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Agenda 21

 

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Agenda 21



 
 
Agenda 21 is a programme run by the United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
 (UN) related to sustainable development
Sustainable development

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future....
. It is a comprehensive blueprint of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the UN, governments, and major groups in every area in which humans impact on the environment
Natural environment

The natural environment, commonly referred to simply as the environment, is a term that encompasses all life and non-living things occurring nature on Earth or some region thereof....
. The number 21 refers to the 21st century.

full text of Agenda 21 was revealed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit
Earth Summit

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Rio Summit, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to June 14, 1992....
), held in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , is the second largest city of Brazil and South America, behind S?o Paulo, and the third largest metropolitan area in South America, behind S?o Paulo and Buenos Aires....
 on June 14 1992, where 178 governments voted to adopt the programme.






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Encyclopedia


Agenda 21 is a programme run by the United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
 (UN) related to sustainable development
Sustainable development

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future....
. It is a comprehensive blueprint of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the UN, governments, and major groups in every area in which humans impact on the environment
Natural environment

The natural environment, commonly referred to simply as the environment, is a term that encompasses all life and non-living things occurring nature on Earth or some region thereof....
. The number 21 refers to the 21st century.

Development of Agenda 21

The full text of Agenda 21 was revealed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit
Earth Summit

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Rio Summit, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to June 14, 1992....
), held in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , is the second largest city of Brazil and South America, behind S?o Paulo, and the third largest metropolitan area in South America, behind S?o Paulo and Buenos Aires....
 on June 14 1992, where 178 governments voted to adopt the programme. The final text was the result of drafting, consultation and negotiation, beginning in 1989 and culminating at the two-week conference.

Rio+5

In 1997, the General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly

The United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal United Nations System and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation....
 of the UN held a special session to appraise five years of progress on the implementation of Agenda 21 (Rio +5). The Assembly recognized progress as 'uneven' and identified key trends including increasing globalization
Globalization

Globalization in its literal sense is the process of transformation of local or regional phenomena into global ones. It can be described as a process by which the people of the world are unified into a single society and function together....
, widening inequalities in income and a continued deterioration of the global environment. A new General Assembly Resolution
Resolution (law)

A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion....
 (S-19/2) promised further action.

The Johannesburg Summit

The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, agreed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit 2002
Earth Summit 2002

The World Summit on Sustainable Development, WSSD or Earth Summit 2002 took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26 August to 4 September 2002....
) affirmed UN commitment to 'full implementation' of Agenda 21, alongside achievement of the Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that 192 United Nations United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015....
 and other international agreements.

Implementation

The Commission on Sustainable Development
Commission on Sustainable Development

The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development - - was established in December 1992 by UN General Assembly Resolution as a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council, implementing a recommendation in of Agenda 21, the landmark global agreement reached at the June 1992 UNCED / Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro....
 acts as a high level forum on sustainable development and has acted as preparatory committee for summits and sessions on the implementation of Agenda 21.

The United Nations Division for Sustainable Development acts as the secretariat to the Commission and works 'within the context of' Agenda 21.

Implementation by member states remains essentially voluntary.

Structure and contents

There are 40 chapters in the Agenda 21, divided into four main sections.

Section I: Social and Economic Dimensions


Includes combating poverty, changing consumption patterns, population and demographic dynamics, promoting health, promoting sustainable settlement patterns and integrating environment and development into decision-making.

Section II: Conservation and Management of Resources for Development


Includes atmospheric protection, combating deforestation, protecting fragile environments, conservation of biological diversity (biodiversity
Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire Earth. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems....
), and control of pollution.

Section III: Strengthening the Role of Major Groups


Includes the roles of children and youth, women, NGOs, local authorities, business and workers.

Section IV: Means of Implementation


Includes science, technology transfer, education, international institutions and mechanisms and financial mechanisms.

Local Agenda 21


The implementation of Agenda 21 was intended to involve action at international, national, regional and local levels. Some national and state governments have legislated or advised that local authorities take steps to implement the plan locally, as recommended in Chapter 28 of the document. Such programmes are often known as 'Local Agenda 21' or 'LA21'.

See also

  • Ecologically sustainable development
    Ecologically sustainable development

    Ecologically sustainable development is the environmental component of sustainable development. It can be achieved partially through the use of the precautionary principle, namely that if there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures...
  • Green Globe
    Green Globe

    Green Globe is a global brand that includes programs for sustainability, carbon neutrality and Benchmarking, Certification and Performance Improvement based on the Agenda 21 principles for sustainable development agreed to by 182 Heads of Government at the United Nations Rio Earth Summit of 1992....
  • Polytely
    Polytely

    Polytely Polytel can be described as Frequently, complex problem-solving situations characterized by the presence of not one, but several goals, endings....


External links

  • .
  • at the Center for a World in Balance.
  • , an international internet conference for students 14 and older.