Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 1992 - United Nations principles

Sep 6, 2026

Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992) sets out a global framework for sustainable development through a structured set of principles. It emphasizes human well-being in harmony with nature, state sovereignty over resources alongside the duty to avoid transboundary environmental harm, and equitable development for present and future generations. The text calls for integrating environmental protection into development, cooperating to eradicate poverty, and supporting developing countries with priority. It also highlights global partnership for ecosystem restoration, sustainable consumption patterns, capacity building through knowledge and technology transfer, and public participation in environmental decision-making.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Preamble

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Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 1992 United Nations (UN) [copy @ lexmercatoria.org](copy @ lexmercatoria.org) Copyright © 1992 United Nations (UN) [SiSU](SiSU lexmercatoria.org)[ lexmercatoria.org](SiSU lexmercatoria.org) ii Contents Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 1992 1 Preamble ...................................... 1 Principle 1 ...................................... 1 Principle 2 ...................................... 1 Principle 3 ...................................... 1 Principle 4 ...................................... 1 Principle 5 ...................................... 2 Principle 6 ...................................... 2 Principle 7 ...................................... 2 Principle 8 ...................................... 2 Principle 9 ...................................... 2 Principle 10 ..................................... 2 Principle 11 ..................................... 3 Principle 12 ..................................... 3 Principle 13 ..................................... 3 Principle 14 ..................................... 3 Principle 15 ..................................... 3 Principle 16 ..................................... 4 Principle 17 ..................................... 4 Principle 18 ..................................... 4 Principle 19 ..................................... 4 Principle 20 ..................................... 4 Principle 21 ..................................... 4 Principle 22 ..................................... 5 Principle 23 ..................................... 5 Principle 24 ..................................... 5 Principle 25 ..................................... 5 Principle 26 ..................................... 5 Principle 27 ..................................... 5 Metadata 6 SiSU Metadata, document information ...................... 6 [SiSU](SiSU lexmercatoria.org)[ lexmercatoria.org](SiSU lexmercatoria.org) iii Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 1992 1 Reproduced in 31 ILM 874 (1992) 2 Preamble 3 The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Having met at Rio 4 de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992, Reaffirming the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environ- 5 ment, adopted at Stockholm on 16 June 1972, and seeking to build upon it, With the goal of establishing a new and equitable global partnership through the creation 6 of new levels of co-operation among States, key sectors of societies and people, Working towards international agreements which respect the interests of all and protect 7 the integrity of the global environmental and developmental system, Recognizing the integral and interdependent nature of the Earth, our home, 8 Proclaims that: 9 Principle 1 10 Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are 11 entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature. Principle 2 12 States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles 13 of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. Principle 3 14 The right to development must be fulfilled so as to equitable meet developmental and 15 environmental needs of present and future generations. Principle 4 16 In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection shall constitute 17 an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it. [SiSU](SiSU lexmercatoria.org)[ lexmercatoria.org](SiSU lexmercatoria.org) 1 Principle 5 18 All States and all people shall cooperate in the essential task of eradicating pov

FAQs

What is the central focus of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 1992?

It frames sustainable development by connecting human well-being with environmental protection. The declaration outlines principles guiding how states and societies pursue development while safeguarding the Earth’s ecosystems.

How does the declaration address state responsibility for environmental harm?

It affirms each state’s sovereign right to use its resources, while requiring that activities under its jurisdiction do not cause environmental damage to other states or to areas beyond national jurisdiction.

What role do cooperation, poverty eradication, and technology transfer play in the declaration?

The declaration calls for cooperation to eradicate poverty as an essential requirement for sustainable development. It also urges strengthening capacity-building through exchanges of scientific and technological knowledge and by developing, adapting, diffusing, and transferring technologies.

Sep 6, 2026

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