There have been many international efforts to deal with environmental concerns as well as about the relationship between economic development and environmental degradation.

1. UN Conference on Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972) The purpose was to encourage and provide guidelines for protection of the environment.

2. World Commission on Environment and Development (1983) also called Brundtland commission put forward the concept of sustainable growth.

3. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit (1992) sought to raise public awareness on the need to integrate environment and development and to create a partnership between developing and more industrialized nations to ensure a healthy future for the planet.

4. Earth Summit at Johannesburg (2002) recognized sustainable development as the most important goal for institutions at the national, regional and international levels.

5. UN Conference on sustainable development (Rio-2012) is also called Rio Earth Summit or Rio+20. Environmental sustainability is defined as responsible interaction with the environment to avoid depletion or degradation of natural resources and allow for long term environmental quality. It’s goal is to conserve natural resources, to reduce pollution, to develop alternate sources of power, etc.