Stockholm Conference 1972

United Nations Conference on Human Environment, 1972

The Conference on the Human Environment was held at Stockholm, capital of Sweden from 5-16 June
1972 where more than 107 states participated.

It is one of the most successful International Conference. In a two week period it adopted not only a basic
declaration and a detailed resolution on Institutional and Financial arrangements but also 109
recommendations comprising an ambitious action plan relating to natural resources, human settlement,
human health, territorial ecosystem, environment and development etc. Also at the end of the conference
the participating States agreed and declared 26 Principles which are known as the Magna Carta on Human
Environment.

The Stockholm Declaration was the first holistic approach to deal with the problems of environment.

The success of the Stockholm Conference was based on a complex preparatory process during which
agreement was reached among the major group of countries on many issues so that a limited number of
questions had to be resolved at the conference itself.

The preparation for the conference was primarily in the hands of Conference Secretariat headed by
Maurice F. Strong, former president of the Canadian International Development Agency.

The declaration on the human environment is divided in two parts –

First part proclaims seven truths about man in relation to his environment and contains general
observations such as men is both creature and molder of his environment which gives him physical
substance and affords him the opportunity for intellectual, moral, social and spiritual growth; the
protection and improvement of the human environment is a major issue which affects the well-being of
people and economic development throughout the world. It is the urgent desire of the peoples of the
whole world and the duty of all governments in the developing countries.

The part II of the Declaration on the human environment enunciates 26 principles. These principles
provide the basis of an international policy for the protection and improvement of the environment. The
object of the Stockholm declaration was to pass our mother earth to the coming generations in clean and
healthy conditions.

Principles of Stockholm Declaration:

Human Centric: (Principles 1 and 15)

Principle 1: Right to Environment

Man has the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in environment of
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. In this respect policies promoting or perpetuating
apartheid, racial segregation, Discrimination, colonial and other forms of oppression and foreign
domination stand condemned and must be eliminated.
Principle 15: Human Settlement

Principle 15 talks about Precautionary actions and states that planning must be applied to human
settlement and urbanization to avoid adverse effects on the environment and obtaining maximum social,
economic and environmental benefits for all.

Sustainable Development (Principles 2, 3, 4, 5, 13 and 14)

Principal 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 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

Man has a special responsibility to safeguard and wisely manage the heritage of wildlife and its habitat,
which are now gravely imperiled by a combination of factors. Nature conservation, including wildlife,
must therefore receive importance in planning for economic development.

Principle 5: Management of Non-Renewable Resources

The non-renewable resources of the earth must be employed in such a way so as to safeguard against the
danger of their future exhaustion and to ensure that the benefits from all emoluments are shared by all
mankind.

Principle 13: Rational management of Resources

States should adopt an integrated and coordinated approach to their development planning so as to ensure
that the development is compatible with the need to protect and improve environment for the benefit of
their population.

Principle 14: Rational Planning

The need for rational planning by the States to reconcile the conflict between development and
environment.

Reflection of Customary International Law position (Principle 21)

Principle 21: Prevention of Environmental Harm

Further developments in the area of legal control of activities and exploitation of the natural resources
within their jurisdiction to prevent any damage to the environment.

Preventative Actions (Principles 6, 7, 15, 18 and 24)

The discharge of toxic substances or of 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 Sea Pollution

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 15: Human Settlement

Principle 15 talks about Precautionary actions and states that planning must be applied to human
settlement and urbanization to avoid adverse effects on the environment and obtaining maximum social,
economic and environmental benefits for all.

Principle 18: Use of Science and Technology

Science and Technology must be applied to identification, avoidance and control of environment risks
and the solution of environment problems for the common good of mankind, thus incorporating the
“Precautionary Principle” in essence.

Principle 24: International Cooperation

Cooperation through multilateral and bilateral agreements or other appropriate means for effective control
to eliminate the adverse environmental effects resulting from activities conducted in all spheres.

Compensation to Victims (Principle 22)

Principle 22: States to cooperate and develop further the international law regarding liability and
compensation of victims of pollution and other environmental damage caused by activities within the
jurisdiction or control of such states to areas beyond their jurisdiction.

International Cooperation (Principles 24 and 25)

Principle 24: Cooperation through multilateral and bilateral agreements or other appropriate means for
effective control to eliminate the adverse environmental effects resulting from activities conducted in all
spheres.

Principle 25: States shall ensure that the international organizations play a coordinated and dynamic role
for the protection and improvement of the environment.

Other Principles
According to Principle 11 the environmental policies of all States should enhance and not adversely
affect the present or future development potential of developing countries, nor should they hamper the
attainment of better living conditions for all.

Principle 19 provides that education in environmental matters, for the younger generation as well as
adults, giving due consideration to the underprivileged, 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.

According to Principle 20 the scientific research and development in the context of environment
problems both national and multinational must be promoted in all countries especially in the developing
countries and

Principle 26 states that man and environment must be spared from the effects of nuclear weapons and all
other means of mass destruction. States must strive to reach prompt agreement on the elimination and
complete destruction of such weapons.

Outcome of Stockholm Declaration

As a result of the Stockholm Declaration, some other Global Conventions on the preservation of
Environment were convened such as:-

1. The Convention on International Trade in endangered species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 1973.
2. The Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter,
1972.
3. The Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and Aircrafts,
1973.

The Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act 1981; The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution)
Act, 1974 and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was passed by Parliament in India with a view to
implementing the decision of the Stockholm conference which asked the number of states to take
appropriate steps, among other things, for the preservation of quality of air and control of air pollution.

These legislations were enacted for wider purpose of protection and improving the human environment, a
goal laid down by the Stockholm Conference.

This declaration was one of the first efforts undertaken by the world community towards bringing into
focus the common concerns of the people, common challenges that they face the world over and the
common endeavors’ which are needed to be undertaken for peace, security development and
environment.