1972 STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE
The 1972 Conference in Stockholm involved 6 thousand people from 113 countries.
The result of its work was the Declaration of the Human Environment.
It contains the principles of the emerging international environmental law.
The first principle states: “Man has the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being, and he bears a solemn responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations.”
The right to a clean environment and the duty to take care of it is the cornerstone of international environmental law.
Principles 2 to 7 spell out the general obligation to care for the environment by emphasizing the importance of careful planning and management of the use of natural resources, as well as preventing the pollution of the environment. Principles 8 to 26 require to achieve a balance between the economic and social development on the one hand and the protection of the environment on the other.
Principle 9 in particular calls for economic and technical assistance to the developing countries. Principles 13 and 14 advocate the use of rational planning of the economic