This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends that the UN regional economic commissions should play a leading role in coordinating regional and sub-regional activities by sectoral and other UN bodies and should assist countries in achieving sustainable development. These commissions, regional programmes within the UN system, as well as other regional organizations should review the need for modification of ongoing activities in the light of Agenda 21.
Towards Sustainability: the Fifth EU Environmental Action Programme was a strategic environmental policy programme for the period 1993-2000 endorsed by the EU member states. The programme laid out the environmental objectives of the EU to the year 2000 and long-term goals beyond 2000. The priority environmental themes of the programme were climate change, acidification and air quality, protection of nature and biodiversity, management of water resources, the urban environment, coastal zones and waste management. The target groups were: industry, energy, transport, agriculture and tourism. A review of the Programme was carried out by the European Commission in 1995. Using this evaluation as a basis, the Commission submitted a proposal to the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament for a revised programme. The proposal gave priority to actions to: (1) integrate the environment into other policies; (2) broaden the range of instruments; (3) improve implementation and enforcement of legislation; (4) raise awareness; and (5) strengthen international cooperation. The Programme provided a strategic framework for the formulation of specific policy proposals by the European Commission.