UPSC Prelims 2016 · Question 82 of 98

UPSC Prelims 2016 question on Agenda 21

With reference to ‘Agenda 21’, sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. It is a global action plan for sustainable development.

2. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer

Answer: A. 1 only

Verdict

The answer is 1 only. Agenda 21 is a global action plan for sustainable development, but it originated at Rio in 1992, not Johannesburg in 2002.

Analysis

Statement 1 is CORRECT. Agenda 21 is a non binding, voluntarily implemented action plan of the United Nations on sustainable development, addressing action at global, national and local levels. Statement 2 is INCORRECT. It was a product of the Earth Summit, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held at Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development at Johannesburg reviewed progress on Agenda 21 and produced its own plan of implementation, but did not originate it.

Source

NCERT material and press commentary on the sustainable development agenda.

How to crack it

The numeral in the title is the clue, since Agenda 21 means an agenda for the twenty first century, which places it just before the century began rather than two years into it. Reading a number in a document's title as a date reference or a target horizon is a reliable move, as it also is for Rio plus twenty and Vision 2020. Then anchor the sustainability conference chain, Stockholm 1972, Rio 1992, Johannesburg 2002, Rio plus twenty 2012.

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