Question 87 from UPSC CSE 2016 - Environment

Question

With reference to 'Agenda 21', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:
1. It is a global action plan for sustainable development.
2. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. 1 only

Strategy: Evaluate the statements by recalling the core purpose and origin of Agenda 21. Confirm that Statement 1 correctly defines it as a sustainable development action plan. Identify the error in Statement 2, which incorrectly cites the 2002 Johannesburg Summit as its origin. Recognize that Agenda 21 was established at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Conclude that only Statement 1 is correct.

Key Info: **Agenda 21**
- A comprehensive, non-binding, voluntarily implemented action plan of the United Nations.
- It focuses on sustainable development globally, addressing present and future environmental and developmental issues.
- The '21' in its name refers to the 21st century, indicating a blueprint for global action into that century.

**Origin of Agenda 21 (Earth Summit / Rio Summit 1992)**
- Agenda 21 was adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), popularly known as the Earth Summit or Rio Summit.
- This landmark conference was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992.
- Alongside Agenda 21, the summit also produced the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the Statement of Forest Principles, and led to the creation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

**World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) / Johannesburg Summit 2002**
- Held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002, this summit is often referred to as Rio+10, marking ten years after the Earth Summit.
- Its primary purpose was to review the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration, assessing progress and identifying new challenges.
- It adopted the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, which reaffirmed global commitment to sustainable development and outlined further actions.
- It did not originate Agenda 21 but rather built upon and assessed its progress and shortcomings.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Both 1 and 2

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: Neither 1 nor 2

With reference to 'Agenda 21', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements: It is a global action plan for sustainable development. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to 'Agenda 21', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:

It is a global action plan for sustainable development.

It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?