The document discusses Agenda 21, a comprehensive plan of action adopted in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro to achieve sustainable development globally and locally. Agenda 21 addressed key issues like poverty reduction, industry and development, management of toxic chemicals, protection of the ozone layer, combating deforestation, conservation of biodiversity, and freshwater management. It called for integrating environmental and developmental policies, strengthening international cooperation, and increasing participation from major groups in implementing sustainable development programs.

2. 1992 The Rio Earth Summit…
Agenda 21 - Action Plan/ “Blueprint for Sustainable Development”
(40 chapters, 300 pages)
Sustainable Development = Development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their needs.
Background/
History…
1987 The Brundtland Commission…

3. Agenda 21
• Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally,
nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations
System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which
human impacts on the environment.
• Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,
and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management
of Forests were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992.
• The full implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for Further
Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Commitments to the Rio
principles, were strongly reaffirmed at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South
Africa from 26 August to 4 September 2002.

4. 2000 UN Millenium Summit
Halve
Extreme Poverty
Universal
Primary
Education
Empowerment of
Women/ gender
equality
Reduce <5
mortality
by 2/3
Reduce maternal
mortality
by 3/4
Reverse spread
of diseases, esp.
HIV/AIDS, Malaria
Ensure
Environmental
Sustainability
Form a
Global Development
Partnership
for aid, trade, debt relief
Millenium
Development
Goals
by 2015
Background/
History cont’d…

5. 2.8 billion living
on < $2/day)
Growing gap
between rich & poor
6 million children
died from hunger
In 10 years
1.1 billion lack
clean water
27% coral reefs
Seriously threatened
(up from 10%)
Background/
History cont’d…
10 years after Rio
Declining indicators
Greenhouse gas
emissions up 9%
Extinctions
on the rise
2002 The World Summit
on Sustainable Development…

6. Conservation &
Protection
Fresh Water
Management
Biodiversity
Sustainable Production
& Consumption
Key areas Highlighted
by Agenda 21

7. Gender
Equality
Poverty
Alleviation
Peace & Int’l
Understanding
Imp. of Info . &
Comm.
Technology
for ESD
Human
Rights
Health
Promotion
Key Areas
(cont’d)…

8. 1. COMBATING POVERTY
• Poverty is a complex multidimensional problem with origins in both the
national and international domains.
• While managing resources sustainably, an environmental policy that
focuses mainly on the conservation and protection of resources must
take due account of those who depend on the resources for their
livelihoods. Otherwise it could have an adverse impact both on poverty
and on chances for long-term success in resource and environmental
conservation.
• A specific anti-poverty strategy is therefore one of the basic conditions
for ensuring sustainable development. An effective strategy for tackling
the problems of poverty, development and environment simultaneously
should begin by focusing on resources, production and people and
should cover demographic issues, enhanced health care and education,
the rights of women, the role of youth and of indigenous people and
local communities and a democratic participation process in association
with improved governance.

9. 2. Industrial Development
• Industry is essential for the production of goods and
services and is a major source of employment and income,
and industrial development as such is essential for
economic growth.
• At the same time, industry is a major resource and
materials user and consequently industrial activities result
in emissions into the atmosphere and the environment as a
whole.
• Protection of the atmosphere can be enhanced, inter alia,
by increasing resource and materials efficiency in industry,
installing or improving pollution abatement technologies
and replacing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ozone-
depleting substances with appropriate substitutes, as well
as by reducing wastes and byproducts.

10. 3. Management of toxic Chemicals
• A substantial use of chemicals is essential to meet the social and economic goals
of the world community and today's best practice demonstrates that they can
be used widely in a cost-effective manner and with a high degree of safety.
• However, a great deal remains to be done to ensure the environmentally sound
management of toxic chemicals, within the principles of sustainable
development and improved quality of life for humankind.
• Two of the major problems, particularly in developing countries, are (a) lack of
sufficient scientific information for the assessment of risks entailed by the use of
a great number of chemicals, and (b) lack of resources for assessment of
chemicals for which data are at hand.
• A considerable number of international bodies are involved in work on chemical
safety. In many countries work programmes for the promotion of chemical
safety are in place. Such work has international implications, as chemical risks
do not respect national boundaries. However, a significant strengthening of both
national and international efforts is needed to achieve an environmentally
sound management of chemicals.

11. 4. Preventing stratospheric ozone
depletion
• Analysis of recent scientific data has confirmed the growing
concern about the continuing depletion of the Earth's
stratospheric ozone layer by reactive chlorine and bromine
from man-made CFCs, halogens and related substances.
• While the 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the
Ozone Layer and the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer (as amended in London in
1990) were important steps in international action, the
total chlorine loading of the atmosphere of ozone-depleting
substances has continued to rise. This can be changed
through compliance with the control measures identified
within the Protocol.

12. 5. Combating Deforestation
• There are major weaknesses in the policies, methods and mechanisms adopted to
support and develop the multiple ecological, economic, social and cultural roles of
trees, forests and forest lands. Many developed countries are confronted with the
effects of air pollution and fire damage on their forests.
• More effective measures and approaches are often required at the national level to
improve and harmonize policy formulation, planning and programming; legislative
measures and instruments; development patterns; participation of the general
public, especially women and indigenous people; involvement of youth; roles of the
private sector, local organizations, non-governmental organizations and
cooperatives; development of technical and multidisciplinary skills and quality of
human resources; forestry extension and public education; research capability and
support; administrative structures and mechanisms, including intersectoral
coordination, decentralization and responsibility and incentive systems; and
dissemination of information and public relations.
• This is especially important to ensure a rational and holistic approach to the
sustainable and environmentally sound development of forests. The need for
securing the multiple roles of forests and forest lands through adequate and
appropriate institutional strengthening has been repeatedly emphasized in many of
the reports, decisions and recommendations of FAO, ITTO, UNEP, the World Bank,
IUCN and other organizations.

13. 6. Conservation of Biological diversity
• Despite mounting efforts over the past 20 years, the loss of the world's
biological diversity, mainly from habitat destruction, over-harvesting,
pollution and the inappropriate introduction of foreign plants and animals,
has continued.
• Biological resources constitute a capital asset with great potential for
yielding sustainable benefits. Urgent and decisive action is needed to
conserve and maintain genes, species and ecosystems, with a view to the
sustainable management and use of biological resources.
• Effective national action and international cooperation is required for the in
situ protection of ecosystems, for the ex situ conservation of biological and
genetic resources and for the enhancement of ecosystem functions.
• The participation and support of local communities are elements essential
to the success of such an approach. Recent advances in biotechnology have
pointed up the likely potential for agriculture, health and welfare and for
the environmental purposes of the genetic material contained in plants,
animals and micro-organisms.

14. 7. Freshwater management
• The extent to which water resources development contributes to economic
productivity and social well-being is not usually appreciated, although all social and
economic activities rely heavily on the supply and quality of freshwater.
• As populations and economic activities grow, many countries are rapidly reaching
conditions of water scarcity or facing limits to economic development. Water
demands are increasing rapidly, with 70-80 per cent required for irrigation, less
than 20 per cent for industry and a mere 6 per cent for domestic consumption.
• The holistic management of freshwater as a finite and vulnerable resource, and
the integration of sectoral water plans and programmes within the framework of
national economic and social policy, are of paramount importance for action in the
1990s and beyond.
• The fragmentation of responsibilities for water resources development among
sectoral agencies is proving, however, to be an even greater impediment to
promoting integrated water management than had been anticipated. Effective
implementation and coordination mechanisms are required.

15. THANK YOU!