Stockholm Conference

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The 50th anniversary of the Stockholm conference is being observed.

About the Stockholm conference:

• The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm between June 5 to June 16, 1972.
• It was the first such worldwide convergence on planetary environment, with the theme ‘Only One Earth’.
• It resulted in the Stockholm Declaration which contained principles and an Action Plan containing recommendations for environmental policy.

The three dimensions of this conference were:

• Countries agreeing not to “harm each other’s environment or the areas beyond national jurisdiction”.
• An action plan to study the threat to Earth’s environment.
• Establishment of an international body called the UN Environment programme (UNEP) to bring in cooperation among countries.

Significance and outcomes of the Stockholm Conference:

• Until 1972, no country had an environment ministry.
• Norwegian delegates returned from the conference to set up a ministry for the environment.
• India set up its ministry of environment and forest in 1985.