Rio Declaration On Environment And Development

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Having met at Rio de Janeiro from 3
to 14 Jne 1!!", Reaffirming the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Hman
Environment, adopted at #toc$holm on 1% Jne 1!&", a' and see$ing to (ild pon it, )ith the goal of
esta(lishing a ne* and e+ita(le glo(al partnership throgh the creation of ne* levels of cooperation
among #tates, $e, sectors of societies and people, )or$ing to*ards international agreements *hich
respect the interests of all and protect the integrit, of the glo(al environmental and developmental
s,stem, Recogni-ing the integral and interdependent natre of the Earth, or home, .roclaims that/
Principle 1
Hman (eings are at the centre of concerns for sstaina(le development0 The, are entitled to a health,
and prodctive life in harmon, *ith natre0
Principle 2
#tates have, in accordance *ith the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international la*,
the sovereign right to e1ploit their o*n resorces prsant to their o*n environmental and developmental
policies, and the responsi(ilit, to ensre that activities *ithin their 2risdiction or control do not case
damage to the environment of other #tates or of areas (e,ond the limits of national 2risdiction0
Principle 3
The right to development mst (e flfilled so as to e+ita(l, meet developmental and environmental
needs of present and ftre generations0
Principle 4
3n order to achieve sstaina(le development, environmental protection shall constitte an integral part of
the development process and cannot (e considered in isolation from it0
Principle 5
4ll #tates and all people shall cooperate in the essential tas$ of eradicating povert, as an indispensa(le
re+irement for sstaina(le development, in order to decrease the disparities in standards of living and
(etter meet the needs of the ma2orit, of the people of the *orld0
Principle 6
The special sitation and needs of developing contries, particlarl, the least developed and those most
environmentall, vlnera(le, shall (e given special priorit,0 3nternational actions in the field of environment
and development shold also address the interests and needs of all contries0
Principle 7
#tates shall cooperate in a spirit of glo(al partnership to conserve, protect and restore the health and
integrit, of the Earth5s ecos,stem0 3n vie* of the different contri(tions to glo(al environmental
degradation, #tates have common (t differentiated responsi(ilities0 The developed contries
ac$no*ledge the responsi(ilit, that the, (ear in the international prsit to sstaina(le development in
vie* of the pressres their societies place on the glo(al environment and of the technologies and financial
resorces the, command0
Principle 8
To achieve sstaina(le development and a higher +alit, of life for all people, #tates shold redce and
eliminate nsstaina(le patterns of prodction and consmption and promote appropriate demographic
policies0
Principle 9
#tates shold cooperate to strengthen endogenos capacit,6(ilding for sstaina(le development (,
improving scientific nderstanding throgh e1changes of scientific and technological $no*ledge, and (,
enhancing the development, adaptation, diffsion and transfer of technologies, inclding ne* and
innovative technologies0
Principle 10
Environmental isses are (est handled *ith participation of all concerned citi-ens, at the relevant level0 4t
the national level, each individal shall have appropriate access to information concerning the
environment that is held (, p(lic athorities, inclding information on ha-ardos materials and activities
in their commnities, and the opportnit, to participate in decision6ma$ing processes0 #tates shall
facilitate and encorage p(lic a*areness and participation (, ma$ing information *idel, availa(le0
Effective access to 2dicial and administrative proceedings, inclding redress and remed,, shall (e
provided0
Principle 11
#tates shall enact effective environmental legislation0 Environmental standards, management o(2ectives
and priorities shold reflect the environmental and development conte1t to *hich the, appl,0 #tandards
applied (, some contries ma, (e inappropriate and of n*arranted economic and social cost to other
contries, in particlar developing contries0
Principle 12
#tates shold cooperate to promote a spportive and open international economic s,stem that *old lead
to economic gro*th and sstaina(le development in all contries, to (etter address the pro(lems of
environmental degradation0 Trade polic, measres for environmental prposes shold not constitte a
means of ar(itrar, or n2stifia(le discrimination or a disgised restriction on international trade0 Unilateral
actions to deal *ith environmental challenges otside the 2risdiction of the importing contr, shold (e
avoided0 Environmental measres addressing trans(ondar, or glo(al environmental pro(lems shold,
as far as possi(le, (e (ased on an international consenss0
Principle 13
#tates shall develop national la* regarding lia(ilit, and compensation for the victims of polltion and other
environmental damage0 #tates shall also cooperate in an e1peditios and more determined manner to
develop frther international la* regarding lia(ilit, and compensation for adverse effects of environmental
damage cased (, activities *ithin their 2risdiction or control to areas (e,ond their 2risdiction0
Principle 14
#tates shold effectivel, cooperate to discorage or prevent the relocation and transfer to other #tates of
an, activities and s(stances that case severe environmental degradation or are fond to (e harmfl to
hman health0
Principle 15
3n order to protect the environment, the precationar, approach shall (e *idel, applied (, #tates
according to their capa(ilities0 )here there are threats of serios or irreversi(le damage, lac$ of fll
scientific certaint, shall not (e sed as a reason for postponing cost6effective measres to prevent
environmental degradation0
Principle 16
National athorities shold endeavor to promote the internali-ation of environmental costs and the se
of economic instrments, ta$ing into accont the approach that the pollter shold, in principle, (ear the
cost of polltion, *ith de regard to the p(lic interest and *ithot distorting international trade and
investment0
Principle 17
Environmental impact assessment, as a national instrment, shall (e nderta$en for proposed activities
that are li$el, to have a significant adverse impact on the environment and are s(2ect to a decision of a
competent national athorit,0
Principle 18
#tates shall immediatel, notif, other #tates of an, natral disasters or other emergencies that are li$el, to
prodce sdden harmfl effects on the environment of those #tates0 Ever, effort shall (e made (, the
international commnit, to help #tates so afflicted0
Principle 19
#tates shall provide prior and timel, notification and relevant information to potentiall, affected #tates on
activities that ma, have a significant adverse trans(ondar, environmental effect and shall conslt *ith
those #tates at an earl, stage and in good faith0
Principle 20
)omen have a vital role in environmental management and development0 Their fll participation is
therefore essential to achieve sstaina(le development0
Principle 21
The creativit,, ideals and corage of the ,oth of the *orld shold (e mo(ili-ed to forge a glo(al
partnership in order to achieve sstaina(le development and ensre a (etter ftre for all0
Principle 22
3ndigenos people and their commnities and other local commnities have a vital role in environmental
management and development (ecase of their $no*ledge and traditional practices0 #tates shold
recogni-e and dl, spport their identit,, cltre and interests and ena(le their effective participation in
the achievement of sstaina(le development0
Principle 23
The environment and natral resorces of people nder oppression, domination and occpation shall (e
protected0
Principle 24
)arfare is inherentl, destrctive of sstaina(le development0 #tates shall therefore respect international
la* providing protection for the environment in times of armed conflict and cooperate in its frther
development, as necessar,0
Principle 25
.eace, development and environmental protection are interdependent and indivisi(le0
Principle 26
#tates shall resolve all their environmental disptes peacefll, and (, appropriate means in accordance
*ith the Charter of the United Nations0
Principle 27
#tates and people shall cooperate in good faith and in a spirit of partnership in the flfilment of the
principles em(odied in this Declaration and in the frther development of international la* in the field of
sstaina(le development0
a' Report of the United Nations Conference on the Hman Environment, #toc$holm, 761% Jne 1!&"
8United Nations p(lication, #ales No0 E0&303304014 and corrigendm9, chap0 30