Rio Declaration On Environment and Development: An Assessment

More documents

Recommendations

Info

UNCED was thus a setback in this crucial area of a major obstacle to sustainable development, and instead, corporations are now promoted as “partners in sustainable development”. Those responsible for creating and promoting the consumer culture essentially continue to drive consumption at more and more unsustainable levels, at the same time threatening the environment and human health. As they become more integrated and more powerful, TNCs’ influence on government policies in the North and South also grows. Ford’s economy is bigger than that of Saudi Arabia or Norway. Philip Morris’ sales exceed New Zealand’s gross domestic product. At the same time, these TNCs promote self-regulation and many claim to be able to give us the solutions to live sustainably on the planet, often with more technological “miracles” or “green” advertising. Therefore, though TNCs are primarily responsible for the present ecological crisis, there are no international mechanisms for monitoring and regulating big business enterprises, and to ensure their accountability to legal standards and the public. 23
Ch a p t e r Fi v e THE RIO DECLARATION: NEGOTIATION BACKGROUND AND ASSESSMENT This section is a description of the negotiations behind, and an assessment of, each principle in the Declaration 6 . Title The title “Rio Declaration on Environment and Development” reflects the consensus that States took this document beyond Stockholm by deepening the interface between environment and development, and the North-South dimensions of international relations. This was the title that Malaysia had proposed in PrepCom III to “aptly reflect the linkage between environment and development” in order to “move forward from the Stockholm Declaration adopted 20 years ago”. Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Russia had favoured the title “Earth Charter” which would be a short document. Preamble The preamble in an agreement sets the context for the operation of the substantive parts. Here, five short preambular paragraphs are included which stated that UNCED: l met at Rio de Janeiro (para. 1); 6 The numbering of principles in the compilation text and the final Declaration are different as some of the principles were re-ordered, and others merged or dropped. 24
Page 2 and 3: The Rio Declaration on Environment
Page 4: Co n t e n t s 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 T
Page 8 and 9: Ch a p t e r On e Introduction The
Page 10 and 11: in resource use was emphasised, the
Page 12 and 13: This paper traces the negotiating p
Page 14 and 15: III of the PrepCom was assigned the
Page 16 and 17: the protracted attempts to reach a
Page 18 and 19: debates on the New International Ec
Page 20 and 21: The final consensus was a package t
Page 22 and 23: North and South, supported by some
Page 24 and 25: more but slower growth for the Sout
Page 26 and 27: Ch a p t e r Fo u r TNCs: FROM REGU
Page 28 and 29: Under the Code, developing countrie
Page 32 and 33: l l l l reaffirmed the Stockholm De
Page 34 and 35: political affairs (Security Council
Page 36 and 37: The formulation which was finally p
Page 38 and 39: people everywhere have the same asp
Page 40 and 41: patterns, and the formulation of po
Page 42 and 43: This is one of the key principles a
Page 44 and 45: countries) consume 75% of the world
Page 46 and 47: The heated debates on consumption p
Page 48 and 49: Principle 11 States shall enact eff
Page 50 and 51: withdrawn following protests by the
Page 52 and 53: esisted by developed countries and
Page 54 and 55: developed countries they shall be r
Page 56 and 57: procedures are moving very slowly a
Page 58 and 59: Principle 17 Environmental impact a
Page 60 and 61: UNCED introduced the concept of “
Page 62 and 63: the natural environment shall be tr
Page 64 and 65: Ch a p t e r Six CONCLUSION Any glo
Page 66 and 67: Annex RIO DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMEN
Page 68 and 69: Principle 7 States shall cooperate
Page 70 and 71: States shall also cooperate in an e
Page 72 and 73: ecognize and duly support their ide
Page 74: THE RIO DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMENT

Rio Declaration On Environment and Development: An Assessment

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?