Rio+20: A Missed Opportunity

Abstract

The Rio + 20 were a landmark event in addressing serious environment & economic crisis affecting the world. The Earth summit was a historical opportunity to set the world on correct development trajectory. Negotiators from 191 countries came together to chart a road map for sustainable development and poverty eradication. But the developed and developing countries could not wipe out their differences and reach consensus on the definition of green economy. The new draft was in favour of developed countries .The current draft agreement is bereft of necessary vision and commitment for eradicating poverty and tackling environmental degradation to deliver sustainable development. The document is still empty and very weak in addressing daunting and grave concerns of women, youth and children, farmers, indigenous people and workers. It has failed in addressing the reproductive and sexual rights of women. There are no strong commitments to women’s rights to land, property and inheritance. The main objective of this paper is to explore that how Rio +20 has become a victim of reduced commitments by developed countries to support the developing countries in the quest of their development. This paper is an academic endeavor to reflect that how the summit is a missed opportunity to tackle the most important environmental issues. There is an increasing rift between fashionable environmental issues focused on by rich countries and the prosaic needs of the rest of the world. The document is an offense to the future generation since the governments have agreed to maintain the status quo on so many issues that will severally effect the future generation. The document is a far cry from the ambitious response to world’s mounting social, economic and environmental crisis. It has missed the opportunity to shift global agriculture onto a path towards ecological sustainability and justice for the hungry.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n3p0139