ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a series of observations made at the time of the meeting itself, from a diverse group of participants, observers, advocates, and critics. For twelve days in June 1992, nearly ten thousand official delegates from 150 nations converged on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). At the same time, thousands of activists, organizers, and concerned citizens of the planet gathered for a parallel Global Forum held on the other side of the city. The entire spectacle, often referred to as the "Earth Summit," was covered by more than eight thousand journalists. Yet the historical legacy of the event remains contested. The spectacle of the great and the good at UNCED casting about for "solutions" that will keep their power and standards of living intact has confirmed the skepticism of those whose fate and livelihoods were being determined.
