Rio+20 Portal

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From June until the end of 2011, ten environmental NGO leads representing the different regions of Canada are hosting Civil Society Consultations in preparation for the United Nation’s Conference on Sustainable Development—Rio+20, or Earth Summit 2012.

These consultations are based on 10 Stakeholder Forum think pieces that relate to one of the Rio+20 major themes as part of the Sustainable Development Governance program, which is directed specifically at Rio+20 (SDG2012).

The consultations are based on these 10 think pieces, including the following key documents:

• Global Governance in the 21st Century: Rethinking the Environmental Pillar, by Dr. Maria Ivanova
• Embarking on Global Governance: Thoughts on the inclusion of local (…), by Konrad Otto-Zimmerman
• Greening the International Financial Instituions: Finance for the next decade’s sustainable development, by Kirk Herbertson
• Sustainable Development Governance towards Rio+20: Framing the Debate, by Jan-Gustav Strandeneas

Recommendations from all the consultations will be compiled into a final outcomes document which will inform the Canadian UNCSD delegation as well as UNEP and the UNCSD Secretariat. The draft report will also be presented at the final consultation which will to be held in Ottawa in November.

In order to encourage youth participation at these events, the RCEN, in collaboration with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s Youth Advisory Group and the Sierra Youth Coalition, is also selecting 22 individuals between the ages of 15 and 30 to act as reporters for these events. With the help of a camera, the reporters will ask participants various questions about the consultations and compile the answers into a short bilingual video to be posted online.

Dates & Locations

• Calgary, AB, June 4 – Alberta Environmental Network
• Toronto, ON, June 7 – Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy
• Vancouver, BC, June 22 – One Earth Initiative (with UNEP)
• Saskatoon, SK, September 17 – Saskatchewan Environmental Society
• Montreal, QC, September 21 – Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (with UNEP)
• St-John’s, NL, September 19 – Whale Release and Strandings
• Fredericton, NB, October 22 – Conservation Council of New Brunswick
• Halifax, NS, October 4 – Sustainability Education in Nova Scotia for Everyone
• Quebec, QC, October 25 – Centre culture et environnement Frédéric Back – Secrétariat des organismes environnementaux du Québec
• Winnipeg, MB, November (date TBD) – Manitoba Eco-Network
• Ottawa, ON, early 2012 (date TBD) – Canadian Environmental Network