Final draft is presented and Brazilian authorities say it may be modified by world leaders

The final preparatory draft of the Rio+20 joint declaration that is to be signed by heads of state and government by June 22 was presented yesterday, June 19.

“Criticism by society must be taken into consideration. This is not considered  a definitive text. It is a base-text. There remains a lot of discussion. Criticism is an important contribution to the debate. There is a lot of water that will pass under this bridge. A lot can still happen. Heads of state are not coming here just to sign a piece of paper. There can be changes. What will occur over the next three days is more than a rite of passage,” declared Brazil’s top administrative aide to the president (“ministro-chefe da Secretaria-Geral da Presidência da República”), Gilberto Carvalho.

According to the minister, the decision to hold Rio+20 this year, even in the midst of an unfavorable backdrop of economic crisis, was correct.

“I do not see any failure. You have to look at the event as a whole,” said Carvalho, adding that one outstanding success was the Summit of the Indigenous Peoples (“Cúpula dos Povos”) that brought together representatives of civil society from all over Brazil and the world. Some 35,000 people were present at the summit daily, participating in activities and debates, or just visiting the 50 tents where over 1,000 events were scheduled to take place. At least 30 different proposed projects have come out of the summit to be submitted for appreciation by heads of state and government.