The final text lacks any set of concrete new commitments and actions, relying on vague expressions such as, ‘we reaffirm’, ‘we acknowledge’ and ‘we recall’. As Joachim Spangenberg observes in this issue, the preparatory process for Rio+20, as for UNCED and the WSSD, was politically shaped in the interests of the major - that is, the most affluent and powerful - players. Post-UNCSD, Ban Ki-moon has claimed that the event strengthened political commitment to sustainable development and that poverty has been recognized as the greatest challenge to economic, social and environmental well-being. We are reminded of Indira Ghandi’s forecast four decades ago that the biggest challenge facing the world was ‘the pollution of poverty’: it still is. Ban Ki-moon has also emphasized the need for active involvement and support from major groups of civil society. Incoming ISDRS President, Walter Vermeulen, notes that, if we are seeking a more optimistic perspective on the future, it is work at grass roots level and within academia that is contributing to a ‘creative commons’ and provides some direction and hope after UNCSD. One of the ways in which the ISDR Society has increased its active support for major groups of civil society since Rio+20 is to become a signatory to the Peoples’ Sustainability Treaty on Higher Education Towards Sustainable Development and to call on academics to promote its principles in their own institutions (see Section 9, viiia and viiib). Looking to the future of the ISDRS, Professor Alan Brent provides information about the next conference – ISDRC19 - to be held at Stellenbosch, South Africa (see Section 6). Please note that Alan has issued an invitation to nominate suggestions for programme tracks that tie in with the key themes of the Conference. Suggestions should be sent to Professor Brent at: acb@sun.ac.za Finally, it is with regret that I have to advise readers of my resignation forthwith from the position of Editor. Opportunities have come my way recently that will not leave me the time to edit the Newsletter. Information about submissions to the Newsletter will be found on the ISDRS website. My thanks to all contributors who have given support in 2011 and 2012. 2
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dr Walter Vermeulen President of the International Sustainable Development Research Society Utrecht University W.J.V.Vermeulen@uu.nl The second half of June 2012 has been an important period in the field of Sustainable Development and also for the ISDR Society. Immediately after global public policy makers and private peers met at the UNCSD in Rio de Janeiro, the Society had its 18th ISDRS Conference at Hull (UK) with over 200 participants from all continents, discussing their most recent research results in the field. Some direct connections were made by participants that had just left Rio+20.
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