Rio+20

Rio Earth summit nears as scientists warn planet faces grave threats - As thousands of people prepare to convene in Brazil this month for the Rio+20 Earth Summit, scientists and environmentalists alike are sending a sharp message: The planet is in dire straits. (Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post)

#RioPlusSocial: What’s Your Vision for the Future? - Now, with the power of social media, we have the opportunity to make a change through one of our greatest assets: voice. (Jeremy Cabalona, Mashable)

Rio+20 Earth summit: Ban Ki-moon 'optimistic' about sustainability deal - The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, expressed cautious optimism that the upcoming Rio+20 conference will result in a "once in a generation" blueprint for global sustainable development. (Jonathan Watts, The Guardian)

World Faces Stark Choice at Rio+20, UN Report Warns - Irreversible environmental damage threatens to destabilize the world's life-support systems unless urgent action is taken, according to the latest Global Environment Report (GEO-5) which looks to the Rio+20 summit as a crucial opportunity to halt this decline. (Isabella De Grave, IPS)

Rio+20: Getting Global Governance to Work for Hunger and Climate Change - Agriculture stands at the nexus of three of humankind's greatest challenges in the 21st century: achieving food and nutritional security, adapting to a changing climate that will severely hit agricultural production, and making a significant contribution to reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture. (Bruce Campbell Ph.D., The Huffington Post)

What Can Premier Wen Do For the Climate at Rio+20 - In less than two weeks, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will join as many as 135 heads of state and 50,000 participants at the Rio+20 Earth Summit. (Michael Davidson, NRDC Switchboard)

Energy access

A Solar Suitcase To Treat Medical Emergencies In The Dark - Laura Stachel practiced as an obstetrician-gynecologist for over a decade before a back condition made it impossible for her to perform surgery and deliver babies. (Ariel Schwartz, Fast Company Co.Exist)

Low-Cost Solar Brightens Lives in the Developing World - A decade ago, Katherine Lucey oversaw a heavily subsidized $1,500 solar-light installation in the rural district of Mpigi in central Uganda. (Jeff Smith, National Geographic)

2012 Ashden awards announced - Last week saw the announcement of the 2012 winners of the Ashden Awards, with the National Trust scooping the UK Gold Award and £20,000 of prize money. (Sahiba Chadha, The Architects’ Journal)

Energy efficiency

Transformation to a Green Economy Through Green Buildings and Resource Efficient Cities - A new report was released by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the United Nations Environment Programme's Regional Office for North America (UNEP RONA) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). (Levent Ozler, Dexigner)

UN: Humanity speeding down "unsustainable path" - A United Nations report warns that the earth's environmental systems "are being pushed towards their biophysical limits" and that sudden, irreversible and potentially catastrophic changes are looming. (CBS News)

WED - UN Advocates Sustainability of Global Resources - While marking World Environment Day, United Nations officials Tuesday highlighted the need for a change in thinking and approach to ensure the sustainability of the Earth's resources as the world population grows. (Abimbola Akosile, All Africa)

Ahead of Rio+20, "The Economy is Already Turning Green" - While governments make a last desperate attempt to agree on a plan of action for next week's Rio+20 summit on sustainable development – including plans on the transition to a green economy and a set of sustainable development goals – the real economy is already turning green, according to Italy’s minister of environment, Corrado Clini. (Sabina Zaccaro, IPS)

Renewable energy

Irena Says Renewable Energy May Create 4 Million Jobs by 2030 - The International Renewable Energy Agency said the United Nation’s goal of providing sustainable energy for all by 2030 may create up to 4 million jobs in the off-grid electricity industry alone. (Mahmoud Kassem, Bloomberg)

How Renewable Energy Solutions Reduce Poverty Around the World - Renewable energy solutions are not only good for the environment. If done well, they can pay for themselves and reduce poverty around the world. This is the message of the 2012 Ashden Awards, which just recognized inspiring renewable energy programs from Afghanistan, Cambodia, East Africa, India and Indonesia. (Peter Bosshard, The Huffington Post)

Volcanoes, seaweed and space lasers: Five energy technologies to fight climate change - With Ban Ki-moon pushing his Sustainable Energy for All initiative at the Rio+20 Summit this month and the IEA recently espousing the potential for gas, the energy question is being pulled in different directions. (John Parnell, RTCC)

Sustainable energy policy

Mexico's president enacts climate change legislation – Mr. Calderon said on Twitter that the law would make Mexico the "first developing country with integral legislation against climate change". The law, which sets targets on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy, is only the second of its kind in the world. (BBC)

UN chief talks region with Saudi King - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday met with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and the pair discussed a range of regional issues, according to Ban’s spokesperson. (Bikya Masr)

Europe Calls for Green Goals Beyond 2020 - As if Europe’s member states did not have enough pressure from above these days, yesterday saw European Commission Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger push for greater cooperation and immediate action to carry the region beyond the EU’s 2020 goals. (Christopher Coats, Forbes)

Tweaking U.S. tax code could spur green energy: senator - A freshman Democratic senator thinks he may have found a way to encourage investment in wind, solar and biofuel projects without sapping too many taxpayer dollars or injecting new venom into a bitter partisan battle over energy incentives. (CNBC)