UN Conferences on environment and development since 1972

Since 1972 United Nations have organized conferences addressing environmental and development issues. The first called UN Conference on the Human Environment took place in Stockholm and started on 5 June, a date since then celebrated as the World Environment Day.

Smaller events took place 10 years after in 1982. Larger events has since then taken place every ten years starting in Rio de Janeiro 1992, Johannesburg 2002, Rio de Janeiro again 2012 and Stockholm again in 2022. 

All these official events have been accompanied by popular activities and growing influence from business interest. Already in 1972 movements from all over the world set an example in organizing alternative conferences, demonstrations and dialogue with the official summit, a way of organizing that since then have become a model not only for other UN Conferences on the environment but also in general for many summits. Since 1992 during the Rio conference the participation from popular movements, NGOs and business interests expanded significantly.