12 March 2012: The March issue of “Rio+20 Making it Happen,” the newsletter of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), highlights the role of social media, the 7 Billion Actions Campaign and the “US Rio+2.0: Bridging Connection Technologies and Sustainable Development” conference.

The newsletter features articles on social media, emphasizing that it is a force that will continue to shape the way people communicate and collaborate, and that it is important for achieving a transparent and inclusive outcome at Rio+20. Another featured article notes the value of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in driving the sustainable development agenda, building a green economy, and bridging the digital divide.

The newsletter also highlights an article on an open-source concept launched by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), called the 7 Billion Actions Campaign. The Campaign features stories and actions of people that are making a significant impact in their communities, drawing upon the individual experiences of its contributors to make recommendations for members of the private sector, non-governmental organizations and individuals wishing to have an impact. The newsletter notes that a new section of the official Rio+20 website is dedicated entirely to social media. [Publication: Rio+20 Making it Happen Volume 3 Issue 3]