By “sustainable development” is meant the capacity to satisfy the needs of the present without compromising the possibilities for future generation to satisfy their own. “Agenda 21” is the global action plan for sustainable development adopted by the world conference of Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The primary objective of Agenda 21, composed of over a hundred thematic programmes in as many sectors, consists in reforming the modes of international cooperation to combat poverty and stem the deterioration of the environment. The European Community, a signatory together with the member states, has right from the start pledged to incorporate the principles of Agenda 21 in its own legislation. At the same time it has promoted the application of local Agenda 21 programmes (some 5000 in Europe out of a world total of 6000) by the territorial authorities of the member countries. In 1997, the European Commission presented its Report “Agenda 21 The first five years; Application of Agenda 21 in the European Community”, which was followed in 2000 by the “Report to the Commission of the United Nations on sustainable development”. The two documents contain detailed information on the measures adopted and on the responsible authorities both at the EU level and at the national or sub-national level for the application of the principles of Rio. In particular, the fifth programme of Community action on “lasting and sustainable development” for the period 1992-2000 established the principles and guidelines of a Community strategy that culminated with the integration of the environment in the EU policies sanctioned by the European Council of Vienna in 1998. More recently, the Union has adopted its sixth programme of environmental action for the period 2001-2010, entitled “Environment 2010: our future, our choice”. The new programme poses as its principal objective the correct application of the existing environment legislation, with particular reference to four priority areas (climate change, nature and biodiversity, environment and health, sustainable use of natural resources and waste) and four “key approaches” (integration of environmental issues in EU policies, cooperation with industry and with consumers, improvement of citizens’ access to environmental information, development of an “environmental conscience” for the use of the earth). In May 2001, moreover, the Communication “European strategy for sustainable development” was adopted; it defines objectives of sustainable development focused on climate change, transport, health and natural resources. G.A.G.
