RIO EARTH SUMMIT

INTRODUCTION:

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) also known as the
Rio de Jenerio Earth Summit, Rio Summit, Rio Conference and Earth Summit was a major United
Nations Conference held in Rio di Jenerio from 3 to 14 June 1992. A total of 172 governments
participated with 116 sending their heads of state or government. Some 2400 representatives of
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) attended with 17000 people at the parallel NGO
“Global Forum” who had consultative status.

The massive interest and participation of nations and NGOs in the Earth Summit indicated a shift
in global attitudes toward the environment. Scientific evidences gathered in the second half of the
20th century indicated that human activity was taking a toll on the environment. The scientific
evidence also indicated that pollution and depletion of natural resources that occurred in one
country could have a profound effect on the environment of other nations or the entire planet. At
the Earth Summit, world leaders devised plans and policies to protect the environment by involving
national and local governments and NGOs.

OUTCOME:

Earth Summit 1992 produced several long-range reports and implementation plans that continue
to serve as blueprints for international action on environmental issues, including the World Summit
on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit 2002) and the Kyoto Protocol.

This summit also led to the development of the following documents:

1. Rio Declaration on Environment and Development

2. Agenda 21
3. Forest Principles

Below each of these documents are discussed in brief.

1. Rio Declaration on Environment and Development:

The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development is a set of principles that defines the rights
and responsibilities of nations in the areas of environmental protection and sustainable
development. The Rio Declaration states that the nations have the right to exploit natural resources
within their borders if their action does not affect the environment of other nations. It also calls on
all national and local governments to develop and implement plans that preserve the environment
and natural resources for future generations.

2. Forest Principles:

The Statement of Forest Principles called for sustainable management of forest worldwide, it is a
nonbinding document produced through compromise after developed nations refused to pay for
the setting aside of national forest s by developing nations.

3. Agenda 21:

Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan for intergovernmental agencies, national governments, local

governments and NGOs to work together through sustainable development. It contains four
categories:

• Social and Economic Dimensions

• Conservation and Management of Resources for Development
• Strengthening the Role of Major Groups and
• Means of Implementation

The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development is primarily responsible for the
implementation of Agenda 21.

Agenda 21 also recognized that developing nations and developed nations both contribute to
environmental degradation. Poorer nations often have less restrictive environmental regulations
and focus on economic development. Despite stronger environmental regulations, developed
nations have patterns of production and consumption that pollute the environment.

Agenda 21, therefore, addressed environmental issues through detailed social and economic
proposals. Agenda 21 proposed addressing environmental issues through combating poverty,
conserving and managing natural resources, preventing deforestation, promoting sustainable
agriculture, addressing productions and consumption patterns and protecting the atmospheres and
oceans.

The Rio Principles also produced two international environmental treaties. They are:

1. Convention on Biological Diversity and

2. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Below described in brief is about both the treaties:

1. Convention on Biological Diversity:

The Convention on Biological Diversity was the first international treaty to address preservation
of biological diversity. Over 180 countries have signed the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The Convention on Biological Diversity has three primary goals;

• Conservation of biodiversity
• Sustainable use of the components of biodiversity
• Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits that arise from using biological resources

In order to achieve these goals, the Convention on Biological Diversity balances traditional
conservation efforts with the economic reality of sustainable used of natural resources.

2. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an international treaty proposed
at the Rio Earth Summit. The UNFCC seeks to combat global climate change by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. Over 190 nations have ratified the UNFCC.

The stated purpose of the UNFCC is to allow governments to perform the following acts:

• Gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions

• National policies and effective practices
• Launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions and
• Cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of global climate change.
The UNFCC includes a provision whereby developed countries provide financial and
technological support for developing nations to address global climate change.

Conclusion:

Most of the objectives of the Rio Summit have not been achieved. As much as the UN, NGOs and
other entities strive with their good intentions to reverse climate change and its adverse effects, for
now they have found it difficult to turn their intentions into realities. This is mainly due to the
resistance to change the part of the great interests, permanent brakes and retaining walls before
any action that affects their assets.

PPMs in the atmosphere have not stopped growing in almost three centuries and especially since
the World War II. As long as the PPMs continue to increase, the temperatures will also continue
to increase. Nor have those countries that base their economy on coal, oil and natural gas and do
not want to stop producing these fossil fuels.

However, there is still time to reverse. The production of electric cars, wind energy and solar
energy are increasing. As the manufacturing of these increases further, the cost of electro mobility,
wind turbines and photovoltaic panels will be reduced. This will make fossil fuels less competitive,
at the same time the coal and hydrocarbon markets will become smaller.