What is Rio+20?

The 1992 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) also known as the "Earth Summit", was an important milestone that brought environment and development issues into the public arena. Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development are two important outcomes of the Summit that outlined the key policies for achieving sustainable development.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development dubbed as "Rio+20" will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 20-22 June 2012.

Discussions in the Conference will also focus on two themes: (1) A green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and (2) the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development.

• Visit the Rio+20 website
• Visit UNISDR's profile on the Rio+20 website
• Visit Rio+20's "the future we want" campaign on disaster-resilient societies

Disaster Risk Reduction as an Emerging Issue

Disaster risk reduction has been included as part of the new and emerging issues in Rio+20 after the issue had been raised by UN member states, UN agencies, political groups and major groups. Other emerging issues identified include (i) combating poverty through green jobs and promoting social inclusion, (ii) advancing food security and sustainable agriculture, (iii) sound water management, (iv) energy access including from renewable sources, as well as efficiency and sustainability, (v) sustainable human settlements and (vi) management of oceans.

• A Resilient Future: UNISDR Statement on the Zero Draft of the Outcome Document Rio+20: "The Future We Want"
• UNISDR's Zero Draft Proposal for Rio+20, 1 November 2011
• UNISDR's discussion paper: preparing for Rio +20 - redefining sustainable development
• Rio+20 Newsletter: Making it Happen, Volume 2, Issue 23, 16 Dec 2011
• Rio+20 Issues Brief No.8: Reducing Disaster Risk and Building Resilience
• UNISDR's statement: Second Preparatory Committee Meeting of UNCSD Rio+20, 7-8 March 2011, New York

Other Related Documents

• Bonn Declaration - Making Cities Resilient, May 2012
• Chengdu declaration for action - This Declaration is an outcome of both the 2011 World Cities Scientific Development Forum, held in Chengdu, China, on August 11-13, and the Mayors' Summit for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was part of the Forum.

More DOCUMENTS about Rio+20 and Disaster Risk Reduction on PreventionWeb →

UNISDR Contact

Elina Palm, Liaison Officer (palm@un.org)

Key Rio+20 events

• UN Conference for Sustainable Development (Rio+20), 20-22 Jun 2012 - Rio de Janeiro
• 3rd Preparatory Committee Meeting of UNCSD, 13-15 Jun 2012 - Rio de Janeiro
• Third round of 'informal-informal' negotiations on the Zero Draft of the Outcome Document, 29 May - Jun 2 2012 - New York
• Second round of 'informal-informal' negotiations on the zero draft of outcome document, 23 Apr - 4 May 2012 - New York
• 3rd Intersessional Meeting of UNCSD, 26-27 Mar 2012 - New York
• First round of 'informal-informal' negotiations on the zero draft of outcome document, 19-23 Mar 2012 - New York

DRR EVENTS AT RIO+20 on PreventionWeb!

Past key lead-up events

• UN General Assembly Informal Thematic Debate on Disaster Risk Reduction, 12 Apr 2012 - New York
• From Sendai to Rio - cultivating a disaster-resilient society for sustainable development, 11 Apr 2012 - New York
• Initial discussion on the Zero draft of the outcome document, 25-27 Jan 2012 - New York
• 1st Zero Draft Discussion Meeting, 16-18 Jan 2012 - New York
• 2nd Intersessional Meeting of UNCSD, 15-16 Dec 2011 - New York

More LEAD-UP EVENTS on PreventionWeb →

Disaster Risk Reduction in major international development-related documents

Governments are increasingly recognizing that disaster risk reduction is crucial to sustainable development. This has been reflected in a number of inter-governmentally agreed, development-related outcome documents such as:

• Agenda 21, 1992 - Section 1, Chapter 7: Promoting Sustainable Human Settlement Development
• Johannesburg Plan of Implementation 2002 - Section IV: Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development, Paragraph:37
• Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 - UN Document A/Conf/219/3, Pages 34-35
• Keeping the Promise: United to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals 2010 - General Assembly Resolution 65/1 (A/RES/65/1)
• Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States 2011 - General Assembly Resolution 65/2 (A/RES/65/2)