Introduction
The United Nations General Assembly convened at Stockholm, Sweden in 1972 to tackle critical issues related to environmental degradation triggered by human activities and the urgency for its protection. This came to be known as the Stockholm Conference of 1972 aka The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.
It was one of the world’s first conferences that united delegates from more than 120 countries to address challenges and present solutions regarding the protection of the environment. Led by the Canadian oil and mineral businessmen, Maurice Strong ,who acted as the Secretary General, the meet-up witnessed prominent world leaders like Indira Gandhi raise up critical issues like economic development vs environmental protection especially through her famous speech, ‘Poverty and need as the worst polluters’. Let us unfold the events that led to the conference and understand its impact on the global world.
1960-1970: Economic Development At The Cost Of Environment
The period after World War II marked a transformative era in human history, as nations around the globe began to rebuild from the devastating infrastructural & economic ruin triggered by the bombardments of the war. Despite everyday struggle, the period brought unprecedented technological advancements and industrial expansion, driven by the need to reconstruct economies and assert geopolitical power. Factories sprouted, urban centers expanded, and the promise of modern machinery seemed boundless.
However, the 1960s unveiled the darker side of this developmental high as unchecked industrialization led to widespread environmental degradation. Entire cities got cloaked by smog, spilled oil ignited fires in rivers and water bodies, and pollution choked the waterways. The Cuyahoga river was infamous for burning time and again, and in fact one of the incidents led to a 1000 student march that also marked the first Earth day on April 22. By the end of the decade, the impact of human activities on the environment was clear resulting in the destruction of natural habitat and ecosystems.
The 1970s opened up with raised awareness about the environment and the impact of unchecked industrialization and machines on nature and wildlife. By this time, various books and reports like the Silent Spring and Limits To Growth highlighted the issue and invited an intellectual and cultural shift around the problem. Unrest, anger, activism, and demonstration was high during this period as students, activists, scientists, and policymakers like senators began to organize protests and movements demanding urgent reforms and environmental action. These grassroots efforts marked the beginning of policy debates at the national and international levels sowing the seed for need for global cooperation. Thus, the era opened the awakening of environmental consciousness and the birth of modern environmentalism.
1972 – Stockholm Conference or The United Nations Conference On Human Environment
Recognizing the mounting threat to the environment and the interconnected nature of global ecological challenges, the United Nations took a decisive step toward fostering international collaboration. In 1968, Sweden proposed the idea of a global environmental conference to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), emphasizing the urgent need for collective action. This initiative gained traction, and later that year, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2398, setting in motion plans for a comprehensive conference on the human environment.
The preparatory committees crafted the agenda meticulously for the next four years, ensuring equitable representation from both developed and developing nations, highlighting the shared responsibility of all countries in addressing environmental degradation. The conference ultimately took place in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972, under the leadership of Maurice Strong who was appointed as the Secretary-General and witnessed participation from 122 countries out of which 70 were from developing nations.
Delegates from these countries gathered to discuss the impact of industrialization, pollution, and resource exploitation on both human and ecological health. The conference not only underscored the urgency of addressing these challenges but also marked the first major international acknowledgment of the environment as a universal concern transcending borders, laying the groundwork for decades of environmental diplomacy and action.
The Geopolitical Complexities & Challenges At The Conference
The Stockholm Conference of 1972 was the first major effort to arrive at a collaborative solution on a global level; however the convene was not free from conflict as various geo-political issues prevented total co-operation.
During that time, the shadow of the Cold War was looming over the world, and not all nations participated in the conference. The Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact nations boycotted the assembly due East Germany’s lack of inclusion as it was not allowed to participate since it wasn’t a UN member at that time. It is said that certain countries in the Brussel group also attempted to stifle the impact of the conference as environmental policies could threaten ideas of free trade and the concept of globalization. Eventually, the issues related to Developing Vs Developed and Economic Development Vs Environmental Protection were discussed in Stockholm, and they continue to be relevant in today’s time as well.
Economic Development Vs Environmental Protection
One of the core problems at the Stockholm Conference was defined by the question: how could humanity pursue economic development without irreparably harming the environment? Developed nations had begun to face the brunt of environmental destruction as the rising smog in cities, catastrophic oil spills, and rivers choking on industrial waste highlighted the ecological costs of industrialization. These countries, with their established infrastructure and production power, were in a position to prioritize environmental concerns, having already reaped the benefits of industrial growth.
On the other hand, for developing nations, the challenge was more complex. Many were still grappling with fundamental issues such as poverty, lack of basic infrastructure, and the need to improve quality of life for millions of people. It was not possible to sacrifice economic priorities in the name of environmental protection when people didn’t even have basic facilities like housing or everyday meals for that matter. Indian Prime Minister of that time, Indira Gandhi, hit the hammer right on the nail through her famous speech in which she stated, ‘Poverty and need as the worst form of pollution.’ Gandhi’s speech became a defining moment of the conference, framing the debate as not just a conflict between rich and poor nations, but as a shared challenge to find equitable and sustainable solutions.
Developing Vs Developed – Global South Vs Global North
Another critical issue at the Stockholm Conference was the divide between the Global South and Global North, reflecting differing priorities and responsibilities regarding environmental action. The central strand of the argument was a similar one with nations from the south highlighting the pressing challenges of poverty, hunger, and underdevelopment and the need for economic growth to improve the quality of life.
This tension between the developed and developing underscored the need for collaboration and equity in tackling global environmental challenges, a principle that became a cornerstone of later frameworks like the Rio Earth Summit (1992) and the Paris Agreement (2015). The Stockholm Conference, thus, became the first international platform to address the shared but differentiated responsibilities of nations in the fight for environmental sustainability.
What Was The Outcome Of The Stockholm Conference Of 1972?
The Stockholm Conference in Sweden achieved some groundbreaking outcomes and marks as an important milestone in the fight against environmental destruction and climate change.
1. Stockholm Declaration
Recognizing the dual challenge to alleviate poverty while protecting the environment, the meeting came up with a declaration containing 26 principles concerning the environment and development, an action plan with 109 resolutions, and a resolution.
What are the 26 principles of the UN’s Stockholm Conference?
1. Natural resources must be safeguarded
2. The Earth’s capacity to produce renewable resources must be maintained
3. Wildlife must be safeguarded
4. Non-renewable resources must be shared and not exhausted
5. Pollution must not exceed the environment’s capacity to clean itself
6. Damaging oceanic pollution must be prevented
7. Development is needed to improve the environment
8. Developing countries therefore need assistance
9. Developing countries need reasonable prices for exports to carry out environmental management
10. Environment policy must not hamper development
11. Developing countries need money to develop environmental safeguards
12. Integrated development planning is needed
13. Rational planning should resolve conflicts between environment and development
14. Human settlements must be planned to eliminate environmental problems
15. Governments should plan their own appropriate population policies
16. National institutions must plan development of states’ natural resources
17. Science and technology must be used to improve the environment
18. Environmental education is essential
19. Environmental research must be promoted, particularly in developing countries
20. States may exploit their resources as they wish but must not endanger others
21. Compensation is due to states thus endangered
22. Each nation must establish its own standards
23. There must be cooperation on international issues
24. International organizations should help to improve the environment
25. Weapons of mass destruction must be eliminated
2. Creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP was established to coordinate global environmental efforts, marking the first UN agency based in a developing country. The UNEP is the foremost international organization spearheading the fight against climate change and one of the most crucial agent in establishing environmental governance and science.
3. Environmental Awareness Day
The conference designated June 5 as World Environment Day, celebrated annually to promote global environmental awareness.
The Stockholm Conference motivated the nations and organizations all across the world to pay attention to environmental protection, create ministries and agencies which come up action plans, policies, and regulations to harmonize economic development with environmental protection.
