Speech on the United Nations Approach on Environment and Development

Here is your speech on the United Nations Approach on Environment and Development:

Environment which surrounds us and which consists of plants and animals, non-living objects such as water-air, light, soil clean and clear enjoyment of environment which is our inheritent nature right and legal right also, but such a right of ours is infringed because of damaged and disturbed environment.

In the quest for rapid industrial development over the years the quality of environment has come to be sacrificed for development of goods.

We are nowadays heading towards irreversible environmental damage; due to widespread land degradation, water pollution, air pollution, mushrooming growth of slums and population explosion.

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The existing administrative and institutional framework is too feeble and ineffective to handle the challenge of environmental protection, which threatens our very survival.

Hence, there is a need to have a new environmental ethics to meet the challenge.

Rapid industrial development has given economic prosperity. It is true, that it is the need of today. But over consumption of natural resources by manmade sources creates pollution. It also means that though there is a development there is degradation of environment and also it is need to maintain harmony between development and environment and it is a global phenomenon and the future of all developing countries greatly depends upon, better international understanding of the right of development.

Because the right depends upon several other Human Rights and so there is a close relationship between development and conservation of environment. This fact is acknowledged by United Nations and so the effective steps are taken to overcome this problem.

Stockholm Conference on Human Environment in 1972, it is the first major step to solve global problem of conservation and regulation of human environment and declaration on the Human Environment and the action plan for Human Environment recommended by U.N. and on the basis of the above said recommendation of U.N.

United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) was set up and the council reached broad agreement on and overall strategy in environmental policy to put the principles and recommendations endorsed by the Stockholm conference of Human Environment.

And then the great landmark in the field of environment was the UN-Conference on Desertification held in Nairobi (Kenya). On September, 1977 and conference adopted a plan of action containing 26 recommendations for action at the national and regional and in international levels.

On the 10th Anniversary of U.N. Conference of Stockholm 1972 was celebrated in Nairobi and all recommendations of U.N. Conference on Desertification adopted by U.N., which was called Nairobi Declarations.

After it another major step taken by U.N. which is a milestone in the U.N. work for environment was the Rio-Conference, it was the largest international conference in the history of international relation and International law held on Rio-de-janero, capital of Brazil in 1992.

Rio-Declaration contains 27 principles concerning almost all countries of the global community and enlisting general rights and obligations on environmental protection and relying upon to achieve sustainable development, and laid down that the right of development must be fulfilled as to equitably meet development environmental needs of present and future generations and finally concluded that environmental protection shall constitute an integral part of development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it.

After it in 1994 another major step taken by U.N. is World Conference on Natural Disaster Reductions that is (Nuclear safety and environment) nuclear explosion, accidents, etc. adversely effects the environment, International law does not permit any sovereign to conduct any activity or to do anything within its territory or elsewhere which may adversely affect other states. Because of this conventions we can hope, that we can achieve balance between environment and development, if all states follow it sincerely.

Global Warming, Depletion of Ozone Layers, etc. are the major problems today and which are probably more dangerous than danger of the use of nuclear weapons, is the warming of the earth by depletion of ozone layer. U.N. acknowledged that the problem is really serious and soft option will not solve it, it requires strong measures and community support and for that requested to all states to implement many programmes to solve this problem and so declare “Global warming/Global warming as a slogan for environment day in year 1989.

Sustainable Development.—Sustainable development is now the basis for U.N. environmental philosophy. The Institution such as, U.N. Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTD), U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), etc. are making significant contribution in this regard.

The advantages of development can be enjoyed in true sense only when it does not cause adverse impact on environment; unfortunately, in the first year of fourth Development Decade, Gulf war (1991) aggravated the gravity of the problem of environment. The state responsible for causing adverse impact on environment should be compelled to make reparation and the funds thus received should be invested for improving the environment haste.

But not the least, the concept of sustainable development should be emphasized and should form the basis in all programmes of U.N. system and all agencies and institutions connected with development and environment.

And U.N. pointing out that to achieve balance between development and environment, all states shall develop their national laws regarding liability and compensation for the victims or pollution and other environmental damages. Environment and Development issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens at the relevant level, state 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.

All above efforts taken by U.N., pointing in the direction of hope, it is for the nation both the developed and the developing to bring it to fruition so as to ensure the world, safe for the present and future generations and the idea of sustainable development, can be achieved.