The gathering of more than 190 countries in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 20-22 for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, known as Rio+20, was a historic moment. It was also a landmark for the future as it told the world that our development should address social, economic and environmental concerns.

The recent global crisis has shown that old-fashioned views about development are misleading. It is now time to rethink the very foundations of how we consider development, well-being and wealth.

Over the past four decades, the world has increasingly realized that our natural resources are under serious pressure. The UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 was a major step forward. Important legal texts on key issues were adopted. These conventions ensured important progress that we must maintain and build on. The growing awareness of the need to ensure sustainability has led a new generation to consider the requirements of sustainable development. This is no small achievement.

We now face a complex challenge. Protecting the environment is not enough. We need to encourage public and private decision-makers to incorporate environmental and social concerns into economic planning and growth strategies. This will require new thinking from policymakers, experts, business people, and many other public and private players, in order to plan and implement sustainable development initiatives.

From now on, a three-dimensional approach to development is crucial - one that combines social, economic and environmental concerns. Rio+20 endeavored to be the launch pad for this new development model. That is why one of the main topics of Rio+20 was building consensus around the need for "sustainable development goals". These offer a blueprint for international cooperation on sustainable development for years to come. Future strategies, be it for governments, entrepreneurs or civil society, must offer a balanced and integrated approach encompassing the three pillars of sustainable development.

In order to achieve this, Brazil decided to adopt new methods, and innovative tools for multilateral meetings were introduced, bringing national governments and global civil society together. The Dialogues for Sustainable Development, a Brazilian initiative enthusiastically embraced by the UN, established a straightforward means of communication between interested groups and civil society on key aspects of decision-making. Through an online platform, more than 1 million votes were cast on 10 issues related to the conference. Topics ranged from energy and water to sustainable cities and food security.

During four days in Rio, experts, businesspeople, activists and journalists engaged in live debates and streamlined the proposals that will be handed to the heads of state and governments. The "Rio Dialogues" were so successful that the UN is now considering turning this initiative into a standard practice for future summits.

Another key objective of Rio+20 was strengthening the UN framework for sustainable development, with a view to greater efficiency and consistency across issues.

Rio+20 launched an important debate on the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, based on the understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. A green economy only makes sense for developing countries if it is accompanied by a significant improvement in the living standards of their populations, with special attention given to the most vulnerable.

Rio+20 involved an assessment of the past 20 years and a look forward to the next few decades. We are confident that this message will echo through the years, fostering new initiatives that can lead to a more sustainable future for all.

The author is minister of External Relations of Brazil.

(China Daily 07/03/2012 page8)