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?

The correct answer is Option 1 only — that is, only Statement 1 is correct.

Let us carefully analyze each statement one by one to understand why this is the case.

Statement 1: "It is a global action plan for sustainable development."

This statement is correct. Agenda 21 is a comprehensive, non-binding resolution adopted by the United Nations, which serves as a global blueprint or action plan aimed at achieving sustainable development in the 21st century. The name "Agenda 21" itself is derived from the 21st century, signifying a forward-looking plan for humanity. It addresses a wide range of issues spanning economic development, social equity, and environmental protection — the three core pillars of sustainable development. The agenda outlines specific actions that governments, international organizations, civil societies, and individuals should take to move toward a sustainable future.

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

This statement is incorrect. Agenda 21 did not originate at the Johannesburg Summit of 2002. It was actually conceived and adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), popularly known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992. This landmark conference brought together 178 governments and was one of the largest gatherings of world leaders at the time.

The event that took place in Johannesburg in 2002 was the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), also known as Rio+10, because it was held ten years after the original Rio Earth Summit. The Johannesburg Summit was convened to review the progress made since Agenda 21 was adopted in 1992 — it was not the origin of Agenda 21. This is a very common point of confusion, and it is important to distinguish between the two events clearly.

To summarize the key distinction:

Agenda 21 adopted at: Earth Summit (UNCED), Rio de Janeiro, 1992
Johannesburg Summit (2wssd), 2002: A follow-up review summit (Rio+10), not the origin of Agenda 21

Since Statement 1 is correct and Statement 2 is incorrect, the right answer is "1 only".