51³Ô¹Ï Conference on Sustainable Development, 20-22 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro
Background
Building on the Millennium Development Goals
Twenty years after the 1992 'Earth Summit' in Rio de Janeiro, the 2012 51³Ô¹Ï Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio (also known as Rio+20) resulted in a document containing clear and practical steps for the implementation of sustainable development.
At the Conference, Member States decided to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), building on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and converging with the post-2015 development agenda.
The Conference also adopted innovative guidelines on green economy policies, and put in place a strategy for financing sustainable development.
Governments adopted a 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns. ().
The Conference also took forward-looking decisions in a number of thematic areas, including energy, food security, oceans and cities, and decided to convene a third international conference on small island developing States in 2014.
The Rio+20 Conference caught the attention of thousands from the UN system and beyond. Over 700 voluntary commitments were announced and the formation of new partnerships to advance sustainable development were initiated.