UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON

ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

(UNCED), RIO DE JANEIRO, 3-14 JUNE 1992
(THE EARTH SUMMIT)

“Global Program for Sustainable Development in the 21st Century”

 WHAT, WHERE AND WHEN?
• The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
held in Rio de Janeiro.

• It was an important moment in the aspiration to achieve a fair

balance between economic, social and environmental needs.

• This meeting, known as the Earth Summit, was officially inaugurated on

June, 1992, in the Rio Centro Complex, Brazil.
 THE ORIGEN
• The Conference was the opportunity to adopt a program of action for the
21st century, called “Agenda 21”, which lists some of the 2,500
recommendations regarding the application of the principles of the
declaration.
 IMPORTANT FACTS
• Number of Governments participating -
172, 108 at level of heads of State or
Government

• Conference Secretary - General Maurice

F. Strong, Canada

• Organizers – UNCED (United Nations

Conference on Enviromental
Development)

• Principal themes - Environment and

sustainable development
• Presence - Some 2,400 representatives of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs); 17,000 people attended the parallelforum

• Previous conference - UN Conference on the Human Environment,

Stockholm (1972)
 OBJETIVES (SOLUTIONS FOR
PROBLEMS)
• Patterns of production — particularly the production of toxic components, such as lead in gasoline,
or poisonous waste — are being scrutinized in a systematic manner by the UN and Governments
alike

• Alternative sources of energy are being sought to replace the use of fossil fuels which are linked to
global climate change;

• New reliance on public transportation systems is being emphasized in order to reduce vehicle
emissions, congestion in cities and the health problems caused by polluted air and smog;

• There is much greater awareness of and concern over the growing scarcity of water
 CURIOUS FACTS
• It was the most important ecological event and nature protection ever undertaken by humanity.
Heads of State or Government from all continents attended

• The famous Rio de Janeiro Summit gave an impulse to a potential solution of some of the great
problems exposed by the Environment

• George Bush refused to sign the protocols of Rio (USA)

 RESULTS EARTH SUMMIT
• Agenda 21 — a comprehensive program of action for global action in all
areas of sustainable development
• The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development — a series of principles
defining the rights and responsibilities of States
• The Statement of Forest Principles — a set of principles to underlie the
sustainable management of forests worldwide.

And another 2 agreements about how to prevent the climate change and the
eradication of biological diversity:

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

• The Convention on Biological Diversity
 27 PRINCIPLES THAT DEFINE THE RIGHTS
AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STATES
• In the Rio Declaration, 27 fundamental principles were proclaimed, which all
countries should apply

• Efforts were made to reach international agreements in which the interest of

all were respected and the integrity of the environmental system and the
global development and recognizing the integral and independent nature
of the earth
• PRINCIPLE 1: Human beings are at the centre of concerns for
sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and
productive life in harmony with nature.
• PRINCIPLE 8: To achieve sustainable development and a higher
quality of life for all people, States should reduce and eliminate
unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and promote
appropriate demographic policies.
• PRINCIPLE 26: States shall resolve all their environmental disputes peacefully
and by appropriate means in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations.
• PRINCIPLE 27: States and people shall co-operate in good faith and in
a spirit of partnership in the fulfillment of the principles embodied in this
Declaration and in the further development of international law in the
field of sustainable development.
WHAT IS AGENDA 21?
• Is a comprehensive plan of action
that will be adopted universal,
nationally and locally by
organizations of the United
Nations System, Governments,
and Major Groups in every area in
which humans influence the
environment.
• Were signed by over 178 countries at the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development ( UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
between 3 and 14 June 1992.
 IS DIVIDED INTO 4 MAIN
CATEGORIES
• Section I. Social and economic dimensions
• Section II. Conservation and management of resources for development
• Section III. Strengthening the role of major groups
• Section IV. Means of implementation
 SECTION I: SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
DIMENSIONS

• -INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO ACCELERATE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND RELATED DOMESTIC POLICIES
• -FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY
• -EVOLUTION OF CONSUMPTION PATTERNS
• -DEMOGRAPHIC DYNAMICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
• -PROTECTING AND PROMOTING HUMAN HEALTH
• -PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
• -INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN DECISION-MAKING
 SECTION II. CONSERVATION AND
MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES FOR
DEVELOPMENT
• ATMOSPHERE PROTECTION
• INTEGRATED APPROACH TO THE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF LAND
RESOURCES
• COMBATING DEFORESTATION
• MANAGING FRAGILE ECOSYSTEMS: COMBATING DESERTIFICATION AND
DROUGHT
• MANAGING FRAGILE ECOSYSTEMS: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF
MOUNTAIN
• PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE
• CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
• ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
• PROTECTION OF THE OCEANS AND SEAS OF ALL KINDS, INCLUDING
ENCLOSED SEAS AND SEMI, AND COASTAL AREAS AND THE PROTECTION,
RATIONAL USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR LIVING RESOURCES
• PROTECTION OF THE QUALITY AND SUPPLY OF FRESHWATER RESOURCES:
APPLICATION OF INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO THE DEVELOPMENT,
MANAGEMENT AND USE OF FRESHWATER RESOURCES
• ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF TOXIC CHEMICALS,
INCLUDING PREVENTION OF ILLEGAL INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC IN HAZARDOUS
AND TOXIC PRODUCTS
• ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF HAZARDOUS WASTES,
INCLUDING PREVENTION OF ILLEGAL INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC IN HAZARDOUS
WASTES
• ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF SOLID WASTE AND QUESTIONS
OF SEWAGE
• SAFE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE
WASTE
 SECTION III. STRENGTHENING THE
ROLE OF MAJOR GROUPS

• GLOBAL ACTION FOR WOMEN TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE

DEVELOPMENT
• CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• RECOGNIZING AND STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND
THEIR COMMUNITIES
STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS:
PARTNERS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF
LOCAL AUTHORITIES 'INITIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA 21
.
STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF WORKERS AND THEIR TRADE UNIONS PROGRAM
AREA
STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COMMUNITY
STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF FARMERS
 SECTION IV. MEANS OF
IMPLEMENTATION

• FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND MECHANISMS

• TRANSFER OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGY,
• COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING
• SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• PROMOTING EDUCATION, TRAINING AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
• NATIONAL MECHANISMS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO INCREASE
CAPACITY IN NATIONAL DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
• INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
• LEGAL INSTRUMENTS AND MECHANISMS INTERNATIONAL
• INFORMATION FOR DECISION-MAKING