Twenty years after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, "The Earth Summit", the Rio+20 conference in 2012 brought life back to sustainable development by putting it at the centre of a new global development partnership, one in which sustainable development is the basis for eradicating poverty, upholding human development and transforming economies. Written by practitioners and participants involved in the multilateral process of negotiations, this book presents a unique insider analysis of not only what happened and why, but also where the outcomes might impact in the future, particularly in the UN development agenda beyond 2015. The book throws light on the changing nature of multilateralism and questions frequent assumptions on how policy is defined within the UN. It shows that Rio+20 was more than an international meeting; it represented a culminating point of decades of successes and failures and a watershed moment for seminal concepts, ideas and partnerships including the Green Economy, zero tolerance on land degradation, the introduction of Sustainable Development Goals, the creation of national measurements of consumption, production and well-being that are intended to go beyond GDP, the introduction of national green accounting and the commitment of billions of dollars for sustainable development partnerships, including Sustainable Energy for All. The authors conclude by mapping out a new agenda for development in 2015, when the current Millennium Development Goals framework is due to expire. An agenda that will restore faith in the UN and inspire a global response to the demographic, economic and environmental challenges that will define our future in the decades to come.

"Bridges to a Sustainable Future" embarks on a visionary exploration of the pathways that lead us towards a world defined by ecological harmony, social equity, and economic resilience. This narrative serves as a guide to the intricate network of bridges-metaphorical and literal-that connect us to a more sustainable and balanced tomorrow. The description unravels the stories of innovative solutions, groundbreaking technologies, and community-led initiatives that form the structural foundations of these metaphorical bridges. From renewable energy to regenerative agriculture, the narrative showcases the diverse efforts contributing to a sustainable ecosystem, fostering a sense of optimism and empowerment. As the narrative progresses, it crosses literal bridges-architectural marvels that symbolize connectivity and progress. From sustainable urban planning to eco-friendly infrastructure, the description highlights how thoughtful engineering and design can pave the way for a future where humanity coexists harmoniously with the environment. Beyond the tangible, "Bridges to a Sustainable Future" explores the bridge-building elements within society-collaboration, education, and awareness. It delves into the collective responsibility we share in constructing bridges that span across cultures, industries, and ideologies, fostering a global community committed to sustainability. This narrative isn't just an ode to what is possible; it's a call to action, inspiring readers to become architects of change. It challenges individuals, communities, and nations to build and traverse the bridges that lead to a sustainable future, inviting everyone to be active participants in the construction of a world where balance and stewardship define our collective legacy.

For the past two years the Administration has sought the views of Congress, the states, communities, industry, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and interested citizens on ways to spur the development and use of a new generation of environmental technologies. This document represents the views of thousands of individuals who participated in events around the country to help craft a national environmental technology strategy that will put us on the path to sustainable development.

How serious are the threats to our environment? Here is one measure of the problem: if we continue to do exactly what we are doing, with no growth in the human population or the world economy, the world in the latter part of this century will be unfit to live in. Of course human activities are not holding at current levels—they are accelerating, dramatically—and so, too, is the pace of climate disruption, biotic impoverishment, and toxification. In this book Gus Speth, author of Red Sky at Morning and a widely respected environmentalist, begins with the observation that the environmental community has grown in strength and sophistication, but the environment has continued to decline, to the point that we are now at the edge of catastrophe. Speth contends that this situation is a severe indictment of the economic and political system we call modern capitalism. Our vital task is now to change the operating instructions for today's destructive world economy before it is too late. The book is about how to do that.