by Ruth Davis, Greenpeace UK
The ‘Future We Want’ is nowhere to be found in the agreement which world leaders are currently rubber-stamping in Rio. Greenpeace Executive Director Kumi Naidoo summed up the feelings of millions of us when he described the outcome as a ‘polluters charter that will cook the planet’.

Gone from the Rio agreement is a commitment to end subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. Gone is any clear commitment to protect our oceans from over-fishing and pollution. The money needed to pay for clean energy, and to ensure that the growing world population has access to decent food and clean water, is no-where to be seen. Again, our leaders have reminded us that while cash can be found to pursue wars and to rescue banks, nothing is left to help billions of people out of poverty or protect the ecosystems upon which human life ultimately depends.

But strangely, while Rio+20 represents a new low in the international community’s response to our growing crises, the anger it is generating might be our last, best, hope for change. Continue reading →