The concept of sustainable development in the mediterranean : emergence and recurrence

[摘要] The history ofthe relationship between man and nature,since time immemorial, sets the scene for studying issuesrelated to sustainable development. Concepts of «carrying capacity» and «ecological impact» are not new, as isillustrated by the example of the use of water resourcesin Ancient Greece. The Mediterranean region is particularly sensitive to such problems, and the protection ofthe Mediterranean sea was one of the first results toemerge from the Stockholm Conference in 1972. TheUnited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), bornafter the Conference, gave birth to the MediterraneanAction Plan, leading to the Barcelona Convention linkingtogether twenty coastal states, as well as the European Union. In this framework, the Blue Plan was set upand designed to study the impacts on the environment ofdevelopment and population growth. Several possiblescenarios were set up, providing background materialfor the Earth Summit in Rio. The period between 1990 –1995 saw the newly set up Mediterranean Commissiondealing with issues relating to water (management, pollution), tourism (colonisation of natural sites, pressureon the environment) and sustainable management ofcoastal regions. Other points were also raised recently,such as sustainable urban development. However, thisinstitutionalisation of environmental problems that happenat both the national and international levels, shouldnot lead to a compromise Statement achieving nothingconcrete. Indeed, the maintenance of environmentalachievements and the definition of new concepts shouldallow sustainable development to move forward.

[学科分类] 自然科学（综合）