Chapter 1 - Preamble

Section 1 - Social & Economic Dimensions

Section 2 - Conservation and Management of Resources

Section 3 - Strengthening the Role of Major Groups

Section 4 - Means of Implementation
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40

Complete text of Agenda 21: Chapter 37
Chapter 37: Creating Capacity for Sustainable Development

A country’s ability to develop more sustainably depends on the capacity of its people and institutions to understand complex environment and development issues so that they can make the right development choices.

People need to have the expertise to understand the potential and the limits of the environment. They will face difficult policy choices when dealing with such complex problems as global climate change and protecting biodiversity. This will require scientific, technological, organizational, institutional and other skills.

Governments should use wide public consultation to determine what improvements in capacity their people need to implement their national version of Agenda 21 for sustainable development. This analysis should be done by 1994, if possible, and should be based upon a broad national consensus. By 1997, the United Nations should recommend what additional measures are needed to strengthen international technical cooperation programmes for sustainable development.

Capacity building is an essential step in preparing national sustainable development strategies and Agenda 21 action programmes. Countries can build on the experience of preparing national reports for the UN Conference on Environment and Development, as well existing conservation strategies, development and environment plans.

Developing countries will need more technical cooperation and assistance in setting priorities so they can deal with new long-term challenges, rather than concentrating only on immediate problems. For example, people in government and business need to know how to evaluate the environmental impact of all development projects, starting from the time the projects are conceived.

Assistance in the form of skills, knowledge and technical know-how can come from the United Nations, national governments, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, universities, research centres, and business and other private organizations. The United Nations Development Programme has been given responsibility for mobilizing international funding and coordination programmes for capacity building.

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