Last week, the UN conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janiero wrapped up and the world barely noticed. While the Earth Summit of 1992 was an important development on the scene of environmental sustainability, 20 years later the world is more than ever stuck in a political impasse.
Even though this year’s summit was the largest event ever organized by the UN, the end result was a document that satisfied no one. Canada provided no constructive input, rather opting to play the role of saboteur, "furiously pedaling backwards".
One journalist, from the UK guardian, calls Rio + 20 the "greatest failure of collective leadership since the first world war". He says that it is becoming evident that governments will not act to protect the planet, and his opinion is echoed by many voices.
But let’s not leave it up to the governments to decide the fate of the planet.