Frequently Asked Questions

What is Rio+20?

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, is the largest gathering of Heads of State and Government ever organized by the United Nations to promote topics tied to sustainability. It will count on the active and interactive participation of civil society and will take place on June 13-22, in Rio de Janeiro. Heads of State and Government from over 180 countries and the main international organizations will be present.

What are the objectives and themes of Rio+20?

The main objective of the Conference is to renew political commitment to sustainable development, aside from proposing and discussing new themes.

Rio+20 also seeks to strengthen the balance between the environmental, economic and social pillars of sustainable development, as well as perfecting international environmental governance and debating topics related to the concept of the “green economy”.

According to a decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Rio+20 will have as its two main themes:

Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication;
The institutional framework for sustainable development.

What is the difference between Rio+20 and Rio 92?

The approach to the two Conferences is different. Rio 92 represented the conclusion of negotiations that began decades earlier and culminated in the signing of important documents focusing on environmental preservation. At Rio+20, the debates should be focused on the future, discussing themes related to sustainable development and green economy. The idea is to construct a sustainable development agenda for the next 20 years.

What is the official schedule for the Conference?

On June 13-15, the third and final meeting of the Preparatory Committee will take place, which is negotiating its final document. Representatives from United Nations Member States will participate in a last round of negotiations on the documents to be adopted at the Conference.

On June 16-19, the Dialogues for Sustainable Development will take place, in which international representatives of civil society will meet to debate some of the main themes related to sustainable development. Their recommendations will be sent to the Heads of State and Government.

On June 20-22, the High Level Segment will take place, the most important part of the Conference, where Heads of State and Government will meet to make the final decisions.

How many countries are attending the Conference?

Delegations from over 180 Member States of the United Nations, among them at least 100 Heads of State and Government, are expected at the Conference.

What is sustainable development?

It is a development model that balances socioeconomic advances with the sustainable use of natural resources. The benefits of economic growth must prioritize social inclusion and environmental protection, while fomenting poverty eradication policies.

What is a green economy?

It is an economic model that is based on sustainable development. However, the concept of a “green economy” allows for multiple interpretations and its definition has yet to reach a consensus. Brazil, for example, prefers to work with the idea of a “green and inclusive economy”, with special attention given to the social pillar.

The “green and inclusive economy” is already being practiced by means of public policies in Brazil and other countries. Some examples are:

Social policies, such as conditional income transfers;
Activities to promote conservation and environmental recovery;
Support for segments of the population whose income comes from recycling of solid waste; Dissemination of rural best practices using technologies that are accessible to small rural properties and family farmers;
Efficient use of clean and renewable sources of energy.

What are the Dialogues for Sustainable Development?

This is an event organized by the Brazilian Government in partnership with the UN, whose objective is to promote the exchange of experiences and ideas between different segments of international civil society (academic community, members of non-governmental organizations, local governments, businessmen, youth, etc.) on topics related to sustainable development. Conclusions and recommendations from the Dialogues will be forwarded to the Heads of State and Government during the High Level Segment of Rio+20.

How will the Dialogues for Sustainable Development work?

The Dialogues for Sustainable Development will be held at Riocentro on June 16-19, and the program contains ten debate panels for representatives of civil society including the private sector, NGOs, academia, among others. The recommendations that result from the Dialogues will be taken to the Heads of State and Government present at the Summit, to be held on June 20-23. Ten priority themes on the international agenda related to sustainable development will be discussed:

Unemployment, Decent Work and Migrations;
Sustainable Development as an Answer to the Economic and Financial Crises;
Sustainable Development for Fighting Poverty;
The Economics of Sustainable Development, including Sustainable Patterns of Production and Consumption;
Forests;
Food and Nutrition Security;
Sustainable Energy for all;
Water;
Sustainable Cities and Innovation;
Oceans.

What is the People’s Summit?

The People’s Summit is an event parallel to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). It is organized by global civil society and will take place on June 15-23 at the Aterro do Flamengo, in Rio de Janeiro.

What is the official page of the Conference?

The official page of the Conference is www.rio20.gov.br. This site is managed by the Federal Government and presents the vision of the Brazilian authorities on the main themes of the Conference, aside from providing basic practical information on the logistics of the trip, housing and transportation in Rio de Janeiro.

To further stimulate the participation of civil society, the National Organizing Committee for Rio+20 also created accounts on Twitter (@rio20brasil), Facebook (/rio20brasil) and Youtube (/rio20brasil). Through the end of the Conference, these channels will provide updated information, themes being discussed and Brazil’s positions. The public can follow new in real time and send in questions and comments.

What is the role of Brazil as the host of the Conference?

As the host country, Brazil signed an agreement with the UN (link) in which it made a commitment to provide the material conditions necessary for the Conference in Brazilian territory, such as venues, translators, among others. During the preparatory process for Rio+20, Brazil acts as a UN member state, presenting proposals decided by the National Committee for Rio+20 (link). As host, however, Brazil will also preside over the Conference during the High Level Segment and will seek to reconcile the visions of the different countries, while encouraging ambitious results.

Why adopt the Objectives of Sustainable Development?

Brazil considers the adoption of the Objectives of Sustainable Development an instrument to guide international action in the search for solutions to sustainable development issues throughout the world. The Objectives will play an important role in the creation of policies and initiatives by governments, international organizations, multilateral development banks and other public and private actors and should be translated into concrete, quantifiable and verifiable goals with a set deadline for implementation.

What venues will be used for Rio+20? Will the civil society events take place in the same location as the UN meetings?

The Riocentro Convention Center will be the main venue for the Conference. The plenary sessions, official intergovernmental negotiations and parallel events will take place there. Only registered participants will have access to the venues. Riocentro is located in Barra da Tijuca, in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro.

The civil society events open to the public will be held near the main venues for the Conference and in other locations in Rio, such as the Jacarepaguá Racetrack, HSBC Arena, Flamengo Park, Museum of Modern Art (MAM) and Quinta da Boa Vista. Events will also take place at the Mauá Pier.

Will there be an exclusive pavilion for Brazil? Where will it be located?

Yes, the Brazil pavilion will be located at the Parque dos Atletas, which will open daily from 11am to 7pm, next to Riocentro. This location is also reserved for expositions, including from other member states of the UN. The Brazilian pavilion will present national sustainable development initiatives.

What initiatives will the Brazilian Government undertake to make the Conference sustainable?

The National Organizing Committee adopted several measures for Rio+20 to be held in line with sustainability standards and for carbon emission from the Conference to be neutralized by mitigation and compensation measures.

Among these measures are:

Exclusive use of biodiesel generators;
Intelligent use of paper (“paper smart”) and an online portal for distribution of Conference documents;
Use of sustainable services and materials, such as paper or bio-plastic cups;
Selective trash collection;
Use of hydrosanitary systems in the official venues that include mechanisms that reduce water consumption, such as aerators, timers, flow restrictors and vacuum toilets that reduce water waste by up to 80%;
Systems that re-use rain water;
Use of dual-fuel or gasoline with up to 25% ethanol in the official Government fleet.

Will the Brazilian delegation hold press conferences or other events specifically for the media?

Yes. The Brazilian delegation will hold a series of briefings and other media activities during the entire Conference. The briefings will be transmitted live and will later be posted on the official page of the Brazilian Government for the Conference. The updated schedule for press will be supplied in the weeks leading up to the Rio+20 Conference.

Updated information on the activities of the Conference will be posted on the Rio+20 website, as well as the official channels on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. The plenary sessions and daily briefings will be transmitted live at the UN Press Center and webcast and, later, will be made available online.

How will the International Press Center be organized and how close will it be to the main Rio+20 meetings areas?

The International Press Center, which will be located in the main area of the Conference, in Riocentro, will make web-connected desktops, shared printers and laptop centers available.

Will there be free WiFi connections?

Yes. WiFi will be free and available throughout Riocentro, the main venue for the Conference.

Will the Conference venues have accessibility for persons with disabilities?

Yes, the National Organizing Committee is working to secure the highest level of accessibility for persons with disabilities in all official venues for the Conference, including closed captioning services for the plenary transmissions of the Conference.

The city of Rio de Janeiro will also expand public transportation services for people with disabilities, with 100% accessible subway stations and a larger number of elevator-equipped buses. Aside from this, the Conference page on the internet has tools to provide total accessibility for the visually impaired.

Will there be public transportation during the Conference?

Yes. Registered participants will have access to special buses for the main venues of the Conference and civil society events, as well as hotels and airports. Similarly, the public may acquire transportation cards that allow for transportation via urban buses, subways and ferries.

How can I make a hotel reservation in Rio de Janeiro?

A list of hotels, resorts, hostels and apartments is available on the official page of the Brazilian Government for Rio+20. It is advised that participants make their reservations with as much brevity as possible. The Organizing Committee for Rio+20 will provide assistance to official delegations seeking housing in Rio de Janeiro during the Conference, via a travel agency intermediary.

Are there enough hotels and meeting locations in Rio to adequately support Rio+20?

Rio de Janeiro has a history of success regarding accommodation for large numbers of visitors during mega-events, such as Carnaval and New Year, which attract dozens of thousands of people to the city every year. Aside from the hotels concentrated in the more popular tourist areas, Rio de Janeiro has plenty of alternative options, such as seasonal rentals, flats, resorts and hostels, located in different neighborhoods of the city. For more information visit the Housing page.

Will Brazil make Visa exemptions for Rio+20 participants?

Participants must seek information on the applicable requirements from diplomatic representations or Brazilian consuls in their countries of origin. When a Visa is required, we advise the interested participants to request them as early as possible.

Brazilian authorities will do all they can to facilitate the access procedures for all participants. Specific measures will be taken for the concession of Visas to registered participants from countries where there is no Brazilian diplomatic representation.

What is needed to register?

For detailed information on registering official delegations, civil society representatives and press, visit the Registration section of the website.

How can I volunteer?

The deadline for registration of volunteers was April 19.

How can my company become a partner?

For your company to become a partner, you must answer the Public Notice (Edital de Chamamento Público), specifically the Activation Plan for Brands. Note: all printed material has been finalized. For more information, read the Public Notice in full.