...Pre-Rio activities: the 1972 Stockholm conference, and its result: UNEP and its activities 1. Definition of sustainable development “Environmental, economic and social well-being for today and tomorrow” Sustainable development has been defined in many ways, but the most frequently quoted definition is from Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report: "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts: * the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and * the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs." All definitions of sustainable development require that we see the world as a system—a system that connects space; and a system that connects time. When you think of the world as a system over space, you grow to understand that air pollution from North America affects air quality in Asia, and that pesticides sprayed in Argentina could harm fish stocks off the coast of Australia. And when you think of the world as a system over time, you start to realize that the decisions our grandparents made about how to farm the land continue to affect agricultural practice today; and the economic policies we endorse today will have an impact on urban...
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...THE NEED OF SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT AS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE ABSTRACT Environmental protection is a recent concept, developed in the international or regional human right protection systems or mechanisms. In those early days, especially when modern human rights protection mechanisms such as UDHR, ICCPR, IESCR and other human rights instruments adopted, the concern given to environmental protection was not that much significant . The only few provisions in these instruments recognizes some rights like the right to healthy and favorable condition of work, the right to get adequate food, clothing and shelter and the like. It was during in 1992, earth summit, that the relationship between human rights and sustainable environment is addressed. The need for the protection of environment becomes a necessity. In fact environment is a totality of human life; it means that it is sources of food, clothing, and shelter. The denial of environmental protection could bring about the denial of some fundamental rights such as the right to health, life, food and so on. It is true that, environment should be properly managed in order to make it favorable to human life. However; the effort to protect the environment faces different challenges like the issue of locus-standi, justifiability, conflict between developmental efforts and environmental protection, burden of proof, lack of cooperation among states...
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...Development over Environment: A Pledge to Converse this Trend Introduction The second a child comes on this earth, since that moment he starts developing. For a better and positive development of that child, we proudly implicate for a better and hygienic environment. But in the present scenario, things are a bit different from that of past as yesterday was greener than today. Both development and environment are necessary elements for the survival of a society or a habitat but with the growing or developing economy, at some point of time one has to compromise with the environmental development. Developing nations like India, China, Brazil etc, which are developing economies are ranked in the list of top 10 Green House Gases (GHGs) emitters. It is, by this example, clear that the developing countries in the scale of economy are bigger polluters than the under-developed countries. The trend of development at the expense of environment is being strictly checked by the judiciary, municipal laws and international treaties and customs. Recently, the honourable Supreme Court of India has quoted that development is a trait of progressive society but shall not be made at the cost of environment. It does not take an environmental expert to realize that the world is changing. The global average surface temperature is rising and the rate of temperature increase has nearly doubled in the last 50 years. Many species are experiencing changes in their patterns of growth and migration due to...
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...Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [without reference to a Main Committee (A/55/L.2)] 55/2. United Nations Millennium Declaration The General Assembly Adopts the following Declaration: United Nations Millennium Declaration I. Values and principles 1. We, heads of State and Government, have gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 6 to 8 September 2000, at the dawn of a new millennium, to reaffirm our faith in the Organization and its Charter as indispensable foundations of a more peaceful, prosperous and just world. 2. We recognize that, in addition to our separate responsibilities to our individual societies, we have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level. As leaders we have a duty therefore to all the world’s people, especially the most vulnerable and, in particular, the children of the world, to whom the future belongs. 3. We reaffirm our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which have proved timeless and universal. Indeed, their relevance and capacity to inspire have increased, as nations and peoples have become increasingly interconnected and interdependent. 4. We are determined to establish a just and lasting peace all over the world in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter. We rededicate ourselves to support all efforts to uphold the sovereign equality of all States, respect for their territorial...
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...| UN-Conference 1974-76 | Charter of Economic Rights and Duties UN- habitat Conference | | | Submitted to:- Mrs. Anu Kohli | | UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 1974-1976Twenty-eighth session Agenda item 51 Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly 3082 (XXVIII). Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States | | Bearing in mind that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in its resolution 45 (III) of 18 May 1972,/8 decided to establish a Working Group of governmental representatives to draw up a draft Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, Recalling its resolution 3037 (XXVII) of 19 December 1972, by which it decided to enlarge the composition of the Working Group on the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, Reaffirming its conviction of the urgent need to establish or improve norms of universal application for the development of international economic relations on a just and equitable basis, 1.Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Working Group on the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States and of the comments made thereon as reflected in the report of the Trade and Development Board on its thirteenth session; 2.Decides, in the light of the progress achieved, to extend the mandate of the Working Group as established by resolution 45 (III) of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; 3.Further decides that the Working Group shall hold two sessions in 1974, each of three...
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...Table of Contents Introduction to Copenhagen Conference and Kyoto Protocol 2 ASEAN and Copenhagen Conference 3 Climate Change as an Issue 4 Sustainable Development 5 Impact of Kyoto Protocol on ASEAN 7 Challenges faced by ASEAN under Kyoto Protocol 9 Conclusion 11 Referencing 12 Introduction to Copenhagen Conference and Kyoto Protocol In 1992, countries coupled together for an international treaty, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. However, by 1995, countries realized that provisions of emission reductions in the Convention were insufficient. Due to this reason, they launched negotiations to reinforce the global response to climate change. These negotiations lead to the adoption of an agreement known as Kyoto Protocol (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2013). The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference held in Denmark raised climate change policy to the highest political level. 115 world leaders attended this high-level segment, building it one of the major gatherings of world leaders ever outside UN headquarters in New York. More than 40,000 people that represent governments, nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, media, faith-based organizations UN agencies applied for accreditation (UNFCCC, 2013) The Copenhagen Accord enclosed numerous key elements on which there was strong union of the views of governments. This incorporated the long-term goal of limiting the maximum global average temperature...
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...Education Author: Susan Imel Date: 2000 Adult education is practiced throughout the world. Although the adult education enterprise varies in scope, philosophy, and structure in different nations, it is not unusual for approaches to adult education developed in one region or country to spread. Certainly, adult education in the United States has been influenced by the ideas of international adult educators such as Paulo Freire and Roby Kidd and by practices such as the English University Extension Movement, Swedish Study Circles, and the Danish Folk Schools (Reischmann, Bron, and Zoran 1999). Currently, a number of perspectives on adult education are evident in the international literature. Some of the trends and issues from this literature are highlighted in this Alert. Publications from the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education held in Hamburg, Germany, in July 1997 are a particularly rich source of information on international perspectives about adult education. Sponsored by the UNESCO Institute for Education (UIE), the conference brought together more than 1,500 adult educators from around the world who participated in plenary sessions, workshops, and roundtables to shape statements about adult education and develop actions for the future. A clear trend in the conference and the documents it produced was the critical importance of adult education and adult learning "for fostering ecologically sustainable development, for promoting democracy, justice, gender equity...
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...* * * * * * * * INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AS AN EXAMPLE; UNITED NATIONS Its goal and efforts * * * * * What are the international Organisations? International organisations ‘represent the apex of a pyramid of multilateral diplomacy. At the base of this pyramid are the issues suitable for negotiation. Above this is the process of negotiation in which states agree norms or rules, and only in certain cases does this process of negotiation create the appropriate organisation or institutions’ (Imber, 1992). One can classify these organisations into various categories concerning of their functions. Such as: a) International financial institutions b) Commodity cartels c) World trade d) Sustainable economic development e) Food security f) Human rights g) The environment h) Regional organisations i) Health j) Emergency/disaster relief k) Security These organisations can be listed as Inter-governmental and non-governmental organisation too. * Theory and International Organizations One tries to establish a theory which aims to explain international organisations. His theory bases on ‘a principal-agent (P-A) model of international organization in which groups of member governments sometimes empower their IO agents with real decision-making authority. …7 Member governments (making up the principal) hire an IO (agent) to perform some functions that will...
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...Mary Williams February 14, 2013 International Law II – Welling Hall Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Dam On September 16, 1977, we, the People’s Republic of Hungary signed onto the Budapest Treaty with, then, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic to initiate a large barrage project on an international watercourse, the Danube River. It was mutually understood that this project would improve shipping access and river navigability, reduce flooding, and produce much needed clean hydropower for both nation states. This project was an exciting endeavor to improve economic development in both our countries through the utilization of our shared watercourse. However, soon after work began on the project in 1978, new evidence emerged that there would be massive environmental consequences to the Danube because of the construction and operation of the System of Locks. The general public of Hungary held strong opposition to the continuation of the project as a direct response to environmental protection concerns. After several years of negotiations, we, the People’s Republic of Hungary, suspended our work on the project in 1989, eventually terminating the treaty in 1992, in the recognition that the environmental devastation would be too adverse to justify the potential economic development to be gained from the project. Slovakia, despite their knowledge of the potential and probable environmental devastation, unilaterally constructed and put into operation a modified system called “Variant C.” ...
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.... Advantages of Globalization ❖ Employment Considered as one of the most crucial advantages, globalization has led to the generation of numerous employment opportunities. Companies are moving towards the developing countries to acquire labor force. This obviously caters to employment and income generation to the people in the host country. Also, the migration of people, which has become easier has led to better jobs opportunities. ❖ Education A very critical advantage that has aided the population is the spread of education. With numerous educational institutions around the globe, one can move out from the home country for better opportunities elsewhere. Thus, integrating with different cultures, meeting and learning from various people through the medium of education is all due to globalization. Developing countries or labor-intensive countries have benefited the most. ❖ Product Quality The onset of international trade has given rise to intense competition in the markets. No longer does one find limited number of commodities available. A particular commodity may fetch hundreds of options with different prices. The product quality has been enhanced so as to retain the customers. Today the customers may compromise with the price range but not with the quality of the product. Low or poor quality can adversely affect consumer satisfaction. ❖ Cheaper Prices Globalization has brought in fierce competition in the markets. Since there are varied products to select...
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...Having met at Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992, Reaffirming the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, adopted at Stockholm on 16 June 1972, and seeking to build upon it, With the goal of establishing a new and equitable global partnership through the creation of new levels of cooperation among States, key sectors of societies and people, Working towards international agreements which respect the interests of all and protect the integrity of the global environmental and developmental system, Recognizing the integral and interdependent nature of the Earth, our home, Proclaims that: Principle 1 Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature. Principle 2 States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental 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 3 The right to development must be fulfilled so as to equitably meet developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations. Principle 4 In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection shall constitute an integral part...
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...THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NEWS Wednesday, 12 April 2005 Other Environment News • Pollution "problématique" sur le périphérique parisien (Reuters) • La pollution contribuerait à faire grossir (RTL) Environmental News from the UNEP Regions • ROA • ROWA Other UN News • UN Daily News of 12 April 2005 • S.G.’s Spokesman Daily Press Briefing of 12 April 2005 BBC: UN names Earth's green champions The United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) has named seven Champions of the Earth it hopes will inspire wider protection of the planet. The winners include an Inuit activist, South Africa's president, and Bhutan's King Jigme Singye Wangchuk. The head of the Orthodox Christian Church, Patriarch Bartholomew, is cited for preaching that God wants the planet's future safeguarded. The winners will receive trophies sculpted from recycled materials. The presentation will be made at a ceremony in New York next week. Unep hopes the various projects recognised will be imitated around the globe. 'Set the agenda' The seven winners each represented a region of the world. President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa is honoured for his government's commitment to providing clean water and sanitation. The king and people of Bhutan are rewarded for helping preserve more than 70% of its forest cover. Canadian Inuit activist Sheila Watt-Cloutier was recognised for fighting global warming and persistent organic pollutants in the Arctic ecosystem...
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...the Millennium Declaration 4 3. Millennium Development Goals 5 4. Global Poverty: Facts and figures 6 5. Measures against global poverty 8 6. Conclusion 10 7. Bibliography 11 „Those who has seen the world's poorest people, feels rich enough to help“ Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) www.eineweltfüralle.de Introduction At the Millennium Summit of the UN in September 2000, Heads of State and Government of the world, decided to reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty by half until 2015. Never before have governments and international organizations, businesses and civil society organizations announced in this form to a common goal, and moved so the fight against poverty in the focus. The implementation of the Millennium Development Goals will be handled by many organizations and government institutions such as the BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development). I will set my focus on the fight against poverty and mention the actions of the Millennium Declaration Goals. At first I will present the historical development from 1990 until 2000, the year of the Millennium Summit. After a presentation of the Millennium Declaration Goals, I will introduce facts and figures on global poverty. Then I will show concrete measures to tackle the problem. We will see that there are many barriers that must be overcome. At the end I will take a conclusion. The path towards the Millennium Declaration On the...
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...treaties will be discussed in relation to their respective roles both at law and science. Lastly but not the least an elaborate conclusion will be given. Definition of Key Terms Environment: Environment refers to the totality of the surroundings within which humans live and exploit resources for their welfare and development. Main Body In order to effectively challenge problems that pose a threat to the earth, there is need for an effective approach which is backed by robust scientific evidence. This would ultimately usher into place a new and more powerful environmental law. In order to appreciate the relationship between the law and science, there is need for understanding of their respective roles towards the achievement of a more sustainable future. The Role of the Law The law has a fundamental role to play in the movement of protecting the environment towards a more sustainable future. In most jurisdictions in the absence of constitutional provisions and legislative enactments to promote the concept of sustainable development, the burden rests on the courts through judicial activism to rise to the challenge of ensuring that development is pursued in such a way that it meets the needs of the present generation without jeopardizing the needs of future generations. The Rio Declaration affirms the importance of law, which...
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...Globalization is the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture. In particular, advances in transportation and telecommunications infrastructure, including the rise of the Internet, are major factors in globalization and precipitate further interdependence of economic and cultural activities. GATT General agreement on tariffs and trade, an international treaty (1948–94) to promote trade and economic development by reducing tariffs and other restrictions. it was superseded by the establishment of the world trade organization in 1995 History of GATT • Following World War II, the victor nations sought to create institutions that would eliminate the causes of war. • Their principles were to resolve or prevent war through the United Nations and to eliminate the economic causes of war by establishing three international economic institutions. GATT, 1947 Because the ITO was stillborn the provisional agreement for the ITO, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) became the agreement and the organization for establishing and enforcing, through dispute settlement, the international trade rules. • In 1995 this agreement on trade in goods became the World Trade Organization. • The GATT was very successful in lowering tariffs, the then existing major barrier to free trade. • The first five rounds of multilateral trade negotiation succeeded in lowering tariff...
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