Rio +20 Sessions

A closed ‘Rio +20 Session’ for Ministerial delegations took place with a view to endorsing the Eye on Earth Summit Declaration. Attended by 16 Governmental delegations, including United Arab Emirates, Republic of Nicaragua, Federal Republic of Brazil, European Union, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Kiribati, Syrian Arab Republic, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iraq, United State of America, Republic of the Sudan, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Chile, and facilitated by United National Environment Programme (UNEP) and Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative and AGEDI, comments from the Civil Society Forum meeting on the 11th December were presented. An open discussion with official delegations and the Civil Society followed, the outcome of which was unanimous consensus on the final text.

At the Closing Ceremony of the Eye on Earth Abu Dhabi Summit, the Eye On Earth Summit Declaration was signed by H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary-General, Environment Agency -Abu Dhabi and Co-Chair of the Summit, H.E. Dr Rashid Ahmad bin Fahd, UAE Minister of Environment and Water and , UNEP Director of the Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) on behalf of UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

"To have reached full agreement on the Summit Declaration by all parties and to have secured the endorsement of the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water and UNEP, highlights all that has been achieved at Eye on Earth over the last four days", said H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary-General, Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi and Co-Chair of the Summit. "The Eye on Earth community will now submit this Declaration for consideration by Rio+20, marking the 'Moment that will drive forward the 'Movement' of ensuring access to the global pool of environmental and societal data by all those who need it around the world."

"Eye on Earth has spotlighted the issues but also the opportunities for accelerating and scaling up more intelligent management and access to the wealth of environmental data being generated across the globe", said Mr. Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director. "Today's Declaration can assist nations, meeting for the Rio+20 Summit in Brazil next June, to chart a course towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient global Green Economy - one that can generate growth and jobs, eradicate poverty and propel sustainable development but in a way that keeps humanity's footprint within planetary boundaries", he said.

The Eye on Earth Summit Declaration's contents were negotiated and finalised by civil society and ministerial delegations from around the world, the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) and UNEP, who have been attending the Eye on Earth Summit. The globally significant Eye on Earth Community Declaration process was facilitated by the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI).

The Declaration recalls "Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, which amongst others recognises that each individual shall have appropriate access to information concerning the environment that is held by public authorities, and that States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making information widely available".

The Declaration was subsequently submitted by the United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Environment and Water, AGEDI and UNEP to the UNCSD's 2nd Intersessional Meeting being held at UNHQ in New York.