On
the 22nd of June the UN conference on sustainable development, Rio +20, came to
a close.

191
national delegations produced a final document entitled: “The future we want”. The
document contains 283 articles which detail the commitments of the international
community to global sustainable development. The document focuses in particular
on green economy, which was described
as: “one of the important tools available
for achieving sustainable development which could provide options for policy
making”.

The
document highlights the pressing need for global
governance for sustainable development through the strengthening of the
institutional framework. This framework should be inclusive, transparent and
effective.

In
addition, the report draws attention to specific sectors of sustainability
which provide new opportunities but require urgent action: the fight against
poverty, food security, water management, energy, transportation, health
service and sanitation, employment and climate change.

With
regards education, the document
stresses the need for quality education and
emphasises the importance of non-formal education and professional and vocational training.

New
Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) are
outlined within the “Action Plan”. These are to follow the model of the MDGs.

Finally,
the document recognizes the crucial importance of enhancing financial support
for sustainable development, especially for developing countries, through new
partnerships and innovative sources of financing.