SEEU Review vol. 5 Nr. 2 (pdf) - South East European University

SEEU Review Volume 5, No. 2, 2009
a local, national, regional and global level. The Declaration highlights the
need for more efficient measures for dealing with poverty in the world and
reduction of the gap between developed and developing countries; a gap
which besides the measures which were undertaken after the conferences in
Stockholm and Rio is still growing bigger. It is specially emphasized that the
African continent is more sensitive in this respect, where more than 70% of
the territory is directly exposed to dangers of the global degradation of the
environment.
The legal positioning of the sustainable development
The above-mentioned information that referred to the concept of
sustainable development tried to explain more international acts which
regulate this matter. But, the most important international act which
regulates this subject is Agenda 21, adopted at the conference in Rio in 1992.
Agenda 21 is a result of long negotiations and compromises within the
international community that took place from 1989 to 1992. Agenda 21
represents a complex political, legal and economic document, which
confirms the vision for further development and general progress of
manhood. The number 21 refers to the 21 st century. This document for the
first time regulates fully and generally the concept of sustainable
development. Agenda 21 is a program guide for measures and activities at a
global, regional, national and local level which should be undertaken by
respective governments, institutions, and organizations at different levels.
Apart from this, Agenda 21 is a guide for activities and measures in the
business sector, NGOs, professional associations, trade unions, scientific
organizations, etc., as well as for individuals. It expresses the view that the
sustainable development is a job for everyone, for every individual and
organization. Agenda 21 promotes cooperativeness on a broad spectrum of
areas at various different levels.
This document stimulates the implementation and the development of the
concept of sustainable development and offers policies and programs for
achieving a sustainable balance between expenditures and demographic
growth and supports life on earth in accordance with sustainable usage of
planet’s capacities. By determining the concept of sustainable development
in a complex way in the document, there are for the first time serious
opinions about changing the measures of the economic development. Until
then, it was measured only by the quality and the quantity of products, the
circulation and the profit expressed in money, without taking into
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