Rio+20 Incorporated? Assessing Diplomatic Outcomes and Private Sector Actions on Sustainable Development

The May 2012 NTS Alert entitled ‘Back to the future: Is Rio+20 a 1992 redux or is there cause for optimism?’ explored the prospects for the June 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), arguing that negotiators would struggle to reach consequential agreements but that the meeting would find value through non-state channels. This NTS Insight picks up where the NTS Alert left off. It highlights the emergence of the private sector as a significant driver of innovation and action on sustainability, but notes that optimism on this front must be tempered by caution, as the motivations of the private sector vary widely. Thus, robust official conference outcomes must still be considered relevant for sending signals to a range of stakeholders.