The Road from Rio

Agenda 21 and the other Rio documents form a series of stepping stones towards a more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable world. The challenge we face is to put the good ideas from Rio into action, even as we refine them and develop more detailed plans.

Two years of preparation for Rio broadened the global network of expertise on sustainable development. It opened the doors of international negotiations to many more people from business, non-governmental and other groups. It created an expectation for follow-up actions.

National action plans for sustainable development need to be created in all countries, based on broad public participation and community involvement. They should be backed up by specific programmes to deal with human needs and the sustainable use and conservation of the environment. It is too early to measure the ultimate success of Agenda 21 and the other documents, but they have already had a clear impact.

The United Nations, which created the Rio process, is deeply involved in seeing that the commitments made by governments are put into action. This means getting ratification of the climate change and biodiversity Conventions and working towards other agreements.

The United Nations has created groups to:

• Draft an international agreement to combat desertification.
• Work out means to prevent over-exploitation of fish in the high seas, beyond national coastal zones.
• Assist small island nations to develop in ways that meet human needs while maintaining a healthy environment.

The UN is increasing help for nations to implement sustainable development. A high-level UN Commission on Sustainable Development has been created. It will monitor and report on how the world is living up to commitments made in Rio. By 1997, the United Nations will hold a special session to review progress in reaching the goals of the Earth Summit.

Around the world, governments, businesses, non-governmental and other organizations are already putting the ideas from Rio to work.

It is crucial to maintain the momentum of the Rio process and implement the agreements that were reached. This task will require not only the leadership and funding of governments and business, but the vision, cooperation and work of every citizen.

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