IISD Sustainable Development Timeline marks 50 years of notable events, milestones
WINNIPEG—June 12, 2012—The International Institute for Sustainable Development has revised and reissued the acclaimed Sustainable Development Timeline marking notable events and important milestones to achieving the world's goals for sustainable development over the past 50 years.
The update is one of IISD's contributions to the Earth Summit in Rio, which aims to secure a global agreement on "greening" world economies through a range of smart measures for clean energy, decent jobs and more sustainable use of resources.
Notably, it has been 50 years since Rachel Carson's Silent Spring; 40 years since the United Nations Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm; 25 years since the Brundtland Report; and 20 years since the first Earth Summit in Rio.
"It is the most popular publication ever produced by IISD," said Heather Creech, director of IISD's global connectivity program and editor of the SD Timeline.
"The timeline is an important tool for planning and marking progress for sustainable development, inspiring generations of young people to take positive actions and embark in a career in related fields," she said. Earlier versions of the timeline have been published in French and Mandarin.
The revised edition includes a number of new additions:
2012 – One of the first of the Millennium Development Goal targets is achieved
2012 – Trade disputes on solar and wind energy products
2011 – China begins shift to a "green" economy
2011 – Japan earthquake and tsunami
2011 – Climate change negotiations in Durban
2011 – The world population reaches 7 billion, and is increasingly interconnected
2011 – The Arab Spring
2010 – BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion
2010 – The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity final report
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Please contact public affairs manager Nona Pelletier for more information: +1 204 958 7740 or +1 204 962 1303.
About IISD
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 250 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.
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