Rioplus2011 June

Rio+20 begins with too much to decide in too little time

Sergio Abranches

Rio+20’s agenda is very broad, and delegates will have very little time to deal with all the issues. Negotiators have lost several weeks quarreling over almost every paragraph of a draft of resolutions to end up with 80 messy pages, 75% of which bracketed, i.e. undecided. More »

Rioplus2005 June

What can we expect from Rio+20

Sergio Abranches

Rio+20 can still arrive at a relevant outcome in spite of the dismal results of three rounds of negotiation at the United Nations headquarters in New York. But this outcome will certainly fall short of expectations and scientific requirements. The most a meeting with the characteristics of Rio+20 could achieve is to decide on a set of minimum ground rules  for countries to build the architecture for a future green, low-carbon, low ecological footprint economy. More »

Rioplus2004 June

Rio+20 outcomes remain undecided after three rounds of informal talks

Sérgio Abranches

The third round of informal negotiations on Rio+20’s resolutions closed this weekend without reaching an agreement. The summit’s outcome will now depend on informal conversations along the next two weeks and on the formal talks in Rio, beginning June 13. More »

Article, Rioplus2006 March

Rio+20: still in search of ambition

Sergio Abranches

Brazil wants an ambitious outcome to the Rio+20 summit. Diplomats say, however, that they will work to prevent this outcome from being exclusively oriented towards environmental issues.

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