Rio+20 delegates advance global agreement

The Rio+20 Preparatory Committee in Brazil advanced talks on a document offering a united global commitment to sustainable development, delegates said. In preparation for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, global diplomats Wednesday agreed to work towards finishing an outcome document by the end of Friday's deliberations, the U.N. News Centre reported. "These last three days are going to be absolutely crucial for diplomats. Delegations are going to be working day and night, dividing themselves into splintered groups to work more thoroughly on each issue, which is something that they have accepted to do only for the last few days," Brice Lalonde, executive coordinator of Rio+20, said. The goal of the Rio+20 conference is to gain a renewed political commitment for sustainable development. Areas of interest include climate change, resource management, education, health, and transportation. Rio+20 is scheduled to begin June 20 and end June 22. Thousands of officials from the public and private sector are expected to attend to help advance social and economic equality and environmental protection.