World waiting on rebirth of rio spirit | Bangkok Post: news

The Asia-Europe Environment Forum's regional workshop held in Jakarta, Indonesia was one of at least three regional and international forums held in Southeast Asia in the last month. The delegates at the high-level dialogue on reforming the institutional framework for sustainable development gathered in Jakarta to discuss new mechanisms to address increasingly complex environmental challenges. These include food security as well as climate change.

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the Earth Summit, the global conference held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 which was acclaimed as one of the most successful environmental forums in history. It produced a set of clear agendas and principles for global communities to pursue development based on sustainability. But despite the considerable efforts from a great many groups in the 20 years since the Rio Summit, the achievements have been scarce, while the challenges multiply.

The conclusions of the Asia-Europe Environment Forum's regional workshop will be presented to 46 Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) member states for their consideration ahead of the Rio+20 meeting next year.