Section 88p. 88

PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW COMPENDIUM VOLUME I

The environmental policies of all States should enhance

and

not

adversely

affect

the

present

or

future

development

potential

of

developing

countries,

nor

should they hamper the attainment

of better living conditions for all, and appropriate steps

should be taken by States and international organizations

with a view to reaching agreement on meeting the

possible

national

and

international

economic

consequences

resulting

from

the

application

of

environmental measures.

Principle 12

Resources should be made available to preserve and

improve

the

environment,

taking

into

account

the

circumstances and particular requirements of developing

countries and any costs which may emanate- from their

incorporating

environmental

safeguards

into

their

development planning and the need for making available

to them, upon their request, additional international

technical and financial assistance for this purpose.

Principle 13

In order to achieve a more rational management of

resources and thus to improve the environment, States

should adopt an integrated and coordinated approach to

their

development

planning

so

as

to

ensure

that

development is compatible with the need to protect and

improve environment for the benefit of their population.

Principle 14

Rational

planning

constitutes

an

essential

tool

for

reconciling

any

conflict

between

the

needs

of

development and the need to protect and improve the

environment.

Principle 15

Planning must be applied to human settlements and

urbanization with a view to avoiding adverse effects on

the

environment

and

obtaining

maximum

social,

economic and environmental benefits for all. In this

respect projects which arc designed for colonialist and

racist domination must be abandoned.

Principle 16

Demographic policies which are without prejudice to

basic human rights and which are deemed appropriate

by Governments concerned should be applied in those

regions where the rate of population growth or excessive

population concentrations are likely to have adverse

effects on the environment of the human environment

and impede development.

Principle 17

Appropriate national institutions must be entrusted with

the task of planning, managing or controlling the 9

environmental

resources

of

States

with

a

view

to

enhancing environmental quality.

Principle 18

Science and technology, as part of their contribution to

economic and social development, must be applied to

the

identification,

avoidance

and

control

of

environmental risks and the solution of environmental

problems and for the common good of mankind.

Principle 19

Education in environmental matters, for the younger

generation as well as adults, giving due consideration to

the underprivileged, is essential in order to broaden the

basis for an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct

by individuals, enterprises and communities in protecting

and

improving

the

environment

in

its

full

human

dimension.

It

is

also

essential

that

mass

media of

communications avoid contributing to the deterioration

of the environment, but, on the contrary, disseminates

information of an educational nature on the need to

project and improve the environment in order to enable

mal to develop in every respect.

Principle 20

Scientific research and development in the context of

environmental

problems,

both

national

and

multinational,

must

be

promoted

in

all

countries,

especially the developing countries. In this connection,

the free flow of up-to-date scientific information and

transfer of experience must be supported and assisted, to

facilitate

the

solution

of

environmental

problems;

environmental technologies should be made available to

developing countries on terms which would encourage

their

wide

dissemination

without

constituting

an

economic burden on the developing countries.

Principle 21

States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United

Nations

and

the

principles of international law, the

sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to

their own environmental policies, and the responsibility

to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control

do not cause damage to the environment of other States

or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.

Principle 22

States shall cooperate to develop further the international

law regarding liability and compensation for the victims

of pollution and other environmental damage caused by

activities within the jurisdiction or control of such States

to areas beyond their jurisdiction.

Principle 23

Without prejudice to such criteria as may be agreed upon

by the international community, or to standards which

will have to be determined nationally, it will be essential

in all cases to consider the systems of values prevailing in

each country, and the extent of the applicability of

standards

which

are

valid

for

the

most

advanced

countries

but

which

may

be

inappropriate

and

of

unwarranted social cost for the developing countries.

Principle 24

International

matters

concerning the protection and

improvement of the environment should be handled in a

cooperative spirit by all countries, big and small, on an

equal

footing.

Cooperation

through

multilateral

or

bilateral arrangements or other appropriate means is

essential

to

effectively

control,

prevent,

reduce

and

eliminate adverse environmental effects resulting from

© Compiled by RGL

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