“It is not that world leaders committed to the wrong objectives at Rio 20 years ago.  Instead, the problem has been the failure of Governments to implement properly their commitments. The success of the World Summit of Legislators, and the breakthrough Rio+20 Legislators’ Protocol, are key missing pieces of the original Rio jigsaw and mean Parliamentarians will now be better engaged to ensure that commitments are delivered. National legislation and more effective scrutiny are a crucial part of an effective approach to meet the pressing global challenges.  We can now create the foundation for genuine sustainable development, and secure the prosperity of future generations, not just our own.  It is critical we do so”.

Lord Deben, Former UK Secretary of State for the Environment and President of GLOBE International, and Senator Cicero Lucena, First Secretary of the Brazilian Senate and President of GLOBE Brazil
 
Top-line points

- Over 300 senior legislators (including 40 Presidents of Congresses and Speakers of Parliaments, and Chairs of Parliamentary Committees from 85 countries) have agreed the Rio+20 Legislators’ Protocol at the 1st World Summit of Legislators.  This will strengthen delivery of original Rio agenda; progress within UN Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification; and Rio+20 commitments.

- The Protocol, supported by the UN, addresses three critical omissions of the original Rio agenda: scrutiny, legislation and natural capital.

- Scrutiny:  establishing a mechanism at the international level to monitor implementation of Rio commitments by governments. 

 - Legislation: providing a platform to advance laws and share good legislative practice to underpin the Rio commitments.

- Natural capital: incorporating natural capital into government accounting.

- Parliaments across the world will now look to ratify the Legislators’ Protocol. 

- The World Legislators Summit will now re-convene every two years in Rio.

Background
 
Scrutiny, legislation and natural capital:  key omissions since 1992 that are put in place with World Summit of Legislators and the Rio+20 Legislators’ Protocol
 
Scrutiny:  Establishing a mechanism at the international level to monitor implementation of Rio commitments by government

There has been a lack of credible and independent international scrutiny to monitor delivery since 1992.  Reflecting this, and recognising the role of legislators in monitoring and scrutinising the work of government, the Rio+20 Legislators’ Protocol will now establish a mechanism at the international level to monitor implementation of commitments by governments made at Rio+20 in order to strengthen legislators’ capacity to hold governments to account.

Legislation: Providing a platform to advance laws and share good legislative practice to underpin the Rio commitments

Recognising the role of legislators in developing and passing laws, the Protocol will provide a platform to advance and share best legislative practice as well as to promote a mechanism within international processes that can recognise national legislation.

 Natural Capital: Incorporating valuation of natural capital into government accounting

Recognising the role of parliaments to approve budgets and national accounts, the Protocol will examine how the value of natural capital can be integrated within national economic frameworks to enable legislators to better monitor the use of natural capital.

 Key partners
 
The World Summit of Legislators has been supported by the United Nations, the Government of Brazil, the Congress & Senate of Brazil, the Mayor of Rio, the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility, the UN Environment Programme, UN Development Programme and the three Convention Secretaries on Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification and the Com+ Alliance of communication networks. They will be working with (Global Legislators Organisation (GLOBE) to advance this initiative.
 
Further Information: The World Summit of Legislators is organised by the Global Legislators Organisation (GLOBE – www.globeinternational.org).  For further information, please contact Emily Marlow on +55 21 82829135 or +44 7976734028 and emmilym@aol.com