A "business-as-usual" approach to economic development and natural resource management will no longer be possible. With the world population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, the planet will have to feed more people with scarce water resources, degrading lands and difficult access to energy.
Hunger eradication is essential for sustainable development, and sustainable consumption and production systems are essential to eradicate hunger and protect ecosystems.
Sustainable production systems that make efficient use of resources like water, land, and energy must become the basis of tomorrow's economy.
It becomes quite clear that people and agriculture are at the center of the challenge. With sufficient political will and farsightedness, we can make agriculture help us achieve the future we want: a world without hunger.
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012
In 1992, countries gathered in Rio de Janeiro to develop a plan to rescue the environment. Twenty years on, the UN is leading the global effort to revisit those decisions. Through the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in 2012 - also referred to as 'Rio+20' - leaders will return to Rio to review progress, affirm ongoing efforts and design new ways to meet the most urgent needs of the planet and its people.
Rio+20 will take place 20-22 June 2012. The main objectives will be to:
Secure renewed political commitment to sustainable development
Assess the progress and implementation gaps in meeting already agreed commitments
