IPA

The first draft of recommendations (zero draft of the Rio+20 Conference outcome document), titled “The Future We Want” was released this week. The draft will form the basis for negotiations by countries in the lead-up to the Rio+20 meeting in Brazil in June this year. It can be accessed at http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/.

Mr.  Sha Zukang, Secretary General of Rio+20 Conference says, ‘The 19-page “zero draft”  was based on more than 6,000 pages of submissions from Member States, international organizations and civil society groups in an open, transparent and inclusive process spanning months’. Thanks to our Presentation People who contributed to this inclusive process coordinated by Joan Power pbvm.  The Press Release from the UN says the following:

The process of improving the zero draft will begin with an initial two-day negotiating round in New York on 25-27 January, followed by four more rounds in March, April/May and June. Countries will seek to share common ground on a range of cross-cutting priorities such as food security; water; energy; cities; green jobs and social inclusion; oceans, seas and small island developing states; natural disasters; climate change; forests and biodiversity; land degradation and desertification; mountains; chemicals and waste; sustainable consumption and production; education; and gender equality.

The Rio+20 conference, coming twenty years after the landmark 1992 Earth Summit, will take place in Rio de Janeiro between 20 and 22 June 2012. World leaders, along with thousands of participants from the private sector and non-governmental groups, are expected to come together to shape ways to reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet.

Presentation People are invited to share their insights on the zero draft.

 Please reflect on and send you response to the following question:

What three significant points need to be added in the zero draft that will reflect the IPA global issue: Addressing the root causes of poverty by confronting personal and corporate greed which exploit Earth, her people and the whole community of life?

Send your responses to this question  and any other comments you wish to make to the IPA Networker at: ipanetworker@pbvm.org.au

Your ideas will be sent to Sisters Betty Rae Lee, Marcela Cruz and Rosemary Grundy, the three IPA Representatives who will be at the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development to assist them  to engage effectively in the various processes of shaping the Rio +20 outcome document.

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