The Earth Summit was not only the first time that over 100 heads of state sat down to discuss common issues - it was also the first time that business and industry played an important and constructive role in the run up of a global UN conference. The conference was also significant for its inclusive nature. Close to 35,000 people attended, including 8,000 journalists from 111 nations - twice as many as any other UN Conference. The Earth Summit was unprecedented in bringing together people from all walks of life, cultures, political systems, and environmental - development experiences. The Summit at Rio only happened due to the fact that the message from Environmental Scientists was finally heard by politicians - that the future of the planet is a matter of urgent anxiety.
Parties meet to agree shared targets and commitments.
By including nearly every nation in its decision making process, the Rio Summit marked a turning point in multilateral negotiations. The issues that proved most difficult to resolve in 1992, are still problematic today. Questions related to the provision of financial resources and the transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries have haunted conferences from Barbados to Cairo, from desertification negotiations in Paris to climate changes in Berlin and Biodiversity negotiations in Buenos Aires. At the same time a National Round Table on Sustainable Development was established. This cross sectional body has set its own agenda over the past 4 years, examining issues on anything from transport to the implications of increasing working from home.