Environmental protection requires global cooperation, but significant differences exist between the developed countries of the North and developing countries of the South. These differences necessitate policies of compromise and accommodation to save planet Earth.

The developed countries of the North want to discuss environmental issues as they stand currently and expect everyone to be equally responsible for ecological conservation. They emphasise immediate action to address environmental degradation.

The developing countries of the South argue that much of the ecological degradation is the product of industrial development undertaken by developed countries. They believe that if developed countries have caused more degradation, they must take more responsibility for undoing the damage. Moreover, developing countries are in the process of industrialisation and should not be subjected to the same restrictions that apply to developed countries.

Through compromise and accommodation, this conflict was resolved at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. The Rio Declaration accepted the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities'. This principle acknowledges that while all states must cooperate to conserve and protect the Earth's ecosystem, developed countries bear greater responsibility due to the pressures their societies place on the global environment and their greater technological and financial resources.

This spirit of accommodation produced conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and forestry, along with Agenda 21. The consensus achieved on combining economic growth with ecological responsibility gave rise to the concept of 'sustainable development'. However, considerable differences and difficulties remain unresolved, requiring continued negotiation and mutual accommodation between the North and South.