Here are the main useful historical notes which have led to the definition of the Agenda 21 process:

1972: Stockholm conference: development compatible with the environment. For the first time some principles are adopted at an International level which will be the basis for the concept of sustainable development: "Man is bearer of a solemn responsibility for the protection and the improvement of the environment for present and future generations"; "Earth's natural resources must be safeguarded to the benefit of present and future generations through careful and apt planning and management "

1987: "Bruntland Report" ("Our common future"). Sustainable development is defined: "a development that will satisfy the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their needs ".
Environment protection is no longer considered a constraint to development, but a necessary condition for a lasting development.

1989: 228 UN resolution: It is the convocation of a United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), for a sustainable and environmentally healthy development in all countries.

1992: Rio de Janeiro Conference: During this conference, of world level, the basis is given to start the environmental recovery programme for our planet, and principles are enounced according to which National and International policies can be set, and global problems are put into evidence which will have to involve responsibilities and actions in all the nations. Whence three main documents resulted:
- Rio declaration on environment and development
- Authoritative declaration of principles on forests

1992: XXI Agenda, V action programme: V European Union action programme in favour of the environment, subtitled "for a lasting and sustainable development", introduced important novelties in community environmental policies: the contextualization in community context of the principles introduced by the Rio Conference and, in particular, by Agenda XXI.

1993: Natural plan for sustainable development. In Italia the "Piano nazionale per lo sviluppo sostenibile, in attuazione dell'Agenda XXI" (provv. CIPE of  28/12/93)is issued: in fact it is but an exam of the actuation status of current environmental policies, without bringing about anything new in Italian environmental policies.

1994: Aalborg Charter. This is the first step towards the actuation of Local Agenda 21, signed by over 300 local authorities during the "European Conference on Sustainable Cities": basic principles are defined for a sustainable development of the city, who must keep in strict contact between them, and the addresses for local action plans

1996: Lisbon Conference. It is an updating of the Aalborg Charter, in amore applicative sense, promoting operating tools (indicators, environmental management , VIA, EMAS, etc.) as well socio-political ones (participation, consensus, cooperation)

January.2002