These eleven challenge papers by the Global Transition 2012 initiative aim to provide a clear perspective on the priority areas for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. Topics discussed in the papers include the green economy, global inequality, the blue economy and green jobs and skills. The first paper in the series focuses on the green economy. It argues that systemic challenges in the fields of development and environment require a systemic solution. The paper highlights six challenges to lay the foundations for systemic change, these include: develop a national transition plan that puts countries on paths to operate within planetary boundaries; agree to develop and implement new measures of economic success; and commit to reduce income and wealth inequalities between and within nations.