The UNEP report, titled “Financing Renewable Energy in Developing Countries: Drivers and Barriers for Private Finance in Sub-Saharan Africa,” outlines the current obstacles to sustainable energy solutions in Africa including the cost of electricity and difficult grid access. The report was released to mark the African launch of the 2012 UN International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a report titled the “Foresight Report,” which concludes that the most pressing emerging issue facing the planet is the need to align governance to the challenges of global sustainability. The second most pressing issue is defined in the report as the need to transform human capacities for the 21st century, and to move towards a green economy.

The recommendations, published in preparation for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or Rio+20), include: elimination of subsidies in areas such as energy, transportation and agriculture; transition to a low-carbon economy through technological evolution in energy efficiency, renewable energy and carbon capture and storage; and effective change in governance.

Speaking on the World Day of Social Justice, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said sustainability would require spreading the benefits of development more effectively, meeting consumer demand for greener products and services, and "laying the foundations for dignity, stability and opportunity for all.”

The UNCCD Secretariat notes that "zero-net land degradation (ZNLD) can be achieved when, over a given period of time, non-degraded land remains healthy, and already degraded-land is restored," and has indicated that it will provide an analysis of the possible implications and impacts of this target for policy-makers.

World Tourism Day 2012 will take place under the theme "Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development".

The 2012 celebration of World Day to Combat Desertification, an annual event on 17 June, will focus on the theme "Healthy soil sustains your life: LET’S GO LAND-DEGRADATION NEUTRAL".

The sixth Aviation and Environment Summit will bring together around 350 industry and stakeholder representatives, in Geneva, Switzerland, to explore ways in which aviation can continue to provide jobs, power economic growth and serve the flying public while minimizing the industry's environmental footprint.

UNEP has released the Global Environment Outlook-5 (GEO-5) Summary for Policy Makers, which highlights: the adverse effects presented by climate change as a serious challenge that threatens overall development goals; the rate of forest loss; the threats to water security facing 3.4 billion people; coastal zone eutrophication; and the fact that up to two thirds of species are currently threatened with extinction.

Participants in the Forum (GMGSF-13) called for stronger language on institutionalizing public participation in environmental governance, and for increased dialogue to “bridge the gap between the Davos and Porto Alegre” in the green economy discourse. They also discussed the outcomes of the UNEP Regional Consultations on Rio+20, and reviewed potential indicators for success at Rio+20, as well as discussing the Conference's key themes.