Brussels, 25/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - Disappointed by the results last week of the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development, regions from across Europe and the world agreed on how they themselves would take action in the fight against climate change. The Assembly of European Regions (AER) is encouraging its 250-plus members to sign the Rio+20 Declaration of the Regions. According to the level of development and resources, regions can choose to make a commitment to a sustainable future in a programmed way (30% or more reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020) or in a flexible way, by publishing progress made every year or giving their support to the declaration. Michèle Sabban, the president of the AER, bitterly pointed out the lack of ambition in Rio+20 but stated in Brazil that “despite this failure, we, the regions and federated states, continue to forge ahead in Rio… I call now upon every region and federated state to take up the sword and shield and act with the states of Europe and the world as our witness, to prove once and for all that a green future is possible.” She considers that it is the job of the regions to implement between 50 and 80% of all adaptation and mitigation measures. The declaration is therefore an incentive to this end. It will be presented to COP 18, the UN conference on climate change, this autumn in Qatar. (MD/transl.fl)