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There are many interweaving strands in preparation for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro, June 1992) and its aftermath. These may be evaluated with various degrees of hope and scepticism. They do however offer a number of strategic windows of opportunity which are of value whatever the overall success of the UNCED process.
In parallel with the intergovernmental strands, there are those of nongovernmental organizations focussing on the Global Forum on the occasion of the Earth Summit. This document is concerned with the challenge faced by the International Facilitating Committee of "independent sectors" (identified in Annex 1) whose mandate is to raise the level of debate around the UNCED process. The IFC is composed of approximately 25 individuals from the independent sectors, so named to describe the plurality and diversity of the constituencies whose input into UNCED the committee seeks to facilitate. They correspond to the constituencies identified by the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) as being required to play constructive roles in bringing about the necessary changes to ensure a sustainable future. The secretariat for IFC is based at the Centre for Our Common Future (Geneva). The IFC members were selected by canvassing prganizations within each sector. They include representatives from the full spectrum of "nongovernmental organizations".
The IFC problem statement is currently as follows: "Clearly governments alone cannot be expected to solve the new nature of problems that humanity faces. The ingenity and creativity of all sectors of society must be brought to bear in finding solutions and effecting the necessary structural changes. For this to happen, however, we must recognize the need for human solidarity and commitment to common self-interests. And we must move from confrontation, through dialogue, to cooperation."
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