Previous Year Question
Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): Sustainable development should take place without damaging the environment and development in the present time should not compromise with the needs of the future generations.
Reason (R): Agenda 21 was signed by world leaders in 1995.
Select the correct answer from the code given below:
Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
(A) is false, but (R) is true
(A) is true, but (R) is false
Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Assertion (A) is true. Sustainable Development aims to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This concept was prominently defined in the 1987 report Our Common Future, published by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), also known as the Brundtland Commission. Sustainable Development has three major dimensions—Economic Development, Social Inclusion, and Environmental Protection. Its objective is to limit environmental degradation while promoting economic and social progress and ensuring the long-term conservation of natural resources.
Reason (R) is false. Agenda 21 was adopted not in 1995 but at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3–14 June 1992. This conference is also known as the Earth Summit or Rio Summit. Agenda 21 was adopted by the governments of more than 178 countries on 14 June 1992. It is a comprehensive Non-Binding Action Plan designed to promote sustainable development in the 21st century. It was not a signed international treaty but an agreed programme for implementation at global, national, and local levels.
The major objectives of Agenda 21 include Poverty Eradication, Changing Unsustainable Consumption Patterns, conservation of natural resources, Biodiversity Conservation, and strengthening environmental management. Its action plan is divided into four major sections—Social and Economic Dimensions, Conservation and Management of Resources for Development, Strengthening the Role of Major Groups, and Means of Implementation. It emphasizes the participation of governments, local institutions, women, youth, scientific communities, and other social groups.
International initiatives for Sustainable Development have evolved over time. The 1972 Stockholm Conference established an important foundation for global environmental protection. The 1987 Brundtland Report presented the broader concept of sustainable development, while Agenda 21 was adopted at the 1992 Rio Conference. In 1997, the United Nations General Assembly reviewed the progress of Agenda 21 under Rio+5, and the commitment to its implementation was reaffirmed at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Subsequently, in 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the 2030 Agenda.