CECOEDECON, as part of a larger coalition, Beyond Copenhagen, participated in the Rio+20 UNCSD conference, held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. Mr Sharad Joshi, Dhananjay Sahay and Jayashree Sridharan were present at the conference. Prior to the conference in June, the organization was instrumental in awareness building about the issue of sustainable development and the Rio+20. Various consultations were held to bring together various organizations at the national level (National Conference in April 2012), and internationally as well (at APRN Biennial conference), and create awareness among Politicians, media, staff and partner communities.

At the Rio+20 Conference, side events, on Sustainable agriculture and Equity in energy, were held to inform participants about the various nuances of the topics, and inform about the many issues associated with unsustainable practices in agriculture, and issue of equity in energy. This is to substantiate the critique on the Zero draft, which neglected the principles that came out following the Earth summit of 1992, particularly equity and CBDT. CECOEDECON took an active approach in awareness building by including a diverse contingent comprising of media persons, social activists, civil society members, women and legal experts. Following of the vast array of discussions at the conference by major groups etc have been helpful in initiating the process of mainstreaming our activities in the frame of sustainable development. The outcomes were also analysed by the coalition and at the organizational level, and widely circulated.

Organised by: Asia Pacific Research Network & IBON

The Biennial Conference of APRN was held under the thematic framework of sustainable development leading up to Rio+20. The event was titled RIO FOR PEOPLE: Strengthening People’s Voices for Genuine Sustainable Development/ Consolidating People’s Strengths on the Road to Rio and Beyond. 

CECOEDECON, being a long-time member of this coalition was invited to conduct a workshop drawing on our vast experience in working with CBOs in areas of watershed management and education. The workshop was on ‘Policy advocacy for alternatives at the municipal and community levels’ and it was very well received. Participants from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Vietnam particularly spoke of how some of the techniques adopted by CECOEDECON is something they can replicate in their field areas of work.