The Rio Declaration

Preamble:- Aims to foster a new, fair, and inclusive global partnership by enhancing
cooperation between nations, key sectors of society, and individuals,
Seeks to develop international agreements that balance the interests of all parties while
safeguarding the integrity of the global environment and sustainable development
framework,
Acknowledges the interconnected and interdependent nature of our planet, which we
all share as our home.

Principles:

1. Harmony with nature: Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable
development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with
nature.
2. Duty of state in case of exploitation of environment: 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.
3. Right to development must be fulfilled: The right to development must be fulfilled
so as to equitably meet developmental and environmental needs of present and
future generations.
4.
5. Cooperation of every state in the conservation of biodiversity : All States and all
people shall co-operate in the essential task of eradicating poverty as an
indispensable requirement for sustainable development, in order to decrease the
disparities in standards of living and better meet the needs of the majority of the
people of the world.
6.
7.
8. Higher quality of life for all people and eliminate unsustainable pattern of
production and consumption: To achieve sustainable development and a higher
quality of life for all people, States should reduce and eliminate unsustainable
patterns of production and consumption and promote appropriate demographic
policies.
9. International transfer of scientific knowledge: States should co-operate to
strengthen endogenous capacity-building for sustainable development by
improving scientific understanding through exchanges of scientific and
technological knowledge, and by enhancing the development, adaptation, diffusion
and transfer of technologies, including new and innovative technologies.
10. Participation of Citizens: Environmental issues are best handled with the
participation of all concerned citizens, at the relevant level. At the national level,
each individual shall have appropriate access to information concerning the
environment that is held by public authorities, including information on hazardous
materials and activities in their communities, and the opportunity to participate in
decision-making processes. States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness
and participation by making information widely available. Effective access to
judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy, shall be
provided.
11. Effective environmental legislation: States shall enact effective environmental
legislation. Environmental standards, management objectives and priorities should
reflect the environmental and developmental context to which they apply.
Standards applied by some countries may be inappropriate and of unwarranted
economic and social cost to other countries, in particular developing countries.
12.
13. National law for liability and compensation of victims of pollution : States shall
develop national law regarding liability and compensation for the victims of
pollution and other environmental damage. States shall also co-operate in an
expeditious and more determined manner to develop further international law
regarding liability and compensation for adverse effects of environmental damage
caused by activities within their jurisdiction or control to areas beyond their
jurisdiction.
14.
15. Precautionary principle: 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.
16. Polluters pay principle: National authorities should endeavor to promote the
internalization of environmental costs and the use of economic instruments, taking
 into account the approach that the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of
pollution, with due regard to the public interest and without distorting
international trade and investment.
17. Environment impact Assessment: Environmental impact assessment, as a national
instrument, shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have a
significant adverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of a
competent national authority.
18.
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20.
21.
22.
23.
24. Protection of the Environment During Armed Conflict: Warfare is inherently
destructive of sustainable development. States shall therefore respect international
law providing protection for the environment in times of armed conflict and co-
operate in its further development, as necessary.
25. Interconnection of Peace, Development, and Environmental Protection: Peace,
development and environmental protection are interdependent and indivisible.
26. Cooperation and Partnership for Sustainable Development: States and people
shall co-operate in good faith and in a spirit of partnership in the fulfilment of the
principles embodied in this Declaration and in the further development of
international law in the field of sustainable development.