This gradually developed into the Chrétien government’s endorsement of “soft power,” a phrase originated by former U.S. president Bill Clinton’s national security adviser Joe Nye, which was a soft alternative to the use of American military might.

As the customs of global environmental governance dictate, world leaders gathered in Rio de Janeiro last week to argue their way around the possibility of saving the planet. After three days of talks and political posturing the planet is no closer to being saved, raising concerns of the relevance of the United Nations climate conferences.

The United Nations General Assembly today adopted by consensus, the “International Day of Happiness.”

It was hard to find a happy soul at the end of the Rio+20 environmental summit.

Today in Rio de Janeiro, France will receive the WWF Leaders for a Living Planet award. This award recognizes France’s commitment to promoting the 1997 UN Convention on Transboundary Watercourses.

Mashable will be in Brazil to host Rio+Social, working with our Social Good Summit partners the United Nations Foundation and the 92nd Street Y. The event will explore how social media and technology can help create sustainable solutions for the future of the planet.

American diplomats are making progress in heading off possible international proposals to increase Internet regulation by the United Nations, a top State Department official told a House subcommittee on Thursday. A range of American lawmakers, businesses, and nonprofit organizations fear that some countries will try to use negotiations over international telecommunications treaties in December to expand the authority of the International Telecommunication Union, the U.N. organization that has historically overseen international telecom policies.

Rio+Social brings together leaders in social media, technology, global issues, and sustainability at Rio+20, the United Nations conference on sustainable development taking place next month. Influencers, bloggers, innovators, policymakers, NGO representatives, and stakeholders are invited to attend and apply for accreditation at http://www.rioplussocial.com.