Speaking on Rio+20 at the Kennedy School Harvard John Matuszak (US) Jorge Leguna Celis (Mexico) Joe ALdy (former Special Assistant to the President) and Felix Dodds

launching the Biodiversity and Ecosystems Insecurity book in Montreal at the SBSTA CBD meeting with Ahmed Djoghlaf Executive Secretary of Convention on Biological Diversity

Zak and me at the New York Comics Convention --- enjoyed listening to Joe Quesada on marvel plans for 2012. Avengers here we come!!!

(Earth Negotiations Bullitin)

Speaking at the conference on the Contributions of Forests to a Green Economy opened today at the Municipal Hall Bad Godesberg in Bonn - one of th four conferences that Germany is organising on Rio+20.

"I underlined the importance of certification and the role of the FSC backed up by global regulation and also the outcomes from the UN DPI NGO Conference on a forest goal

By 2020, all remaining frontier forests are protected from conversion and degradation, consistent with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity adopted at COP10.

They went on to say that a well-resourced and  equably governed REDD+ mechanism should be put in place, which respects the rights and knowledge of indigenous peoples  and local communities and other environmental and governance safeguards, to reward developing countries for protection and sustainable management of their forests, not only for carbon capture and storage but for their wider ecological services.

A policy of no net loss of forestland, globally and nationally, is also achieved by 2020. At that time, all new forest areas cleared will be offset by ecologically sound restoration of forests in nearby areas.

Restoration of over 150 million hectares of cleared or degraded forest landscapes is achieved by 2020, with the creation of millions of new jobs and enhanced livelihoods, improved security and adaptation to climate  change.

We need to see a reduction of deforestation emissions by key corporations and their supply chains committing to avoid the purchase of products that cause deforestation, such as soy or cattle from deforested lands in the Brazilian Amazon, palm oil from deforested agricultural land in Indonesia, or illegal wood and wood products throughout the world."

Elizabeth Thompson one of the two Executive Coordinators for Rio+20 visits the Stakeholder Forum office and is given a copy of the UN DPI NGO Declaration from Bonn.

Over 1600 people attened the UN DPI NGO Conference Sustainable Societies - Responsive Citizens which I had the pleasure to Chair.

"Rio must underline that the foundation for a green economy and a strong institutional framework for sustainable development is people. People are consumers, activists, volunteers, and (responsive) citizens. People who are actively engaged in their communities and societies will ensure action to effectively tackle pressing sustainable development issues."

Opening speech by Felix Dodds.

The BBC blog can be read here

The conference agreed  unanimously a chairs text which supported a set of Sustainable Development Goals

You can watch the  videos  of the plenary and round tables on the UN DPI Web Site.

Derek Osborn and Felix Dodds addressed the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee on  Rio+20 on the 14th of Septamber and the evidence can be heard here.

On the 18th of September i made a presentation of the UN DPI NGO Conference Declaration to the UN Secretary General Panel on Global Sustainability.

As preparations for the 64th Annual United Nations Department of Public Information NGO Conference on Sustainable Societies Responsive Citizens enters its last week of preparations the UN Holds a major press conference on the event. The UN issues a UN news alert note on the conference to engage the media.

Over 2500 stakeholders have preregistered for the conference, the schedule includes major UN spokespeople speaking including Achim Steiner (UNEP), Flavia Pansieri (UNV), Kiyo Akaska (UN DPI), Kandeh Yumkella (UNIDO), Liz Thompson (UNCSD2012). it will also have leading stakeholder speakers including, Vandana Shiva, Dan Bena (PepsiCo), Konrad Zimmerman (ICLEI), Daniel Mittler (Greenpeace),  Victoria Tauli Corpuz, Jeremey Wates and Thierno Kane and finally governments including Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark,  and USA.

Over 100 stakeholder organisations have  sent in amendments to the conferenc text. It will be the most significant and important contribution of stakeholders to sustainable development for a decade.

"The parallels of the ecological problems with the financial crisis are clear. The banks and financial institutions privatized the gains and socialized the losses.

We are doing the same with the planets natural capital.

Our present lifestyles are drawing down the ecological capital from other parts of the world and from future generations. We are increasingly becoming the most irresponsible generation our planet has seen.

The principal goal of our economy should be to improve the lives of the entire world's people and to free them from want and ignorance - without compromising the planet itself. "