Sustaining Societies: Towards a New 'We'

As nations and civil society gather at the Rio+20 Conference to take the next step in forging a new vision of sustainable development, the momentum generated in the lead-up to the conference has already brought about new levels of inquiry and collaboration. A call has been raised for governments to seize the opportunity before them: to demonstrate high-mindedness and resolve, to eschew partisanship and propaganda, and to articulate a visionary and ambitious framework for human flourishing. Sustainable development assumes a relationship between present and future generations???a relationship defined not only by geography but also by time. An earnest exploration of these relationships provides a lens through which to evaluate the merits and shortcomings of any proposed institutional arrangements and, more importantly, helps us to articulate our aspirations for the future. This document is offered as a contribution to the conference on these themes.