The United States calls for an Earth Summit for Youth

While attending the preparatory meetings for the 2012 Earth Summit this week in NY, I had the opportunity to learn how countries around the world view the next summit on sustainable development.

The United States provided a point of interest in the meeting, highlighting the role of youth and young people around the world.  Dan Reifsnyder, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and head of the U.S. Delegation to the meeting said that instead of calling the 2012 meeting Rio +20, it should be Rio for 20 somethings.  His comment recognizes that there is a whole new generation of people who need to be engaged in the solutions to poverty, inequality and damage to the natural world.

Young people made significant contributions to the first Earth Summit.  In Rio in1992 a 12 year old named Sevren Suzuki spoke about her fears about the fate of the world and called upon world leaders to commit to a more sustainable future.

“If you don’t know how to fix it,” she said, “please, stop breaking it.” 

Now 20 years later her words still ring true.   The challenges of the planet are more urgent, yet youth can play a vital role, taking actions in their own communities toward sustainability and reminding governments how important and fundamental these issues are.

The United States should be congratulated for its focus on youth.  In fact it was President Obama who told Gahana’s parliament last summer: 

above all, it will be the young people – brimming with talent and energy and hope – who can claim the future …

The 2012 Earth Summit can concentrate the talent, energy, and hope of young people for perhaps the greatest series of challenges our species has ever faced.

The twitter generation is already on top of Earth Summit 2012  over a thousand people are following the discussion and the meeting is still two years away.  And hundreds of folks are engaging on Facebook. 

Now is the time to mobilize each other through community action and activism.  Leaders have promised at the previous Summits to solve these problems.

States shall cooperate in a spirit of global partnership to conserve, protect and restore the health and integrity of the Earth's ecosystem.

To achieve sustainable development and a higher quality of life for all people, States should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and promote appropriate demographic policies.

(Excerpts from Principles 7 and 8 of the Rio Declaration)

Yet they have failed to undertake the radical changes required to redirect the future.   So lets hold the officials accountable, lets make sure that the Earth Summit for Twenty Somethings results in real action in our own communities.  Click on the links above or comment below, and let folks know what you want out of the Summit, and what actions you are willing to take to make this world a more sustainable place.

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