The report "Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing" was launched on 17 February at UNIC. Mr. Alexander Bedritsky, advisor to the President of the Russian Federation and his special envoy for climate, who is also member of the Panel, presented this document to a representative audience of government officials, academics, experts and the media.

Mr. Alexandre Gorelik, the Director of UNIC, emphasized the significance of the Report, which addressed the issue of paramount importance – changing altogether the philosophy of human interaction with nature, and introducing sustainable patters of production and consumption. 

Achieving sustainability requires a new approach to the political economy, Mr. Bedritsky argued, adding that the current global economic crisis is a good opportunity for significant reforms, for it offers a chance to shift more decisively towards green growth. To make this happen, he said, policy action is needed in a number of key areas, including incorporating social and environmental costs in pricing of goods and services, changing the way the progress in sustainable development is measured by a set of concrete indicators, etc.

Winding up his presentation, Mr. Bedritsky emphasized the importance of promoting public debate on the issue as a means of making ordinary people aware of ethical dimensions of sustainable development and helping them make conscientious choices. He said that the Panel welcomes the public discourse on the issue in the run-up to Rio+20 and further on among all stakeholders, based on relevant experience and instruments, including the Earth Charter, the Global Compact, and others.