Declaration
of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, 1972
The
United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Having met at Stockholm
from 5 to 16 June 1972,
Having considered
the need for a common outlook and for common principles to inspire and
guide the peoples of the world in the preservation and enhancement of the
human environment,
IProclaims
that:
1. Man is both
creature and moulder of the environment, which gives him physical sustenance
and affords him the opportunity for intellectual, moral, social and spiritual
growth. In the long and tortuous evolution of the human race on this planet
a stage has been reached when, through the rapid acceleration of science and
technology, man has acquired the power to transform his environment in countless
ways and on an unprecedented scale. Both aspects of man's environment, the
natural and the man-made, are essential to his well-being and to the enjoyment
of basic human rights - even the right to life itself.
2. The protection
and improvement of the human environment is a major issue which affects the
well being of peoples and economic development throughout the world; it is
the urgent desire of the peoples of the whole world and the duty of all Governments.
3. Man has constantly
to sum up experience and go on discovering, inventing, creating and advancing.
In our time, man's capability to transform his surroundings, if used wisely,
can bring to all peoples the benefits of development and the opportunity to
enhance the quality of life. Wrongly or heedlessly applied, the same power
can do incalculable harm to human beings and the human environment. We see
around us growing evidence of man-made harm in many regions of the earth:
dangerous levels of pollution in water, air, earth and living beings; major
and undesirable disturbances to the ecological balance of the biosphere; destruction
and depletion of irreplaceable resources; and gross deficiencies harmful to
the physical, mental and social health of man, in the man-made environment,
particularly in the living and working environment.
4. In the developing
countries most of the environmental problems are caused by under-development.
Millions continue to live far below the minimum levels required for a decent
human existence, deprived of adequate food and clothing, shelter and education,
health and sanitation. Therefore, the developing countries must direct their
efforts to development, bearing in mind their priorities and the need to safeguard
and improve the environment. For the same purpose, the industrialized countries
should make efforts to reduce the gap between themselves and the developing
countries. In the industrialized countries, environmental problems are generally
related to industrialization and technological development.
5. The natural
growth of population continuously presents problems on the preservation of
the environment, and adequate policies and measures should be adopted, as
appropriate, to face these problems. Of all things in the world, people are
the most precious. It is the people that propel social progress, create social
wealth, develop science and technology and, through their hard work, continuously
transform the human environment. Along with social progress and the advance
of production, science and technology, the capability of man to improve the
environment increases with each passing day.
6. A point has
been reached in history when we must shape our actions throughout the world
with a more prudent care for their environmental consequences. Through ignorance
or indifference we can do massive and irreversible harm to the early environment
on which our life and well-being depend. Conversely, through fuller knowledge
and wiser action, we can achieve for ourselves and our posterity a better
life in an environment more in keeping with human needs and hopes. There are
broad vistas for the enhancement of environmental quality and the creation
of a good life. What is needed is an enthusiastic but calm state of mind and
intense but orderly work. For the purpose of attaining freedom in the world
of nature, man must use knowledge to build, in collaboration with nature,
a better environment. To defend and improve the human environment for present
and future generations has become an imperative goal for mankind a goal to
be pursued together with, and in harmony with, the established and fundamental
goals of peace and of world-wide economic and social development.
7. To achieve
this environmental goal will demand the acceptance of responsibility by citizens
and communities and by enterprises and institutions at every level, all sharing
equitably in common efforts. Individuals in all walks of life as well as organizations
in many fields, by their values and the sum of their actions, will shape the
world environment of the future. Local and national governments will bear
the greatest burden for large-scale environmental policy and action within
their jurisdictions. International co-operation is also needed in order to
raise resources to support the developing countries in carrying out their
responsibilities in this field. A growing class of environmental problems,
because they are regional or global in extent or because they affect the common
international realm, will require extensive co-operation among nations and
action by international organizations in the common interest. The Conference
calls upon Governments and peoples to exert common efforts for the preservation
and improvement of the human environment, for the benefit of all the people
and for their posterity.
II
Principles
States of
common conviction that:
Principle
1
Man has the fundamental
right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment
of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being; and he bears a
solemn responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present and
future generations. In this respect, policies promoting or perpetuating apartheid,
racial segregation, discrimination, colonial and other forms of oppression
and foreign domination stand condemned and must be eliminated.
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 safeguard for the benefit
of present and future generations through careful planning or management,
as appropriate.
Principle
3
The capacity
of the earth to produce vital renewable resources must be maintained and,
wherever practicable, restored or improved.
Principle
4
Man has a special
responsibility to safeguard and wisely manage the heritage of wildlife and
its habitat which are now gravely imperilled by a combination of adverse factors.
Nature conservation including wildlife must therefore receive importance in
planning for economic development.
Principle
5
The non-renewable
resources of the earth must be employed in a way as to guard against the danger
of their future exhaustion and to ensure that benefits from such employment
are shared by all mankind.
Principle
6
The discharge
of toxic substances or of other substances and the release of heat, in such
quantities or concentrations as to exceed the capacity of the environment
to render them harmless, must be halted in order to ensure that serious or
irreversible damage is not inflicted upon ecosystems. The just struggle of
the peoples of all countries against pollution should be supported.
Principle
7
States shall
take all possible steps to prevent pollution of the seas by substances that
are liable to create hazards to human health, to harm living resources and
marine life, to damage amenities or to interfere with other legitimate uses
of the sea.
Principle
8
Economic and
social development is essential for ensuring a favourable living and working
environment for man and for creating conditions on earth that are necessary
for the improvement of the quality of life.
Principle
9
Environmental
deficiencies generated by the conditions of underdevelopment and natural disasters
pose grave problems and can best be remedied by accelerated development through
the transfer of substantial quantities of financial and technological assistance
as a supplement to the domestic effort of the developing countries and such
timely assistance as may be required.
Principle
10
For the developing
countries, stability of prices and adequate earnings for primary commodities
and raw material are essential to environmental management since economic
factors as well as ecological processes must be taken into account.
Principle
11
The environmental
policies of all States should enhance and not adversely affect the present
or future development potential of developing countries, nor should they hamper
the attainment of better living conditions for all, and appropriate steps
should be taken by States and international organizations with a view to reaching
agreement on meeting the possible national and international economic consequences
resulting from the application of environmental measures.
Principle
12
Resources should
be made available to preserve and improve the environment, taking into account
the circumstances and particular requirements of developing countries and
any costs which may emanate from their incorporating environmental safeguards
into their development planning and the need for making available to them,
upon their request, additional international technical and financial assistance
for this purpose.
Principle
13
In order to achieve
a more rational management of resources and thus to improve the environment,
States should adopt an integrated and co-ordinated approach to their development
planning so as to ensure that development is compatiable with the need to
protect and improve the human environment for the benefit of their population.
Principle
14
Rational planning
constitutes an essential tool of reconciling any conflict between the needs
of development and the need to protect and improve the environment.
Principle
15
Planning must
be applied to human settlements and urbanization with a view to avoiding adverse
effects on the environment and obtaining maximum social, economic and environmental
benefits for all. In this respect projects which are designed for colonialist
and racist domination must be abandoned.
Principle
16
Demographic policies,
which are without prejudice to basic human rights and which are deemed appropriate
by Governments concerned, should be applied in those regions where the rate
of population growth or excessive population concentrations are likely to
have adverse effects on the environment or development, or where low population
density may prevent improvement of the human environment and impede development.
Principle
17
Appropriate national
institutions must be entrusted with the task of planning, managing or controlling
the environmental resources of States with the view to enhancing environmental
quality.
Principle
18
Science and technology,
as part of their contribution to economic and social development, must be
applied to the identification, avoidance and control of environment risks
and the solution of environmental problems and for the common good of mankind.
Principle
19
Education in
environmental matters, for the younger generation as well as adults, giving
due consideration to the underprivileged, is essential in order to broaden
the basis for an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals,
enterprises and communities in protecting and improving the environment in
its full human dimension. It is also essential that mass media of communications
avoid contributing to the deterioration of the environment, but, on the contrary,
disseminate information of an educational nature, on the need to protect and
improve the environment in order to enable man to develop in every respect.
Principle
20
Scientific research
and development in the context of environmental problems, both national and
multinational, must be promoted in all countries, especially the developing
countries. In the connexion, the free flow of up-to-date scientific information
and transfer of experience must be supported and assisted, to facilitate the
solution of environmental problems; environmental technologies should be made
available to developing countries on terms which would encourage their wide
dissemination without constituting an economic burden on the developing countries.
Principle
21
States have,
in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principle of
international law, 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.
Principle
22
States shall
co-operate to develop further the international law regarding liability and
compensation for the victims of pollution and other environmental damage caused
by activities within the jurisdiction or control of such States to areas beyond
their jurisdiction.
Principle
23
Without prejudice
to such criteria as may be agreed upon by the international community, or
to standards which will have to be determined nationally, it will be essential
in all cases to consider the systems of values prevailing in each country
and the extent of the applicability of standards which are valid for the most
advanced countries but which may be inappropriate and of unwarranted social
cost for the developing countries.
Principle
24
International
matters concerning the protection and improvement of the environment should
be handled in a co-operative spirit by all countries, big or small, on an
equal footing. Co-operation through multilateral or bilateral arrangements
or other appropriate means is essential to effectively control, prevent, reduce
and eliminate adverse environmental effects resulting from activities conducted
in all spheres, in such a way that due account is taken of the sovereignty
and interests of all States.
Principle
25
State shall ensure
that international organizations play a co-ordinated, efficient and dynamic
role for the protection and improvement of the environment.
Principle
26
Man and his environment
must be spared the effects of nuclear weapons and all other means of mass
destruction. States must strive to reach prompt agreement, in the relevant
international organs, on the elimination and complete destruction of such
weapons.
21st plenary
meeting
16 June 1972