71
Agenda 21 proposed by the UNEP as the blueprint for the development for the
twenty-first century gave birth to numerous local Agenda 21 initiatives (Box 4.1).
As per the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) (1997)
more than 1300 local bodies in 31 nations across the world have established their
own action plans responding to the local Agenda 21 since 1992 to 1997.
Subsequent to the Millennium Summit of the UN in 2000, the UN adopted the
Millennium Declaration. Afterwards, all UN member states and at least 22 international organizations committed to assisting accomplish the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) by 2015 listed below (UN 2015; WHO 2019):
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
Table 4.1 Examples of stress on environment and counter-stress by environment
Sl.
no. Stress
Counter stress
1
Migration and
urbanization
Increase in weight on the earth resulting in change in pressure
on soil and underground rock which may lead to earthquake,
speedy spread of infectious diseases resulting in population
reduction
2
Deforestation
Decrease in oxygen content in atmosphere and soil erosion
3
Mining and depletion of
non-renewable resource
from earth
Decrease in soil stability
4
Hindrance to natural
water flow
Increase in vector-borne diseases, stability of earth
5
Loss of biodiversity
Impact on health due to destruction of predators of vectors;
loss of pollinating insects; unchecked dominance of
destructive species
6
Depletion of water in
forest
Forest fire extinction of fauna
7
Pollution and poor waste
management
Impact on health
8
Increase in GHGs
Climate change and increase in sea level
9
Land degradation
Reduction in crop
10 Depletion of groundwater
resources
Loss of trees/forest and change in soil stability
Box 4.1 Agenda 21
Agenda 21 is a product of the UN Conference on Environment and
Development (Earth Summit) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992.
It is a non-binding action plan of the UN with respect to sustainable development. The “21” in Agenda 21 refers to the twenty-first century. One of the
major objectives of the Agenda 21 initiative is that the local government is
supposed to draw its own local Agenda 21.
4.1 Introduction
Agenda 21 proposed by the UNEP as the blueprint for the development for the
twenty-first century gave birth to numerous local Agenda 21 initiatives (Box 4.1).
As per the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) (1997)
more than 1300 local bodies in 31 nations across the world have established their
own action plans responding to the local Agenda 21 since 1992 to 1997.
Subsequent to the Millennium Summit of the UN in 2000, the UN adopted the
Millennium Declaration. Afterwards, all UN member states and at least 22 international organizations committed to assisting accomplish the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) by 2015 listed below (UN 2015; WHO 2019):
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
Table 4.1 Examples of stress on environment and counter-stress by environment
Sl.
no. Stress
Counter stress
1
Migration and
urbanization
Increase in weight on the earth resulting in change in pressure
on soil and underground rock which may lead to earthquake,
speedy spread of infectious diseases resulting in population
reduction
2
Deforestation
Decrease in oxygen content in atmosphere and soil erosion
3
Mining and depletion of
non-renewable resource
from earth
Decrease in soil stability
4
Hindrance to natural
water flow
Increase in vector-borne diseases, stability of earth
5
Loss of biodiversity
Impact on health due to destruction of predators of vectors;
loss of pollinating insects; unchecked dominance of
destructive species
6
Depletion of water in
forest
Forest fire extinction of fauna
7
Pollution and poor waste
management
Impact on health
8
Increase in GHGs
Climate change and increase in sea level
9
Land degradation
Reduction in crop
10 Depletion of groundwater
resources
Loss of trees/forest and change in soil stability
Box 4.1 Agenda 21
Agenda 21 is a product of the UN Conference on Environment and
Development (Earth Summit) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992.
It is a non-binding action plan of the UN with respect to sustainable development. The “21” in Agenda 21 refers to the twenty-first century. One of the
major objectives of the Agenda 21 initiative is that the local government is
supposed to draw its own local Agenda 21.
4.1 Introduction