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��International Perspectives�

Dr. Inkyoung Kim

June 13, 2022

UN SDG Scholars Summer 2022

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1972 Stockholm Conference

1968 UN General Assembly proposed the convening of a global conference on the human environment
113 states
Declaration on the Human Environment
Principle 2 “The natural resources of the earth, including the air, water, land, flora and fauna and especially representative samples of natural ecosystems, must be safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations through careful planning or management, as appropriate.”
UNEP

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From Stockholm to Rio

1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention
1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
1982 UN GA World Charter for Nature
1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

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Sustainable Development

Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm

I. The Concept of Sustainable Development
II. Equity and the Common Interest

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Rio Conference (1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development)

by 172 states & Agenda 21

1992 UNFCCC
1992 Convention on Biological Diversity
1994 UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
1997 UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses
2000 & 2010 Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity
2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
2006 International Tropical Timber Agreement

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Key Principles

Principles of Common Heritage and Common Concern of Humankind
Prevention of Environmental Harm Principle
Precautionary Principle
Polluter Pays Principle
Principle of Non-Discrimination
Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities
Principle of Intergenerational Equity

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As all humans have a stake in resources in the global commons, outside their territory, no state should exhaust the resources of the global commons. Biodiversity is a common concern.
Stockholm Declaration Principle 21: “States have…the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.”
3. Rio Declaration Principle 15: “Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.”
Rio Declaration Principle 16: “National authorities should endeavour to promote the internalization of environmental costs and the use of economic instruments, taking into account the approach that the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of pollution, with due regard to the public interest and without distorting international trade and investment.”
No discrimination between pollution affecting the state and pollution affecting other states
Rio Declaration Principle 7: “In view of the different contributions to global environmental degradation, States have common but differentiated responsibilities. The developed countries acknowledge the responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit of sustainable development in view of the pressures their societies place on the global environment and of the technologies and financial resources they command.”
No needs of future generations should be sacrificed in meeting the needs of present generations.

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Activity

Amazon: Sovereign territory vs. Common Heritage

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49815731

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