INTRODUCTION

Mother Earth is a planet in expanding deserts, acid rain, Rloaeril Evidence is mounting that deforestation, warming, ozone layer depletion, loss of biologicai diversity and the poisoning of food chains and water supplies by toxic wastes are just a few of the threats facing us. We caused these problems. We are taking away the oceans, the greenery, the soils, the clouds from our children. What can we do to halt further destruction and repair if we can, the damage and destruction we have caused on our fragile planet?

WE CAN START WITH OUR COMMON FUTURE

In 1983 the General Assembly of the United Nations set up the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). Chaired by the then Prime Minister of Norway, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the Commission was made up of representatives from 21 countries in all regions of the world, For three years this group of scientists, senior government officials and politicians, whom were from the developing countries, studied and discussed peace, development more than half of and envronmental issues. > long series of studies was produced, and public hearings were held in five continents. In April 1987 the results were published in the form of a book entitled “Our Common Future” In the autumn of the same year the Brundtland Commission, as it is informally known, presented its report to the 42nd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

AGENDA FOR CHANGE
The main task of the Brundtland Commission was to prepare a global agenda for change. To this end, three objectives were formulated:

1. To study the critical environmental and development problems and formulate realistic proposals for addressing them;
2. To suggest new forms of international co-operation intended to promote the changes needed to solve these problems;
3. To raise the awareness of individuals, activists, organizations, business enterprises, institutes and governments and increase their readiness to take action.

THE CENTRAL IDEA

The central idea arising from Our Common Future is the concept of sustainable development which means development that meets the needs of the present without endangering the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is understood to mean that the basic needs of humanity like food, clothing, shelter, and jobs must be met, especially for the poor and disadvantaged people. It also means that whatever ways are used to develop the economy must not lead towards the destruction of the environment for future generations.