23.06.2012 As the Rio+20 conference drew to a close yesterday, the widely criticised outcome document, ‘The Future We Want’, was adopted by the Heads of State. The last day of the conference saw further speeches by governments, UN officials and Brazil’s President Rousseff while the UN chief Ban Ki-moon met with representatives from the nine Major Groups representing civil society at Rio+20. Three of the Major Groups went on to criticise, in a joint address, the outcome document, asserting that it “does not propose an ambitious plan for the achievement of universal access to food and water”. Although these Groups welcomed Mr. Ban’s initiative ‘Zero Hunger Challenge’, they pointed to the need to agree on concrete steps and to make food sovereignty the underlying principle of all efforts to fight hunger. While opinions on the outcome text diverged with most NGOs outraged at the lack of commitment, the paragraphs on food and agriculture were widely welcomed. EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos said “The European Union considers that the Rio final agreement could have gone much further, (but) when it comes to agriculture and food security, I think the document is consistent enough in that the importance of small family farming for improving global food security is properly recognised”. The Biovision Foundation went on to call the agreement “a milestone for sustainable agriculture”. This positive evaluation is shared by Biodiversity International, who consider that agriculture was a less controversial issue at Rio+20 and takes this as a sign that “countries have come to accept the urgency of addressing food security as a global problem”. Again supporting the outcome document’s paragraphs relating to food and agriculture the influential ETC Group added that it was a “glimmer of good news” that Rio+20 reaffirmed the importance of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in considering agricultural and food issues, and particularly its role in assessing sustainable food production and food security at the national level.
United Nations: The Future We Want
Terraviva: Agriculture Emerges as Bright Spot on Rio Horizon
ETC Group: Rio+20 or Silent Spring-50?
Biovision: Rio+20 declaration a milestone for sustainable agriculture

22.6.2012 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched a ‘Zero Hunger Challenge’ initiative yesterday at an official Rio+20 side event, calling on governments, business, the sciences and civil society to join the fight against hunger and honour past commitments. “In a world of plenty no one, not a single person, should go hungry”, he said. “I want to see an end to hunger everywhere, within my lifetime.” The initiative has five ambitious goals: 100% access to adequate food all year: no stunting in children under two and no malnutrition during pregnancy and in early childhood; sustainable food system; doubling growth in smallholder productivity and income, with a focus on women; and zero food loss and waste. The initiative was inspired by Brazil’s ‘Fome Zero’ programme, which helped millions to escape hunger, and will be based on existing governance structures, such as the Committee on Food Security (CFS). NGOs welcomed the UN chef’s efforts. Barbara Stocking, Chief Executive of Oxfam GB, welcomed the Secretary-General’s initiative saying “Ban Ki Moon’s announcement is a welcome ray of hope in a summit that has been shamefully devoid of progress for the almost billion people who go to bed hungry every night”. ActionAid also praised the ambitious agenda but reminded observers that “You can’t have zero hunger with zero money”, in reference to the few real commitments agreed to at Rio+20.
More Information: The Zero Hunger Challenge
UN Press Release: UN Secretary‐General Challenges All Nations to Achieve Zero Hunger
Oxfam: UN Zero Hunger Challenge offers ray of hope in fight against hunger
ActionAid welcomes Zero Hunger Challenge, but calls on governments to commit

20.6.2012 The German Church Development Service (EED) today, at the People’s Summit in Rio, called on industrialised countries to initiate a massive change of course in agriculture. The EED published their demands in a document that drew on the conclusions of three events relating to food security, held at the People’s Summit under the common title ‘Good practices of sustainable agriculture and the IAASTD report’. The first event covered good practice with respect to seed banks and agro-biodiversity, and was illustrated by examples from Brazil and West Africa. The second event looked at the important issues around the role of women in agriculture, and a third event focused on the IAASTD report and the challenges to sustainable agriculture, presenting findings from a school feeding program in Ghana. The document which emerged from these events will be the ‘Religions for Rights’ coalition’s contribution to the People’s Summit’s outcome document. The EED’s text highlights the IAASTD’s finding that agro-ecological solutions can transform agriculture from being a problem to becoming a solution in the fight against poverty, climate change and regeneration of natural resource. “Supporting these diversified production methods would be a valuable contribution to more social equity and democracy in developing countries”, said EED’s agricultural expert Stig Tanzmann.
Contribution of the coalition Religions for Rights on food security to the Peoples Summit
EED Press Release 'A Change in Agriculture is needed' (German text)
Event June 16: Good practices of sustainable agriculture and the IAASTD report

20.6.2012 The Rio+20 conference begins in Brazil today, with over 120 Heads of State and Government in attendance. However, US President Obama, British Prime Minister Cameron and German Chancellor Merkel have been criticised for their absence. On Tuesday, delegates finally agreed on the Rio+20 outcome document after heated discussions around the text lasted late into Monday night. The Brazilian government, which led the negotiations, had pressed for the conclusion of the text before Heads of State arrived in Rio today. However, this outcome document has been widely criticised by environmental and development groups for being weak, unambitious and mostly just reaffirming previous commitments. There are concerns that the text does not commit to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and lacks concrete steps on how to change unsustainable production and consumption. Although the UN Environment Programme will be upgraded there was no agreement to turn it into a fully-fledged UN Agency. The text also contains an agreement to establish sustainable development goals (SDGs), but does not define their topics and a clear time frame for setting them up. The section on oceans was also criticised by NGOs for failing to recognize the urgency of the problem as the important decisions have been postponed until 2014. “We were promised the 'future we want' but are now being present with a 'common vision' of a polluter’s charter that will cook the planet, empty the oceans and wreck the rain forests”, said Greenpeace Director Kumi Naidoo. The text will now be presented to Heads of State for adoption, but observers do not expect major changes.
BBC News - Rio+20: Agreement reached, say diplomats
Greenpeace comment on state of Rio+20 negotiations text for adoption
Text Outcome Document - The Future We Want

18.6.2012 Food and nutritional security was the main focus on the second day of the ‘Sustainable Development Dialogues’, held on Sunday in Rio. The talks were organised by Brazil’s government to give representatives from NGOs, the private sector and the sciences an opportunity to discuss ten topics and from that issue recommendations to the Rio+20 conference. Martin Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre, identified a shift of many developing countries from food producers to net importers as one of the root causes of hunger. He called for countries in the South to be allowed to raise tariffs, thereby countering the agricultural export subsidies of industrialised nations. Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food Movement, warned that food has become no more than a commodity and would therefore not benefit its producers. Dr. Vandana Shiva, winner of the alternative Nobel Prize, also made the case against the commodification of food. Shiva emphasised that empowering women in agriculture is key to fighting hunger. The final recommendation, agreed on in this session, and to be sent to Rio+20 in the coming days, was to “develop policies to encourage sustainable production of food supplies”. However, the Brazilian Civil Society Committee, who have organised the People’s Summit, boycott these meetings, criticising the government for its “top-down approach”.  The Committee complained that the selected topics, the choice of participants and their defined recommendations left no space for open discussion. This will now take place at the People’s Summit.
Sustainable Development Dialogue Days Highlights Bulletin: Sunday, 17 June 2012
The Summit will not participate in Rio+20 preparatory event organized by the Brazilian government

17.6.2012 The Preparatory Committee, tasked with negotiating the Rio+20 outcome document concluded Friday night’s session with only 37% of the text agreed. Opinions on the food and agriculture section differed, and there was general concern that the wording remained weak. As for sustainable agriculture, a handful of countries still refused to insert a reference to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and the paragraph on sustainable livestock systems lacked clear commitment. With respect to agricultural extension services, partial agreement was reached, but the inclusion of the term ‘voluntary’ watered down a commitment to share knowledge. A paragraph on the causes of excessive food price volatility was, however, finally agreed. On Saturday, Brazil, as the host country, took over the leadership of these ‘Informal Consultations’, and is now trying to finalise the text before Heads of State arrive in Rio on Wednesday. Brazil has subsequently presented a streamlined 50-page compromise text, which attempts to meet developing nations’ demands. This text included a reference to the transfer of money and technology, but gave no clear pledges or figures. Brazil’s compromise text does, however, strengthen the protection of oceans which played a central role in the new round of talks, but it no longer refers to the right to water. The European Union criticised the text for its lack of concrete goals, measures and time frames, and the little ambition it shows in many other sectors.
UNCSD Prepcom III: Friday, 15 June 2012
Rio+20 deal weakens on energy and water pledges

7.6.2012 A new United Nations report assessing ninety global environmental goals has concluded that the earth will soon be irreversibly damaged if the ‘emergency break’ is not pulled quickly. The fifth Global Environment Outlook report, presented yesterday in Rio de Janeiro by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) found that progress has only been achieved in a small minority of the original objectives relating to the prevention of ozone layer depletion and the provision of access to clean water. Little or no progress was measured for 24 objectives, such as tackling climate change, desertification and drought. Additionally, competing demands for food, animal feed, biofuels and raw materials continue to exert pressure on land and lead to deforestation. The report called for policies to be implemented that address the causes of environmental change. “If current trends continue, if current patterns of production and consumption of natural resources prevail (...), then governments will preside over unprecedented levels of damage and degradation”, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said. The report did however find that significant progress was made in areas in which internationally agreed goals with measurable targets existed. Prepared by over 600 scientists over three years, it was published on the eve of Rio+20 to serve as a wake-up call for the world’s key decision-makers.
UNEP Press Release: World Remains on Unsustainable Track Despite Hundreds of Internationally Agreed Goals and Objectives

4.6.2012 On Saturday, a new round of negotiations on the Rio+20 outcome document closed without major progress. Delegates from UN member countries only reached agreement on 70 of the now 329 paragraphs in the text prepared by the conference Co-Chairs. Unresolved issues include the process of establishing sustainable development goals (SDGs), along with issues within the framework for action, such as climate change and oceans. Regarding food security and agriculture, countries disagreed on language referring to the right to adequate food, with the G-77 and China calling for the deletion of ‘adequate’. With respect to trade in agricultural products, opinions diverged on the passage “eliminating barriers and policies that distort production and trade”. Opinions also differed on the EU proposal to introduce specific targets, such as increasing access to agricultural land, markets and knowledge for small-holder farmers (especially women in rural areas), and to raise global agricultural productivity based on sustainable agriculture by 2020. Despite the standoff, Rio+20 Secretary-General Sha Zukang remains optimistic that the document will be concluded at the last meeting before the start of the conference in Rio on 13-15 June.
Earth Negotiations Bulletin: Summary of the third round of UNCSD Informal Consultations.
IPS News: A Stalemated U.N. in Do-or-Die Session on Action Plan

1.6.2012 On Wednesday, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) published a report contributing to the debate on food security and agriculture in the run up to Rio+20. A key message of the report is that “the Rio vision of sustainable development cannot be realised unless hunger and malnutrition are eradicated”. If current patterns of consumption are maintained, a food output increase of 60% from 2005-2007 levels will be required in order to feed a population of 9 billion in 2050. A shift to more sustainable production and consumption is therefore vital to ease the huge pressure on natural resources. This can be achieved if we turn to sustainable farming, cut the 1.3 billion tonnes of food that is wasted every year and switch to less resource-intensive diets in rich countries. However, this will still leave 300 million people hungry who lack the means to access food. Their food security can only be achieved by providing them with decent jobs and access to resources. The FAO called on Rio participants to speed up efforts to reduce hunger and to make use of the voluntary guidelines on the right to food and land tenure.
FAO Media Centre: No sustainable development without hunger eradication
Report “Towards the future we want: End hunger and make the transition to sustainable agricultural and food systems”. FAO, May 2012.

29.5.2012 Three weeks ahead of the Rio+20 conference, delegates of UN member countries today began a new round of negotiations on the conference outcome document. Talks will be held in New York until June 2nd, with delegates expected to reach agreement on issues such as the concept of ‘Green Economy’ and the process of defining ‘Sustainable Development Goals’. “The stakes are very, very high - for people and the planet, for peace and prosperity”, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the opening. The additional talks were scheduled early in May after delegates at the last preparatory meeting failed to agree on large parts of the outcome text. The basis for discussion is now a shortened 80-page version produced by the Rio+20 co-chairs. While the text refers to sustainable agriculture in various passages, clear reference to concrete measures and to an institutional framework which could implement sustainable farming practices and the findings of the IAASTD, remain missing. These negotiations are the last opportunity to reach an agreement before talks resume in Rio from the 13^th to 15^th June at the Third Preparatory Committee meeting, just days before the conference begins.
Secretary-General's remarks to Rio+20 Informal Consultations on Draft Outcome Document
UN News Centre: Countries begin last round of talks on outcome document
The future we want. Version of the outcome document as of 22 May 2012

25.5.2012 Rio+20 will only be successful if it ensures that sustainable small-scale agriculture becomes the key to feeding the growing world population, concluded a panel discussion on Wednesday at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich). The event gathered experts to discuss which shape agriculture should take within the ‘green economy’ and was organised by Biovision, SWISSAID, and the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) of the University of Bern. “The main focus in Rio must be on implementing sustainable farming methods and linking science and policy more closely,” said Biovision’s President Hans Herren. The implementation of sustainable small-scale agriculture has become even more pressing with unsustainable industrial agricultural practices taking a heavy toll in recent years. As an example of this, SWISSAID director Caroline Morel pointed to the risks associated with biofuels, saying “even now, forests are being cleared, smallholder families are being driven away, and food production is being given up for the sake of biofuels.” The panellists called on the Swiss delegation at Rio+20 to work towards the adoption of concrete measures towards a change of course in agriculture as promoted by the IAASTD.
Press release: Sustainable agriculture must become a cornerstone of the 'green economy'
Swissaid: Ohne Kurswechsel wird die „Titanic“ sinken

23.5.2012 With one month to go before the start of the Rio+20 conference, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on participants to grasp this “once-in-a-generation opportunity” and take “bold action for sustainable development”. In an address in New York on Tuesday at the informal thematic debate of the General Assembly’s 66th session entitled “The Road to Rio+20 and Beyond”, he called for action to “advance food security and sustainable agriculture and push for a goal on ‘zero hunger’ or ‘food security for all”. Ban Ki-moon also made it clear that he was disappointed at the slow pace of negotiations and ongoing disagreement which has meant that an additional session of talks have had to be organized to start at the end of May. He went on to say that states should not lose sight of the bigger picture by obsessing over the “microscopic examination of text”. Rubens Born of the Brazilian NGO Vitae Civilis, who also sat on the panel at the debate, called on the General Assembly to “provide leadership, pressure, boldness and effectiveness in changing the course of humanity away from an otherwise inevitable catastrophe, caused by unsustainable and unfair means of production, distribution and consumption.”
Concerned at Pace of Rio+20 Negotiations, Secretary-General Calls for Bold Action
Secretary-General: World Is Watching Rio+20, Says Secretary-General

4.5.2012 As the Second round of 'informal-informal' negotiations on the zero draft closed today, civil society representatives expressed frustration at a press conference in New York. Neth Dano of the ETC Group (Action on Erosion, Technology and Concentration) described the negotiation process as “painfully slow”. She stated that farmers’ organisations and NGO’s had put concrete proposals on the table, which included how to improve farmers’ participation in decision-making on sustainable development in agriculture. But she feared these proposals might be lost in the “jungle of paragraphs” and the lack of commitment by governments. Grace Balawag, of Tebtebba (Indigenous Peoples’ International Centre for Policy Research and Education), noted a huge divide in the Rio+20 negotiations between the aims of developing and developed nations. She underlined the need for sustainable development to incorporate the perspective of indigenous people who face a daily struggle against the exploitation of indigenous land, territories and resources.
Press Conference on Civil Society Reaction to Rio+20 Negotiations
United Nations Webcast: Video of the Press Conference

28.3.2012 On May 23rd, a few days before the UNCSD Third Intersessional Meeting, civil society representatives gathered to exchange views in preparation for the People’s Summit in June. The event entitled 'Towards the People’s Summit at Rio+20: Civil Society Alternatives to the Zero Draft' convened key actors involved in the alternative summit, as well as participating civil society organisations. Andre Abreu, member of the Brazilian Civil Society Facilitating Committee, demanded that the views of small-scale farmers and others be included in the Rio+20 process, since corporations and private actors have usurped the concept of 'Green Economy' to promote their own economic agenda. Dena Hoff of La Via Campesina criticised the Zero Draft for not differentiating between agricultural systems. While peasant farming has always been part of a green economy and provided sustainable solutions to feeding people, industrial agriculture is responsible for a large share of greenhouse gases. She stated that the current system is putting local food production at a disadvantage and underlined the need to provide small-scale farmers with access to markets and international fora such as the UN.

Towards the People’s Summit at Rio+20: Civil Society Alternatives to the Zero Draft