Rio and Beyond: The Future We Need

March 24th and 25th, 2012

Yale University, New Haven, CT

In June 2012, the world will convene in Rio de Janeiro for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (also known as the Rio+20 Conference) to secure renewed commitment for sustainable development, assess the progress to date, and address new and emerging challenges. The success of the Rio+20 Conference will depend in large part on whether civil society can effectively lobby governments to reach agreement on the ambitious and forward-looking commitments to sustainability that are urgently required to secure our common future. The Rio+20 Conference also provides an opportunity for civil society to raise global awareness of environmental and sustainability issues. However, few Americans and Canadians are aware of the conference and the opportunities it represents.

The U.S./Canada Citizens’ Summit for Sustainable Development is an innovative and collaborative event that seeks to generate new knowledge, policy, and action for sustainability in the United States and Canada, and to foster coherent, effective advocacy around the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro. It will bring together a diverse group of 180 leading experts, emerging leaders, advocates, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers for two days of discussions, brainstorming, and planning. In this way, the Summit will encourage a shared understanding of common challenges and opportunities, and to ensure that the Rio+20 Conference generates lasting, transformative outcomes for sustainability. To nominate someone who you feel would bring a valuable contribution to the conference, be it yourself or someone else, fill out the brief nomination form here by March 1st.

The Summit will also feature virtual participation in order to encourage broad participation in cities and towns across the U.S. and Canada and promote a cross-regional network committed to sustainability. Find out more about virtual participation here as we get closer to the event.

Be a platform for civil society in the U.S. and Canada to share and collaborate in the lead up to Rio+20 and beyond, especially reaching out to diverse groups and those new to the process.

• Identify tools, resources, and approaches for U.S. and Canadian civil society to implement and monitor sustainability measures in their communities.
• Ensure that civil society voices from the U.S. and Canada significantly affect the structure of the Rio+20 Conference in generating lasting, transformative outcomes.
• Use new technologies to connect stakeholders remotely and encourage virtual participation during Rio+20.
• Reflecting on our past progress (“the story” of the past 20 years) and the potential for our future (the next 20 years), that is: to communicate to the U.S. and Canadian public the concept and story of sustainability and its significance to our future.