assembly, attended by more than 800 delegates of various social Seoul, Republic of Korea
movements, converged around the theme of sustainable, inclusive development based on [more information]
human rights, and was held in Montreal from 10-12 September. The themes of Rio+20 featured
prominently on the agenda and within the break-out sessions that took place between key Rio+20 Preparatory Meeting for
facilitators from within the global NGO community. Asia and the Pacific
‘Non-governmental Organizations’ are 19 - 20 October 2011
recognized as one of the nine sectors of Seoul, Republic of Korea
social, economic and scientific stakeholders Don’t Miss Training! [more information]
empowered by Agenda 21, which has enabled The Rio+20 Secretariat, in partnership with
innovative standards of non-state the UN Regional Economic Commissions Rio+20 Preparatory Meeting for Africa
participation within major intergovernmental and Stakeholder Forum, are offering the 20 - 25 October 2011
p ro ces se s re la ted to su sta in a b le following opportunities for regional major Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
development. groups and other stakeholder partners to [more information]
receive one day of training to enhance
awareness of the themes of sustainable GURN/ITUC on ‘A Green Economy
We Want You… development and build capacity to engage that Works for Social Progress’
…To share your views on the nexus between with the Rio+20 process. 24 - 25 October 2011
water, energy and food security! The major • 15 October in Cairo, Egypt Brussels, Belgium
group for Women will be conducting an • 16 October in Seoul, Republic of Korea [more information]
online survey until 15 October as part of a • 19 October in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
global consultation process feeding into • 30 November in Geneva, Switzerland Complete listing of meetings and events
available at www.uncsd2012.org
Rio+20 discussions. Participate today!
Contact us for more information.
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