ABSTRACT
The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the other agreements from the Earth Summit in 1992 contain a large number of general principles. This chapter focuses on the Rio principles and how they are being used, in particular the elaboration of these principles into either national or international law in the field of sustainable development. There are two broad categories of principles. In the first category, there are what one might call the core principles, which are inherent in the concept of sustainable development. In the second category, principles are drawn from other areas of international law which provide assistance in the achievement of sustainable development. The second category includes the principle that is reflected in Principles 21 and 2, the principle of good neighbourliness and international co-operation; the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities; the principle of precaution, and the principle of governance-namely, participation by civil society in the decision-making and the polluter pays principle.
