UN launches Brazil conference on sustainable future

Brazil will host an international conference next year to devise an action plan that would enable the world to achieve sustainable development in the next 20 years, the United Nations said Tuesday. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon launched the Rio + 20 conference to discuss the "kind of communities we would like to live in 20 years from now." The conference in Rio de Janeiro in June will be attended by all governments in the world. Ban called for a "different future" in which people would have access to food they need, education and energy for development. "What would our communities look like if we created a vibrant, job-rich, green economy," Ban said. "This is the future we want." UN agencies have been preparing for the Rio conference based on a strategy to accelerate plans for a transition to a green economy, which would have a less negative impact on the environment. They plan to create sustainable development in fields ranging from renewable energy and low carbon growth to job creation and urban planning.