EQUITABLE

The emergence of the concept of sustainable development was long; being based on many international conventions, the idea of a development which can at the same time reduce the social inequalities and reduce the pressure on the environment made its way. We can recall some major stakes of them:

• 1968: creation of the Club of Rome gathering some personalities occupying of the relatively important stations in their respective countries and wishing that research seize the problem of the evolution of the world taken in its globality to try to determine the limits of the growth.

• 1972: does the Club of Rome publish the report The limits to growth (translated into French by Halte with the growth? or limits of the growth), written with its request by a research team of Massachusetts Institute off Technology. Created on the initiative of the Italian industrialist Aurelio Peccei, the Club of Rome is a regrouping of economists, scientists and decision makers public and private. Swiss association of right, it was given for goal the study of the activity of the humanity under consideration like a total system to the world level to solve the national problems. Its first meeting took place in Rome in 1968. The World conference of the United Nations on the environment in Stockholm makes emerge the concept of “écodéveloppement” This first report/ratio gives the results of data-processing simulations on the evolution of the human population according to the exploitation of the natural resources, with projections until 2100. This reveals that the continuation of the economic growth will involve during XXIe century a sharp decline of the populations because of pollution, of the impoverishment of the soils that can support vegetation and the rarefaction of the energy resources. The model is however not yet at this stage sectorized by areas as it will be it then. Following this report/ratio, many work showing the limits of the economic system of the time is published: let us quote inter alia Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen and its comparison between economic system and thermodynamics, or the American economist Schumacher who preaches more local and less technological and technocratic solutions in his book “Small is beautiful”.

• 1973 (5 at June 16): a conference of the United Nations on the human environment in Stockholm exposes in particular écodéveloppement, the interactions between ecology and economy, the development of the countries of the South and North. It is the first Summit of the Earth. It is a relative failure, with any clear compromise, but the problems consequently seem posed: the environment consequently seems a world heritage essential to transmit to the future generations.

• 1980: The International union for the nature conservation publishes a report entitled the world strategy for the conservation where for the first time the concept of “sustainable development appears”, translated from English “sustainable development”.
  Founded in 1948 in Fontainebleau, the world Union for nature gathers States, public agencies and a large range of governmental organizations within a single world alliance (more 800 members in 125 countries). It is one of the rare international organizations open as well to the governments as in ONG

• 1987: A definition of sustainable development is proposed by the world Commission on the environment and the development (Brundtland Report/ratio). The protocol of Montreal relating to the substances which impoverish the layer of ozone is signed on September 16, sign which a collective engagement is possible.
  Part of this document founder is accessible in French language on Agora 21.

• 1992 (3 at June 14): Second Summit of the Earth, in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Dedication of the term “sustainable development”, the concept starts to be largely mediatized in front of the general public. Adoption of the convention of Rio and birth of Diary 21.
  The Brundtland definition, centered firstly on the safeguarding of the environment and the careful consumption of the nonrenewable natural resources, will be modified by the definition of the “three pillars” which must be reconciled in a durable developmental perspective: economic progress, social justice, and the safeguarding of the environment.
  The world plan “Action 21” is adopted, it is intended to be declined locally in “Diaries 21”, of the programs translating in time and the facts the principles and aimings of sustainable development. “Action 21” must tackle the urgent problems of today and seek to prepare the world with the tasks which await it the next century (from where number 21). Creation of the world Commission of sustainable development (CDD) in December 1992. It must ensure an effective follow-up of the Conference of the United Nations on the environment and development (UNCED), control and make the follow-up of the implementation of the agreements of the Summit of the Earth as well at the level local, national, regional as international.

• 1997 (December 1): 3rd Conference of the United Nations on the climate changes, in Kyōto, during which the protocol éponyme will be drawn up.
  The conference of Kyoto works out a protocol around the climate change the countries developed give itself like objective a reduction of 5,2% of the gas emissions with greenhouse effect in 2008-2012 (compared to the level of 1990).

• 1999 the Treaty of Amsterdam (May 99) reinforces the importance of the environmental policy in the European Union by the taking into account of the principle of sustainable development

• 2002 (August 26 to September 4): Summit of Johannesburg: In September, more than one hundred Heads of State, several tens of thousands of governmental representatives and ONG ratify a fascinating treaty position on the conservation of the natural resources and the biodiversity. Some French large companies are present.
  For more information there exist files sets of themes which inform the preparation of the top by the French government on the site of the Ministry for ecology and sustainable development like on the site of the top: Agora 21, IEPF, Institute of the Energy and the Environment of the Francophonie, French Ministry of Town and country planning and the Environment, French Ministry of the Foreign affairs. World summit on Sustainable development. Johannesburg 26/08-04/09 2002

• 2005: Coming into effect of the protocol of Kyōto on the reduction of the emissions of gases with greenhouse effect.

And Tomorrow?
The future generations, just like us, are entitled to an intact environment and the use of the natural resources for a quality of life and a normal existence.
However, let us not summarize sustainable development with “environmental protection”. Indeed, it included the two other axes (economy and social) with economic development or the protection of the natural bases of the life. It is the solidarity which will conclude this development, knowing that the action that we carry out today account for our children and those of the others.
Brundtland report/ratio