Background

In 1972, 114 countries gathered in Stockholm for the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. This was the first global conference to focus explicitly on environmental issues and their links with human development. The conference also came at a time when scientific understanding of regional and global environmental challenges such as nuclear testing, acid rain and eutrophication gained momentum in society. It was a watershed moment and established a process of global collaboration for human and environmental sustainability resulting in landmark agreements such as Agenda 21 and the Rio Principles, Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals and the Rio conventions on Climate, Biodiversity and Desertification. The main outcome of the conference in Stockholm was the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which represented an important step towards the development of international environmental law: recognizing the importance of a healthy environment for human development. The conference also led to the establishment of the UN Environment Programme.

The latest report from the International Panel on Climate Change and the recent COP26 UN Climate Change Conference have clarified the seriousness of the challenges and importance of political support for intersectoral action towards halving the global emissions by 2030 with net zero reached by mid-century. This requires commitment and courage from leaders and policymakers to create a world where economic development is not an end in itself, but a means to ensure the health and wellbeing of people and planet.

In June 2022, the Government of Sweden, in collaboration with the Government of Kenya, will host “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity” to commemorate the 50 years since the Stockholm Conference. The meeting will take place in Stockholm 2–3 June 2022 following a UN General Assembly resolution. The focus will be on the urgent need for action towards a sustainable society, including achieving a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The conference will reinforce the messages and the outcomes of UNEP’s 50th anniversary held in March 2022 in Nairobi.

Photography exhibition “Hope? and how to grieve for the planet” by Neal Haddaway

An exploration of how environmental researchers and communicators feel about the state of the planet and the environmental crises facing the world.

Visit the virtual gallery: www.nealhaddaway.com/hope