The first warnings that the global environment was in trouble came from activists in the 1960s as environmentalist Rachel Carson published her landmark book, Silent Spring. It was also the first time humanity could see the Earth from space as a whole, as a closed system, as vulnerable. Exponentially expanding populations and economic development were placing increasing strain on the Earth's ability to sustain itself. Toxic pollution, rising extinctions, global warming, farmlands becoming deserts, impending famine, weakening global cooperation on matters of the environment. In answer to these concerns, the United Nations began to promote a new era in global environmental management.
On June 5, 1972, the UN convened the United Nations Conference On The Human Environment, the first Earth Summit. The world watched as delegates from 113 countries gathered to discuss the state of the global environment and how nations could begin to cooperate on environmental policies.
It became clear to the conference participants that the Earth was on a collision course with environmental disaster.
The consensus was resounding that nations must begin to cooperate to preserve the environment and convert to sustainable development. Methods that do not irreversibly deplete the Earth's air, soil, water and biological diversity.
As a direct result of the conference, more than 115 nations around the world established environmental ministries and agencies.
From the conference was also established the World Commission On Environment And Development. In 1987, the commission published its report, Our Common Future, which detailed the impending environmental crisis facing the earth and the need for the leaders of the world to meet and agree on a plan to transition to sustainable development and ways and means of preserving humankind's environmental heritage.
The commission's concept of sustainable development became an organizing principle for the United Nations for the next two decades and would be the principle upon which the second Earth Summit would be based.
Sustainable development means using methods that do not irreversibly deplete or spoil the air, water, soil and other non-renewable resources that are essential for the continuation of life and productivity on the planet.
