17 March 2011: The latest issue of “Rio+20: Making it Happen,” the newsletter by the Secretariat for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), features the second session of the Preparatory Committee for the UNCSD (PrepCom II) and other recent events, as well as Major Groups’ activities and upcoming events.

The newsletter highlights, from PrepCom II, the announcements of dates and other details for the UNCSD, which will take place from 4-6 June 2012, with PrepCom III scheduled for 28-30 May 2012; and the adoption of a decision on the process for the preparation of the UNCSD outcome document. It also notes that, on the occasion of World Water Day, on 22 March 2011, UNCSD Executive Coordinator Brice Lalonde participated at a side event on water and energy, organized by the “Green Group” countries (Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Iceland, Singapore, Slovenia, and United Arab Emirates).

On Major Groups, the newsletter shares information on: the annual Earth Hour, in which millions of people worldwide switch off their lights for an hour; cooperation to raise small-scale sustainable food production as an issue at the UNCSD; and a consultation led by Rio+20s Youth Flash, a youth-led organisation and one of the Organising Partners for the Major Group for Children and Youth.

The Newsletter features the jointly published expert report on “Transition to a Green Economy: Benefits, Challenges and Risks from a Sustainable Development Perspective,” which was released at PrepCom II.

Upcoming events listed include: the 44th Session of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA); the 2011 Regional Conference of the Regional Association of Oil, Gas and Biofuels Sector Companies in Latin America and the Caribbean (ARPEL); the Fifth International Conference on Community Based Adaptation; the 64th Session of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); the 2011 China Bio-Agriculture Industry Summit; and Foundation 2iE’s 2011 Science Week. [Publication: Rio+20: Making it Happen (Vol. 2, Issue 5)]