Law and You > Environmental Laws > Stockholm Declaration, 1972

Sustainable development refers to a framework for meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It emphasizes a balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity, aiming for long-term prosperity and well-being for all people while preserving the planet’s ecosystems. In this article we shall discuss Stockholm Declaration, a concrete step towards sustainable development.

The concept is often broken down into three key pillars:

• Economic Sustainability: Ensuring that economic growth can continue in the long term without leading to harmful effects on the environment or society. This includes promoting innovation, fostering green jobs, and ensuring that resources are used efficiently.
• Environmental Sustainability: Protecting and managing natural resources to prevent depletion and degradation. This involves combating climate change, conserving biodiversity, reducing pollution, and managing waste in ways that are ecologically responsible.
• Social Sustainability: Ensuring that development improves the quality of life for all individuals, focusing on equity, access to education and healthcare, human rights, gender equality, and reducing poverty.

The term ‘sustainable development’ was first used in the Cocoyoc Declaration on Environment and Development held at Cocoyoc in Mexico between 8-12 October 1974. The symposium, chaired by Barbara Ward, president of the International Institute for Environment and Development, was jointly sponsored by the U. N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP).  Since then, it has become a buzzword for international organizations dedicated to achieving environmentally benign or beneficial development.

Stockholm Declaration:

Global inter-governmental action on environmental issues began with the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm (Sweden) from 5th to 16th June 1972. 107 countries participated in the conference. This led to the ‘Stockholm Declaration’ and an action plan with over 100 recommendations on environmental assessment, management, and support measures. The Stockholm slogan was “Only One Earth”. The environmental debate centred around the Club of Rome Report on the “Limits to Growth”, and talk of economic development (the precursor of Sustainable Development).The Report highlights the consequences of unrestrained growth and the linkages between several global problems.

Issues under Discussion at Stockholm Conference:

The conference focused on issues related to environmental degradation and its impact on human well-being, laying the foundation for future global environmental governance. Several key issues were discussed:

• Environmental Degradation: The conference emphasized the growing concern over the depletion of natural resources and environmental degradation caused by industrialization, pollution, and deforestation. Air and water pollution, soil erosion, and the overexploitation of marine resources were significant topics. The negative impacts of pesticides and other toxic substances on both humans and wildlife were highlighted.
• Development and the Environment: A major issue was the tension between economic development and environmental protection. Many developing countries were concerned that environmental regulations might hinder their economic growth and industrialization efforts. The conference stressed that environmental protection and economic development must go hand-in-hand, introducing the idea that sustainable development could reconcile the two.
• Human Impact on the Environment: It was acknowledged that human activities were leading to significant environmental damage, particularly in urban areas. Population growth, urbanization, and industrialization were identified as key contributors to environmental stress. The need for better environmental management and planning, especially in rapidly growing urban centers, was emphasized.
• Global Environmental Governance: The conference led to discussions about the need for international cooperation and legal frameworks to address environmental issues that transcend national borders. The establishment of institutions like the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which was created following the conference, was a direct outcome.
• The North-South Divide: There were significant differences in the environmental concerns of developed (Global North) and developing (Global South) countries. Developing countries argued that the environmental problems they faced were different from those in the developed world and often rooted in poverty and underdevelopment. They called for financial and technical assistance to help address these issues without sacrificing economic growth.
• Environmental Education and Awareness:  The conference underscored the need for increased environmental education and awareness at both the public and governmental levels. It was stressed that global public opinion needed to be mobilized in favour of protecting the environment through education programs.
• Conservation of Natural Resources: The preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems was also discussed, with a focus on the need for protecting wildlife habitats, forests, oceans, and freshwater resources. Strategies for conservation included managing natural resources in a way that would ensure their availability for future generations.
• Pollution and Waste Management: The conference brought attention to the problems of industrial and urban pollution, including waste disposal, hazardous waste, and the effects of chemicals on the environment. Recommendations were made for cleaner production techniques and the development of environmentally friendly technologies.
• International Legal Frameworks: It was recognized that environmental problems often cross national boundaries, making international cooperation crucial. Discussions included the need for international laws and treaties to regulate pollution, resource exploitation, and environmental protection. The conference also addressed the need for regulations concerning shared resources, such as rivers and oceans, which required collaborative management among nations.
• Climate Change (Emerging Concern): Although climate change was not a dominant issue in 1972 as it is today, the seeds of concern about atmospheric pollution and global environmental changes were planted during the conference. Air pollution and the rise of carbon dioxide levels were discussed as long-term challenges.

Declaration and Adoptions of the Conference:

Adoptions:

• 26 Principles of Declaration
• Detailed resolution on Institutional and Financial Arrangements.
• 109 recommendations

Declaration:

It is divided into two parts

• Part I: 7 truths about man’s relation with environment and his obligation towards environment.
• Part II: 26 Principle which provide basic international policy on protection and sustenance of environment.

Principles:

The Stockholm Declaration on Environment comprises a proclamation of 26 principles (First Magna Carta on Human Environment) and submission of recommendations. Some of the important principles relating to environmental protection in the Stockholm declaration are as follows:-

Principle 1: Right to Protect Environment:

The 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.

Principle 2: Management of Natural Resources:

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.

Principle 3: Management of Renewable Resources:

The capacity of the earth to produce vital renewable resources must be maintained and, wherever practicable, restored or improved.

Principle 4: Conservation of Wildlife:

The 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.

Principle 5: Management of Non-Renewable Resources:

The non-renewable resources 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.

Principle 6: Pollution Control:

The discharge of toxic substances or 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 people of all against pollution should be supported.

Principle 7: Prevention of Pollution of Seas:

States shall take all possible steps to prevent pollution of the seas by substances which 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:

Economic and social development is essential for ensuring a favourable living and working environment for man and for creating conditions necessary for the improvement of the quality of life.

Principle 9: Underdevelopment and Natural Disaster:

Environmental deficiencies generated by the conditions of underdevelopment and natural disasters can best be remedied by the transfer of substantial quantities of financial and technological assistance.

Principle 10: Stability of Prices of Primary Commodities: 

For the developing countries, the stability of prices and adequate earnings for primary commodities and raw materials are essential to environmental management.

Principle 11: Environmental Policies:

The environmental policies should enhance and not adversely affect the present or the future development potential of developing countries. The state should adopt an integrated and coordinated approach to their development planning.

Principle 12: Environment Protection Education:

Resources should be made available to preserve and improve the environment. Education in the environmental matter is essential and mass media should help in this.

Principle 13: Rational Management of Resources:

In order to achieve rational management of resources, States should adopt an integrated and coordinated approach to their development planning.

Principle 14: Rational Planning:

Rational planning constitutes an essential tool for reconciling any conflict between the needs of development and the need to protect and improve the environment.

Principle 15: Human Settlements:

Planning must be applied to human settlements and urbanization with a view to avoiding adverse effects on the environment.

Principle 16:  Human Population:

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 are likely to have adverse effects on the environment.

Principle 17: Setting of Environmental Pollution Control Agencies at National Level:

Appropriate national institutions must be entrusted with the task of planning, managing or controlling the environmental resources.

Principle 18: Use of Science and Technology:

Science and technology must be applied to the identification, avoidance, and control of environmental risks and the solution of environmental problems.

Principle 19: Education in Environmental Matters:

Education in environmental matters 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.

Principle 20: Further Scientific Research:

Scientific research and development in the context of environmental problems must be promoted in all countries, especially developing countries.

Principle 21: Rights and Responsibility of Sovereign Nation:

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.

Principle 22: Development of International Law:

States shall cooperate to develop further the international law regarding liability and compensation for the victims of pollution and other environmental damage.

Principle 23: Implementation of Agenda by Every Country:

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 Cooperation:

International matters concerning the protection and improvement of the environment should be handled in a cooperative spirit by all countries, big and small, on an equal footing.

Principle 25: Coordinated and Dynamic Role:

States shall ensure that international organizations play a coordinated, efficient and a dynamic role for the protection and improvement of the environment.

Principle 26: Ban on Nuclear Weapons:

Man and his environment must be spared the effects of nuclear weapons and all other means of mass destruction.

Note: 

The two principles 21 and 22 represent “the most significant consensus that has been reached in the field of international co-operation among states respecting environmental preservation”.

General Classification of Principles:

Human Centric	1 and 15
Sustainable Development	2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 1nd 14
Reflection of Customary International Law Position	21
Preventive Action	6, 7, 15, 18, and 24
Compensation to Victim	22
Cooperation Principle	24 and 25

Action Plan of the Stockholm Declaration:

Along with the Action Plan for the Human Environment, the declaration emphasized the importance of environmental conservation while balancing human development. The Action Plan, adopted alongside the Stockholm Declaration, provided a framework for global environmental governance and proposed specific actions to address environmental issues. The Action Plan consisted of 109 recommendations grouped under three broad categories:

Global Environmental Assessment Program (Earthwatch)

This section emphasized the need for a coordinated effort to monitor, assess, and gather data on global environmental conditions. It recognized the importance of scientific research and international cooperation in understanding the impact of human activities on the environment. Key recommendations were as follows:

• Environmental Monitoring: Establishment of systems to continuously observe and collect data on environmental changes (e.g., pollution, resource depletion).
• Scientific Research: Expansion of international research on environmental issues, focusing on problems such as air and water pollution, deforestation, desertification, and biodiversity loss.
• Data Sharing: Creation of global databases for sharing environmental data and information among nations.

The “Earthwatch” program was proposed to serve as a global monitoring network to keep track of the state of the environment, identify problems, and coordinate international action.

Environmental Management Activities

This section dealt with strategies for preventing and mitigating environmental damage, especially in relation to pollution, resource use, and urbanization. The focus was on practical steps that governments and international bodies could take to ensure sustainable environmental management. Key recommendations are as follows:

• Pollution Control: Immediate action to control air, water, and soil pollution through national and international regulations.
• Sustainable Resource Use: Recommendations to use natural resources (such as forests, fisheries, and water) sustainably to prevent depletion and ensure long-term availability.
• Urban and Rural Development: Advocating for better planning of urban growth and rural development, including improved housing, transportation, and waste management systems.
• Wildlife and Habitat Conservation: Calling for measures to protect wildlife habitats, preserve biodiversity, and conserve endangered species.

International Measures to Support National and Local Actions:

Recognizing that environmental problems are often transboundary, this section stressed the need for international cooperation and the development of legal frameworks to ensure that environmental actions at the national and local levels are supported by global efforts. Key recommendations are as follows:

• International Environmental Law: Creation of treaties and agreements to regulate pollution, control the exploitation of shared resources (oceans, rivers), and protect the environment on a global scale.
• Technical and Financial Assistance: Ensuring that developing countries receive technical and financial support to implement environmental management strategies without compromising their development.
• UNEP Establishment: Establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the global coordinating body for environmental actions, with a focus on implementing the recommendations of the Stockholm Action Plan.

Impact of Stockholm Action Plan:

The Stockholm Action Plan laid the groundwork for a number of global environmental initiatives and principles:

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): The most significant institutional outcome, UNEP, was established to coordinate international environmental activities and promote sustainable development.
• Global Awareness: The conference raised global awareness about the environment and was the first time that environmental issues were brought to the forefront of the international development agenda.
• Framework for Future Agreements: The ideas and principles set forth in the Stockholm Declaration influenced subsequent international treaties, including those on ozone depletion (Montreal Protocol), biodiversity (Convention on Biological Diversity), and climate change (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).

The Stockholm Action Plan was a pioneering effort in creating a comprehensive and internationally coordinated response to environmental challenges. It laid the foundation for integrating environmental considerations into economic and development planning at both the national and international levels.

Conclusion:

The Stockholm Declaration of 1972 marked a significant milestone in the history of global environmental governance. As the first major international agreement to recognize the interconnectedness of environmental protection and human well-being, it established a framework for how nations could collectively approach environmental issues while promoting economic and social development. The Stockholm Declaration established the principle that all nations have a responsibility to protect the environment for both present and future generations. It recognized the environmental crisis as a global issue that requires coordinated international action. The Declaration highlighted the importance of balancing environmental conservation with economic and social progress, laying the groundwork for the concept of sustainable development, which was further expanded in later international agreements like the Brundtland Report and the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The Declaration underscored the need for international cooperation to address environmental problems, especially those that transcend national borders, such as air and water pollution, deforestation, and marine resource depletion.

A crucial outcome of the Stockholm Conference was the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the first international institution dedicated to environmental issues. UNEP plays a central role in coordinating global efforts to protect the environment and advance sustainable development. Stockholm Declaration raised awareness about environmental issues at a time when they were not yet at the forefront of global policy discussions. It helped legitimize environmental concerns and sparked numerous national and international initiatives aimed at addressing pollution, biodiversity loss, and resource conservation.

Thus, the Stockholm Declaration was a ground breaking achievement, setting the stage for global environmental diplomacy. By recognizing that economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection are intertwined, the Declaration not only addressed the urgent environmental challenges of its time but also established principles that continue to shape environmental policy today. It remains a cornerstone of modern sustainable development efforts, influencing subsequent international agreements and inspiring continued global commitment to preserving the planet for future generations.

Related Topics:

• Rio Declaration
• Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol
• Basel Convention (Trans-Boundary Hazardous Substances)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Kyoto Protocol
• Doha Amendment
• Paris Climate Agreement
• Convention on Biological Diversity
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
• Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources

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