Chapter 1 - Preamble

Section 1 - Social & Economic Dimensions
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8

Section 2 - Conservation and Management of Resources

Section 3 - Strengthening the Role of Major Groups

Section 4 - Means of Implementation

Complete text of Agenda 21: Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Making Decisions for Sustainable Development

The way most people make decisions, whether in government, business or as individuals, separates economic, social and environmental factors.

It is necessary to understand the links between environment and development in order to make development choices that will be economically efficient, socially equitable and responsible, and environmentally sound.

Some governments have begun to consider systematically the environmental impacts of economic, social, fiscal, energy, agricultural, transportation, trade and other policies. More groups are participating in development decisions through discussions among national and local governments, industry, science, environmental groups and the public.

Governments should create sustainable development strategies to integrate social and environmental policies in all ministries and at all levels, including fiscal measures and the budget.

The strategies should aim for socially responsible economic development while protecting the resource base and the environment for the benefit of future generations. The strategies should be developed through the widest possible participation.

Moving decision-makers from narrow sectoral approaches toward an integration of environmental issues into sustainable development policy-making will require changes in information gathering, management techniques and planning.

To make informed decisions, people need regular sustainable development progress reports that integrate economic and social conditions and trends, with information on the state of the environment and natural resources. National accounting systems should measure the crucial role of the environment as a source of natural capital, and as a sink for our waste by-products.

Much of our environment and development law-making seems to be ad hoc and piecemeal, or lacks enforcement and updating. Governments need to foster the evolution of sustainable development law, based on sound economic, social and environmental principles and appropriate risk assessment, and backed up by enforcement.

Prices, markets and governmental fiscal and economic policies also shape attitudes and behaviour towards the environment. There is a tendency to treat the environment as a "free good," and to pass the costs of environmental damage to other parts of society, other countries, or future generations. Environmental costs need to be clearly visible to producers and consumers, and prices should reflect the relative scarcity and total value of resources. These changes are needed in such fields as energy, transportation, agriculture, forestry, water, wastes, health and tourism.

Governments should remove or reduce subsidies that do not meet sustainable development objectives, and move towards pricing policies consistent with these goals.

Advice and technical support in using markets to make development more sustainable should be provided to countries whose economies are developing or are in transition to market systems.

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