History of Evolution of Sustainable Development 1972 In

History of Evolution of Sustainable Development

1972 • In 1972, United Nations Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, recognized the importance of environmental management and the use of environmental assessment as a management tool. • It represents a major step forward in development of the concept of sustainable development. • Even the link between environmental and developmental issues did not emerge strongly. • There were indications that the form of economic development need to be altered.

• At around the same time of the Stockholm Conference, a group of eminent scientists and concerned citizens gathered in Rome to look at the sustainability and sustainable development. • This group, also known as the Club of Rome, produced a comprehensive report on the state of the natural environment. • This report emphasized that the industrial society was going to exceed most of the ecological limits within a matter of decades.

Evolution of the Terminology • In the years following, the terminology evolved to terms like “environment and development, ” “development without destruction, ” and “environmentally sound development. ” • Finally, the term “eco-development” appeared in the UN Environment Program review in 1978. • By this time, it became recognized internationally that environmental and developmental ideas needed to be considered concurrently.

1980 • In 1980, the International Union for the Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN) formulated the World Conservation Strategy, which was launched internationally • The Strategy asserted that conservation of nature cannot be achieved without alleviating poverty and also stressed the interdependence of conservation and development. • This was a major attempt to integrate the environment and development concerns into an umbrella concept of “conservation. ” • Although the term “sustainable development” did not appear in the text, the strategy’s subtitle, “Living Resource Conservation for Sustainable Development” certainly highlighting the concept of sustainability.

1983 -1987 • In 1983, the World Commission on Environment and Development’ (WCED) was created. • In 1987, the WCED published their report entitled, ‘Our Common Future’, often known as the ‘Brundtland Report’, after its chair, then Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland. • In the report, the Commission underlines the strong linkage between poverty alleviation, environmental improvement, and social equitability through sustainable economic growth.

1992 • In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the ‘Earth Summit’ or ‘Rio Conference’, took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. • At the time, it was the largest ever international conference held, with participation of representatives from over 170 government and 2, 500 NGOs and 8, 000 accredited journalists. • The central aim was to identify the principles of an agenda for action towards sustainable development in the future. • UNCED led to production of major international documents, such as the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21, and Conventions on Desertification, Biodiversity, and Climate Change.

Agenda 21 • This agreement, a 900 -page document describes steps towards initiating Sustainable Development across local, national and international levels as the world moved into the 21 st century. • Signatories promised to pursue action in four domains: 1) Social and Economic Dimension, such as combating poverty and promoting sustainable urban planning; 2) Conservation and Management of Resources, such as safeguarding the oceans’ fisheries and combating deforestation; • 3) Strengthening the Role of major Groups, such as women, local governments and NGOs, and • 4) Means of Implementation, such as transfer of environmentally sound technology.

2009 • On December 24 2009, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution agreeing to hold the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in June 2012. • The conference, also referred to as 'Rio+20' or 'Rio 2012’. • Hosted by Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Rio+20 was a 20 year follow-up to the 1992 Earth Summit/UNCED held in the same city, and the 10 th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg.

Rio +20 • At the Rio+20 Conference, world leaders, along with thousands of participants from the private sector, NGOs and other groups, came together to shape how to reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet. • AT Rio+20, more than $513 billion was pledged to build a sustainable future. It signaled a major step forward in achieving the future we all want.

Rio +20 cont. • Objectives 1. Securing renewed political commitment 2. Assessing the progress and implementation gaps in meeting previous commitments 3. Addressing new and emerging challenges • Conference themes • The Member States have agreed on the following two themes for the Conference: 1. Green economy within the context of sustainable development, and 2. Poverty eradication and institutional framework for sustainable development

Priority Areas • The preparations for Rio+20 have highlighted seven areas which need priority attention. These include: 1. employment, 2. energy, 3. sustainable cities, 4. food security and sustainable agriculture, 5. water, 6. oceans and 7. disaster preparedness.

Why is Rio+20 important? • If we are to leave a liveable world to our children and grandchildren, the challenges of widespread poverty and environmental destruction need to be tackled now. • The world today has 7 billion people – by 2050, there will be 9 billion. • One out of every five people – 1. 4 billion – currently lives on $1. 25 a day or less. • A billion and half people in the world don’t have access to electricity. • Two and a half billion people don’t have access to proper sanitation. • Almost a billion people go hungry every day. • Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, and more than a third of all known species could go extinct if climate change continues unchecked.