Read the passage and answer the questions:
The developed countries of the North want to discuss the environmental issue as it stands now and want everyone to be equally responsible for ecological conservation. The developing countries of the South feel that much of the ecological degradation in the world is the product of industrial development undertaken by the developed countries. If they have caused more degradation, they must also take more responsibility for undoing the damage now. Moreover, the developing countries are in the process of industrialisation and they must not be subjected to the same restrictions, which apply to the developed countries. Thus the special needs of the developing countries must be taken into account in the development, application, and interpretation of rules of international environmental law. This argument was accepted in the Rio Declaration at the Earth Summit in 1992 and is called the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’. The Rio Summit produced conventions dealing with climate change, biodiversity, forestry, and recommended a list of development practices called “Agenda 21.” There was a consensus on combining economic growth with ecological responsibility. This approach to development is commonly known as ‘sustainable development’. Some critiques have pointed out that Agenda 21 was biased in favour of economic growth rather than ensuring ecological conservation.
What is the criticism of Agenda 21?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → It is biased in favour of economic growth rather than ensuring ecological conservation.
Option (1) It introduces binding commitments on all countries to reduce emission of greenhouse gases. — Incorrect. Agenda 21 was a list of recommended development practices, not a set of binding emission targets.
Option (2) It applies international law equally, without exceptions. — Incorrect. The same Rio Summit accepted that the special needs of the developing countries must be taken into account in applying and interpreting rules of international environmental law. Equal application without exceptions is what the North wanted and Rio did not adopt; and in any case the criticism of Agenda 21 was about its tilt towards growth, not about equal treatment.
Option (3) It discourages industrialization in the South. — Incorrect. The criticism was the opposite: that it leaned towards economic growth.
Option (4) It is biased in favour of economic growth rather than ensuring ecological conservation. — Correct. Some critics have pointed out that Agenda 21 was biased in favour of economic growth rather than ensuring ecological conservation.
NCERT (2025-26): “Environmental Concerns in Global Politics … The Rio Summit produced conventions dealing with climate change, biodiversity, forestry, and recommended a list of development practices called ‘Agenda 21’. But it left unresolved considerable differences and difficulties. There was a consensus on combining economic growth with ecological responsibility. This approach to development is commonly known as ‘sustainable development’. The problem however was how exactly this was to be achieved. Some critics have pointed out that Agenda 21 was biased in favour of economic growth rather than ensuring ecological conservation.…” |