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UN Documentation Research Guides
UN Conference on the Human Environment (1972)
- Economic and Social Council resolution 1346 (XLV) of 30 July 1968 recommended the General Assembly consider convening a UN conference on problems of the human environment.
- Conference convened by General Assembly resolution 2398 (XXIII) of 3 December 1968
- Held in Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972
- Led to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- Outcome document: A/CONF.48/14/Rev.1
World Commission on Environment and Development (1987)
- Established by General Assembly resolution 38/161 of 19 December 1983
- Prepared a report for General Assembly in 1987
- Based on a four-year study
- Transmitted by A/42/427
- Entitled Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland report
- Developed the theme of sustainable development
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992)
- Convened by General Assembly resolution 44/228 of 20 December 1988
- Held in Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992
- Known at the time as the Earth Summit
- Later came to be called the Rio Conference
- Led to the establishment of the Commission on Sustainable Development
- Outcome document in 3 volumes: A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1
- Vol.I + Corr.1: Resolutions adopted by the Conference
- Vol.II: Proceedings of the Conference
- Vol.III + Corr.1: Statements made by Heads of State or Government at the summit segment of the Conference
- Three major agreements adopted (found in Vol.I + Corr.1):
- Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, a series of principles defining the rights and responsibilities of States
- Agenda 21, a global plan of action to promote sustainable development
- Statement of Forest Principles, a set of principles to underpin the sustainable management of forests worldwide
- Two multilateral treaties were opened for signature:
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- Convention on Biological Diversity
- Called for several major initiatives in other key areas of sustainable development, such as, a global conference on Small Island Developing States; negotiations began for a Convention to Combat Desertification, and for an agreement on highly migratory and straddling fish stocks.
General Assembly Special Session on the Environment (1997)
- Called for by General Assembly resolutions 47/190 and 51/181
- Known as the Earth Summit +5
- 19th special session of the General Assembly
- Held in New York, 23-27 June 1997
- Review of the implementation of Agenda 21
- Outcome document: General Assembly resolution S-19/2 of 27 June 1997, Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21.
World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002)
- Convened by General Assembly resolution 55/199 of 20 December 2000
- Also known as Rio +10
- Held in Johannesburg, 26 August - 4 September 2002
- Reviewed progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 since its adoption in 1992
- Outcome document: A/CONF.199/20 + Corr.1, includes:
- Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development
- Plan of Implementation
UN Conference on Sustainable Development (2012)
- Called for by General Assembly resolution 66/197
- Known as Rio+20
- Held in Rio de Janeiro, 20-22 June 2012
- Rio +20 website
- Outcome document A/CONF.216/16, includes "The future we want"
UN Sustainable Development Summit (2015)
- Convened as a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly
- New York, 25 - 27 September 2015
- Summit website
- Outcome document: A/RES/70/1, includes "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development"
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) (2015)
Global Warming of 1.5 ºC : IPCC Special Report (2018)
UN Climate Action Summit (2019)
IPCC Reports for Assessment Report 6