Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.

Author: United Nations Environment Programme.

Source: UNEP Website.

Year: 1992

Comment:

In June 1992, the United Nations Environment Programme ratified the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development which, among other principles, established the precautionary approach among UNEP member states.  In particular, Principle 15 states: “In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. 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.”

Abstract / Excerpt:

“The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 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:”

Citation:

United Nations Environment Programme. Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. June 2-14, 1992.  Available online at http://www.unep.org/documents.multilingual/default.asp?documentid=78&articleid=1163.