With the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Conference) on 20-22 June fast approaching, the world is reflecting on what has been achieved in the 20 years since the last Rio Summit and how the ongoing challenges can be tackled. According to the European Report on Development 2011/2012 Team Leader, Dr Dirk Willem te Velde, galvanising people, firms and governments into action needs much more debate and acknowledgment of the severity of the new challenges for the people living in poverty.