United Nations Conference on Environment and Development: Unterschied zwischen den Versionen

* There is much greater awareness of and concern over the growing scarcity of water.  

The two-week Earth Summit was the climax of a process, begun in December 1989, of planning, education and negotiations among all Member States of the United Nations, leading to the adoption of Agenda 21, a wide-ranging blueprint for action to achieve sustainable development worldwide. At its close, Maurice Strong, the Conference Secretary-General, called the Summit a “historic moment for humanity”. Although Agenda 21 had been weakened by compromise and negotiation, he said, it was still the most comprehensive and, if implemented, effective programme of action ever sanctioned by the international community. Today, efforts to ensure its proper implementation continue, and they will be reviewed by the UN General Assembly at a special session to be held in June 1997.

After considering the 1987 Brundtland report, the UN General Assembly called for the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The primary goals of the Summit were to come to an understanding of “development” that would support socio-economic development and prevent the continued deterioration of the environment, and to lay a foundation for a global partnership between the developing and the more industrialized countries, based on mutual needs and common interests, that would ensure a healthy future for the planet.

===The Earth Summit Agreements===

In Rio, Governments — 108 represented by heads of State or Government — adopted three major agreements aimed at changing the traditional approach to development:

* Agenda 21 — a comprehensive programme of action for global action in all areas of sustainable development;

In addition, two legally binding Conventions aimed at preventing global climate change and the eradication of the diversity of biological species were opened for signature at the Summit, giving high profile to these efforts:

* The Convention on Biological Diversity  

The Rio Declaration on Environment and Developmentsupports Agenda 21 by defining the rights and responsibilities of States regarding these issues. Among its principles:

* That human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature;

The Statement of Forest Principles, the non–legally binding statement of principles for the sustainable management of forests, was the first global consensus reached on forests. Among its provisions:

* That all countries, notably developed countries, should make an effort to “green the world” through reforestation and forest conservation;

In addition, three bodies were created within the United Nations to ensure full support for implementation of Agenda 21 worldwide:

* The UN Commission on Sustainable Development, which first met in June 1993;

In 1995, the Commission also adopted a work programme on the transfer of environmentally sound technology, cooperation and capacity building. The programme places an emphasis on three interrelated priority areas: access to and dissemination of information, capacity building for managing technological change, and financial and partnership arrangements. The Commission is working with the World Trade Organization, the UN Conference on Trade and Development and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to ensure that trade, environment and sustainable development issues are mutually reinforcing.

===Financing Sustainable Development===

In the years since the Earth Summit, the level of funding channelled to many of the developing countries as direct private investment has increased significantly and now far outstrips official flows. In 1995, this reportedly amounted to some $95 billion. Efforts are being made to ensure that activities supported by these funds are also environmentally sustainable.

===Five Years After Rio===

In June 1997, the world’s attention will again focus on the Earth Summit. When Governments meet in New York for the UN General Assembly’s special session to review progress since Rio, the question will be: What changes have the major players — including Governments, international policy makers, businesses, trade unions, farmers and women’s groups — been able to bring about in the five years since Rio? A great deal has happened, but, in the view of some, not nearly enough to achieve the Summit’s goals. There is growing awareness of the many “negative incentives” which continue to encourage people to become wasteful consumers. The Commission intends to elaborate for the 1997 special session of the GA concrete proposals for mechanisms and policy instruments to facilitate achieving the aims of Rio.

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