2012 will be yet another milestone on the march towards sustainable development. 20 years back, in 1992, the world leaders chartered the path towards the sustainable world in the global blue print called “Agenda 21". It also established the climate change, biodiversity and desertification treaties as well as a forum on forests. The world has already marked and celebrated Rio+5, Rio+10 and now it will be Rio+20. Numbers are increasing with the word "Rio". What about the outcome?

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) as it is formally known and now scheduled for later in June will address two over-arching themes-a Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and an institutional framework for sustainable development. It also comes four decades after the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment that led to the establishment of UNEP-thus 2012 also marks the 40th anniversary of the environment programme of the UN.

2012 has also been designated as the "International Year for Sustainable Energy for All" by the UN's General Assembly. The year is aimed at creating an enabling environment for the promotion and use of new and renewable energy technologies, including measures to improve access to such technologies.

TERRE will highlight the major activities from now to June 2012 summit in this space. TERRE is part of the various groups deliberating on the agenda and issues to be discussed in Rio in June 2012."