Rio+20

I think every environmentalist would agree with us that Rio+20 (the biggest UN conference ever, according to the UN-Website) was a disaster, despite the hard work and the few hopeful initiatives that were launched. Photos of the police keeping the indigenous protesters in check - who only want to live their harmless lifestyles - were heart-breaking.

We think the outcome was much too vague. An important initiative to rescue the high seas has been blocked by the US and others; rich countries haven't pledged to contribute the funds demanded by developing nations, who consistently accuse the latter of hypocrisy and refuse to show any ambition. The level of commitment, or rather the complete lack thereof, was so much out of touch with the reality of the ever-increasing destruction of the planet (you know the numbers on global warming, overfishing, deforestation, freshwater depletion, and toxics) - it was appalling to follow this news.

What do you think would a Rio+40 conference look like? In a largely desertified Brazil, amidst global resource wars, a small group of aged cynics join and conjure up a document that states that "all is not lost" if only we pledge that we'll do everything in our might to try to rectify any agreement to the extend that others would rectify and promise to create a document on the importance of such a pledge that states that we will organize more conferences ad infinitum...

What do you think?