ABSTRACT
Introduction The Agenda 21 document agreed at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 declared that humankind should share wealth and opportunities more fully between the northern and southern hemispheres, between countries, and between different social groups within each country, with special emphasis on the needs and rights of the poor and disadvantaged. It stated that this kind of change will only be realised by the process of democracy and participation: ‘We will not achieve sustainable development by accident but must consciously plan and work for it, at all levels from international to local; all people, including poor and disadvantaged groups, must have a say in decisions about environment and development; all social groups and interests, including business, education, and
voluntary and community groups as well as governments at all levels, will need to work in partnership’ (United Nations, 1992). Central to Agenda 21 is the belief that sustainable development can only be achieved if deprived communities in the rich world together with the great majority of people living in low-income countries are given social and economic assistance. The LA 21 document recognises that unless this is done then there will be little support for sustainability from these communities or countries. It stated that environment policy should be integrated into decisionmaking at all levels and environmental improvement must be linked to improving the economic and social status of deprived communities. Agenda 21 stipulated that over half the required policy steps should be implemented in the locality, reflecting the view held by greens that planetary problems require local as well as national and international action.
