31 July 2012: In a blog post titled “Implementing the outcome of Rio+20,” Sha Zukang, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), writes that the Conference resulted in a “blueprint” for the future we want.

Sha highlights seven areas in which the outcome document achieved historic results, including: a decision on strengthening the UN Environment Programme (UNEP); the launch of an intergovernmental process to develop sustainable development goals (SDGs), laying the groundwork for a future UN development agenda; and guidelines on advancing a green economy.

The Conference outcome’s real impact, however, will be seen in other ways, Sha writes: measures that translate commitment into action, changes in government policy, far-sighted business decisions, advances in science and technology, and individual actions. [Blog Post]