The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) launched the Cloud of Commitments website at the June 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Rio+20). The initial objective of the Cloud was to call attention to the hundreds of commitments being made at Rio+20 beyond the “outcome document” negotiated and adopted by the national governments. The Cloud aggregates these so-called “voluntary commitments” made by countries, corporations, communities, and civil society groups on a number of different platforms. Estimated by the UN to be worth more than $500 billion, these promises to take tangible and time-bound action on energy, oceans, cities, and other challenges are the means to deliver real progress in meeting international goals set at Rio+20 and elsewhere.
The Cloud of Commitments Initiative
NRDC has now launched the Cloud of Commitments Initiative to advocate for the further development of structures to encourage more action and greater accountability. The Initiative will continue to focus on the emerging world of Partnerships, Initiatives, Networks, Coalitions and Clubs (“PINCs”). NRDC seeks to strengthen the various commitment registries and platforms, particularly in regard to transparency and citizen engagement. The Initiative will also track implementation of a number of the most important “cornerstone commitments” made at Rio+20. NRDC will work with officials, experts, and advocates for the integration of PINCs into the two major UN processes culminating in 2015 – the next climate change treaty and the next set of global development goals. As a key element of the Initiative, NRDC is co-organizing a conference at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies on “Rio+20 to 2015: A New Architecture for a Sustainable New World.”
The Initiative is directed by S. Jacob Scherr and the current staff includes John Romano and Samantha Beckerman. As part of NRDC’s “Race to Rio” campaign, Michael Davidson, Yiting Wang, Michael Goo, and Wayne Bellett were key to the development and the launch of the Cloud of Commitments site at Rio+20. The Initiative has benefited from cooperation and consultations with many officials, experts, and individuals and continues to do so. Particular thanks to Ben Cashore, Brendan Guy, Alisa Zomer, Miquel Muñoz, Ines Sousa, David Taylor, Sharman Ordoyne, and Henry de Cazotte. NRDC would also like to acknowledge with thanks the support provided by the Hollomon Price Foundation, Ford Foundation, and NRDC’s Global Leadership Council.
You can contact the Cloud of Commitments Initiative by sending a message to commitments@nrdc.org.