Brussels, 12/06/2012
Twenty years on from the Earth Summit in 1992, poverty is on the increase, half of the world’s workers work in insecure conditions, unemployment is at record levels, and harmful greenhouse gas emissions are continuing to rise together with our unsustainable use of energy and resources, threatening biodiversity and increasing the risk of global calamity if action is not taken urgently. With that in mind, Rio+20 represents an opportunity to spur fundamental changes, not only at global level but also locally, which must not be missed.
For the European trade unions and civil society organisations, world leaders must commit to a concrete action plan leading to sustainable development and poverty eradication within the limitations of the planet.
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The Spring Alliance is a broad-based movement pushing for an EU that places people and planet at the centre of policymaking. It was established by four leading civil society organisations – the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Social Platform and Concord – and is composed of groups and individuals from civil society and beyond.