On June 5, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development Rachel Kyte will host a live online chat about Rio +20 and sustainable development at live.worldbank.org. Submit questions now, and then join Rachel Kyte and economist Marianne Fay on June 5 at 14:00 GMT/10 a.m. EDT.
Rio +20 is coming up in a few weeks. Some 75,000 leaders, advocates, scientists and other experts are expected in person, and tens of thousands more will be watching online to see how the world can advance sustainable development.
Many of us have been advocating for greener, more inclusive growth since before the first Earth Summit at Rio 20 years ago. We’ve seen economic growth lift 660 million people out of poverty, but we’ve also seen growth patterns run roughshod over the environment, diminishing the capacity of the planet’s natural resources to meet the needs of future generations.
The growing global population needs world leaders to do more than just check in at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20 – it needs them to move the needle now toward truly sustainable development practices.
We're seeing that kind of leadership in Africa, particularly on natural capital accounting, and in South Korea and parts of Latin America and the Caribbean that are embracing inclusive green growth.
Restoring ocean health is another of our key priorities. Through the new Global Partnership for Oceans (GPO), we are working with a growing coalition of ocean stakeholders – representing public, private and civil society interests – around the goal of restoring global ocean health so that oceans contribute more to food security and the global economy.
On World Environment Day, June 5, I’m inviting you to join me and economist Marianne Fay for a live online chat to discuss expectations for Rio+20 and how the world can move forward with inclusive green growth and better measurement that takes natural capital into account.
I’d like to know what you’re seeing locally as cities, regions, and some countries shift toward more sustainable development – and what more you think needs to be done. What do you think the world needs to do to get to sustainable development? What will it take to create a greener and more inclusive world? How can countries ensure that their natural resources are properly valued and managed for sustainability?
Two weeks ago, I was in Gaborone listening to African leaders describe how they were taking the first steps in countries like Botswana and South Africa to measure their natural capital for better decision making. Africa's strong growth path has put the continent in a position to demonstrate leadership in natural capital accounting. Our new report “Moving Beyond GDP” describes how that’s happening.
You can also read about how countries are shifting to inclusive green growth and the steps many more countries can take to get on the path to sustainable development in two more new reports: “Inclusive Green Growth: The Pathway to Sustainable Development” and “Inclusive Green Growth in Latin America & the Caribbean.”
Bring your questions, ideas, and insights, and join the conversation on June 5. We’ll be chatting online in both English and Spanish.
Rachel Kyte
Vice President for Sustainable Development
www.worldbank.org/sustainabledevelopment
Twitter: @rkyte365
Join the Conversation