Rio+20: Challenges of development for health and sustainability

摘要

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20; United Nations 2011) took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 20-22 June 2012. This conference brought together politicians, leaders from social movements, and business representatives from around the world. One goal of the conference was to renew commitment to sustainable development and ensure the promotion of an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable future for the planet for present and future generations. The Future We Want (United Nations 2012), the zero draft of the outcome document from Rio+20, listed seven priority areas: job creation, food security, water, energy, sustainable cities, oceans, and natural disasters. Unfortunately, as pointed out in a recent editorial from The Lancet (2012), human health was hardly mentioned. This is in contrast to Rio-92, where health was viewed as a major theme in Chapter 6 of Agenda 21 (United Nations 1992). The Lancet (2012) emphasized the need to ensure that the health agenda of the past decade is completed and that new and emerging concerns that could affect human health, such as noncommunicable diseases and climate change, are considered.