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The article discusses the progress of treaties signed during the United Nation (UN)'s Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May 1992. It says that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change produce little change on the overall global emissions growth rate since 1970. It adds that the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) fails to slow species extinction due to lack of concrete targets. Moreover, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) shows elusive results.

The authors' discuss the return of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. They state that the three major conventions were established at the first Rio Summit on climate, desertification, and biodiversity. They say that the chance of Rio to counter its inability to deliver on sustainable development goals depends in large part on the actions of the host country.

The author reflects on the approached of world leaders for sustainable development at the Earth Summit 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It states that only little developments were made after the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, wherein the heads of state set principles which will guide sustainable global economic growth such as the environmental protection as the central to development. It mentions that the attendees will be forced to address the failures to meet the international green objectives.

An introduction is presented which discusses various articles within the issue on topics including the progress of efforts to protect the earth since the Rio Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992, the effects of decreasing biodiversity in ecosystems, and the techniques for sustainable development.