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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON AGENDA 21
Agenda 21 is a road map to sustainable development. It is a guide for business and government policies and for personal choices into the next century. It was endorsed by the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The foundations for the Earth Summit were laid down in 1972, when 113 nations gathered for the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, the first global environmental meeting. In 1983 the United States created the World Commission on Environment and Development. The Commission became known as the Brundtland Commission after its Chairperson, Ms. Gro Harlem Brundtland of Norway. The Commission stated that, “Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable - to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
In 1989 the United Nations began planning the Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) which is often referred to as the Earth Summit. Its purpose was to spell out how to achieve sustainable development. For two years experts around the world hammered out difficult agreements and the international negotiating system was opened as never before. Thousands of people from NGOs (non-governmental organizations), businesses, education, women’s groups and indigenous groups participated in Preparatory Committee Meetings (PrepComs).
In June 1992 Agenda 21 was endorsed at the Earth Summit by the largest-ever meeting of world leaders. It brought together the heads and senior officials of 179 governments (71 Presidents and Prime Ministers came to the 1990 World Summit of Children and a total of 159 governments attended). On one side of Rio, the UNCED meetings at Rio Centro were attended by hundreds of UN officials and governmental, non-governmental, business and scientific personnel. On the other side of Rio, the 1992 Global Forum at Flamenco Park held a series of meetings, lectures, seminars and exhibits on environment and development issues for the public. Global Forum drew 18,000 participants from 166 countries as well as 400,000 visitors.
Five documents were produced at Rio:
1. The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development contains 27 principles defining the rights and responsibilities of nations as they pursue human development and well-being.
2. Agenda 21 is a blueprint on how to make development socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.
3. The Statement of Principles on Forests is a guide to the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests, which are essential to economic development and the maintenance of all forms of life.
4. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change aims to stabilize greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at levels that will not dangerously upset the global climate system. This will require a reduction in the emissions of such gases as carbon dioxide, by-product of the use of burning fuels for energy.
5. The Convention on Biological Diversity requires countries to conserve the variety of living species and ensure that the benefits from using bio-diversity are equitably shared.
A major theme of Agenda 21 is the need to eradicate poverty. It calls on governments to partner with other governments at all levels, non-governmental agencies and citizens groups. “Only a global partnership will ensure that all nations will have a safer and more prosperous future.”
The material on this page has been taken from AGENDA FOR CHANGE by Michael Keating with permission. Full copies may be obtained from: The Centre for Our Common Future
Palais Wilson, 52, rue des Paquis
CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
CHAPTER 25 of AGENDA 21
Children and Youth in Sustainable Development
SUMMARY
Youth in Sustainable Development
Youth make up a large percentage of the world’s population and they need a voice in determining their own future. Their active role in the protection of the environment and involvement in decisions on environment and development is critical to the long-term success of Agenda 21.
Development plans should ensure young people of a secure future, including a healthy environment, improved living standards, education and jobs, Education levels should be increased so that by the year 2000 more than half the young men and women in every country will have a chance of secondary schooling or vocational training. Students should be taught about the environment and sustainable development throughout their schooling.
Governments should consult and let youth participate in decisions that effect the environment. Youth should also be represented at international meetings and participate in decision-making at the United Nations. (from AGENDA FOR CHANGE. page 44)
Children in Sustainable Development
“Children not only will inherit the responsibility of looking after the Earth, but in many developing countries they comprise nearly half the population. Furthermore, children in both developing and industrialized countries are highly vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation. They are also highly aware supporters of environmental thinking. The specific interests of children need to be taken fully into account in the participatory process on environment and development in order to safeguard the future sustainability of any actions to improve the environment.”
Governments should:
Implement programs to make possible the ‘90 World Summit for Children goals for 2000;
Ratify and implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child “at the earliest moment;”
Promote environmental activities and encourage the participation of children, women, youth and indigenous people to develop integrated community management of resources;
Expand educational opportunities for children and youth emphasizing the girl child;
Have “children and their parents become effective focal points for sensitization of communities to environmental issues;”
Establish procedures to incorporate children’s concerns into all relevant policies and strategies for environment and development;
Organizations should develop programs to mobilize children in environmental activities; and
“Activities should facilitate capacity-building and training activities already contained in other chapters of Agenda 21.”
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