Latin America and the Winding Road to Rio+20

Abstract

When the world returns to South America, after twenty years, in order to debate global environmental issues in the Rio+20 event, a new panorama in terms of policy and debate on sustainable development is present in the Latin American region. The region has moved towards more sustainable development patterns in many respects in the last few decades, yet enormous gaps remain in the quest to promote and attain an economic and social development that is more equitable and more environmentally grounded. The international field has also changed over the last two decades, and the overlaps between various environment and development concerns have moved from the background of international policy to a more front row seat. Yet, the international debate is quite different, shifting from a development discourse to a so called green economy that appears to leave social development concerns aside as they relate to the environment and the economy.