The Future We Want: Countries Support Energy Efficiency at Rio+20

World leaders at the U.N. Rio+20 reached an agreement called “The Future We Want.” One of the agreement’s main tenets is to support the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, which aims to double the rate of improving energy efficiency by 2030.  Available in six languages on the U.N. Rio+20 website, the agreement also encourages more widespread use of energy planning tools to coordinate energy efficiency development. 

World Leaders Discuss Sustainability at Rio+20 

Despite mixed reviews from activists and delegates over the final agreement, Rio+20 gave thousands of participants – from government ministries, nonprofits and businesses – the opportunity to discuss pathways to greater sustainability on a warming and ever more crowded planet.

“The most compelling products of this conference are the examples of new thinking that can lead to models for future action,” said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a speech before delegates from 192 other nations. She noted that she expected attendees to leave Rio+20 thinking “not just big, but different,” as the late Steve Jobs put it.

A Place for Energy Efficiency in Sustainable Development

“Achieving sustainable energy for all is not only possible, but necessary – it is the golden thread that connects development, social inclusion and environmental protection,” U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said.  

With energy as one of the seven critical issues addressed at the conference, the Secretary-General announced more than 150 commitments and actions have been already mobilized in support of the U.N.’s global sustainable energy initiative. One such commitment, “Driving Transformation to Energy Efficient Buildings,” was highlighted in a side event led by the U.S. Green Building Council in collaboration with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and Johnson Controls Institute for Building Efficiency.  The Institute presented its findings from a series of new reports to help answer how to bring energy-efficient buildings solutions to scale around the world.

More Resources and Alliance Connections at Rio+20

• U.N. Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative
• Business Taking the Lead: Meeting the Challenge of Sustainable Energy for All
  Energy Saving and Efficiency Strategy - Spain
• World Green Summit
• The Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) Tackles Energy Poverty

Alliance International Intern Cynthia Elliott contributed to this article.