教材分析
本單元的中心話題為“拯救地球”，通過課堂導(dǎo)入引出水污染、空氣污染、環(huán)境破壞，亂砍亂伐樹木等環(huán)境問題，圍繞這一主題，結(jié)合聽、說、讀、寫的訓(xùn)練達(dá)到熟悉話題表述，語言熟練應(yīng)用，能運(yùn)用所學(xué)知識就環(huán)境問題展開討論，在口頭上和筆頭上闡述自己的觀點(diǎn)，達(dá)到語言輸出的目的。
“熱身”（Warming up）部分，運(yùn)用圖片導(dǎo)入法，通過對所展示圖片的討論，引出環(huán)境保護(hù)、拯救地球的主題，初步了解學(xué)生對現(xiàn)狀、原因、解決辦法的掌握程度，并通過提問了解學(xué)生對本單元學(xué)習(xí)內(nèi)容、學(xué)習(xí)策略、學(xué)習(xí)途徑的愿望，以便教師及時調(diào)整其后課堂教學(xué)的內(nèi)容、難度、和深度的把握。
“聽力”訓(xùn)練由兩大部分組成，分別安排在“聽力”（Listening）和“綜合技能”（Integrating Skills）兩個部分。前者又由兩部分組成，第一部分為紀(jì)念“世界地球日”活動上的講話，闡述了保護(hù)水資源的必要性和緊迫性。第二部分圍繞保護(hù)水資源的主題，介紹了如何保護(hù)水資源的具體措施；后者，作為綜合語言運(yùn)用部分，聽力內(nèi)容主要為其后的寫作作為鋪墊，除了敏銳捕捉語言信息以外，學(xué)生還需要了解發(fā)言稿的開篇、論證、以及結(jié)束。
“閱讀”（Reading）著重介紹世界地球峰會的由來，詳細(xì)描述了2002年南非約翰內(nèi)斯堡地球峰會的召開情況，展示了“可持續(xù)發(fā)展”這一主題，會上大多數(shù)代表所涉及的“世界三大殺手（被污染了的飲用水、簡陋的衛(wèi)生設(shè)備和空氣污染，以及貧困、戰(zhàn)爭、和暴亂，指出世界的順利發(fā)展，取決于各國的和平相處、互相合作、互相促進(jìn)、共同進(jìn)步，最后文章還闡述了世界地球峰會的作用和意義。
“語言學(xué)習(xí)”（Language Study）要求學(xué)生利用構(gòu)詞法的知識，靈活運(yùn)用詞形變化進(jìn)行正確運(yùn)用，在第二部分要求學(xué)生正確辨別－ly結(jié)尾詞的詞性。
“語法”（Grammar）通過對倒裝形式的總結(jié)，全面了解倒裝的具體結(jié)構(gòu)和應(yīng)用，結(jié)合句型轉(zhuǎn)換和選詞填空練習(xí)，幫助學(xué)生掌握這一語法現(xiàn)象。
“綜合技能”（Integrating skills）采用高一課本中未曾出現(xiàn)過的展示方式，選用聽力方式展示寫作模式，通過口頭討論等方式，鞏固學(xué)生對本單元知識的掌握，從而有效地指導(dǎo)學(xué)生進(jìn)行寫作練習(xí)， 并通過Unit 2中的checklist對所寫的書面表達(dá)進(jìn)行修改。
教案范例
Period 1 Warming up, listening and Speaking
I. Goals:
1. To make Ss know pollution and present situation throughout the
world and encourage them to find solutions to this problem.
2. To encourage Ss to activate the relevant vocabulary.
3. To develop Ss' speaking by practicing supporting an opinion.
II. Teaching procedures
Step 1 Warming up
1. Greetings
2. Talk about the pictures
Present the students a series of pictures to assure them how serious the pollution is
and ask them some questions about these pictures.
⑴ ⑵ ⑶
⑷ ⑸ ⑹
Q1: What can you see in these pictures? How does it happen?
Q2: What causes the problem?
Q3: What are the biggest problems facing the earth? Why do you think so?
Q4: Have you ever done something bad to the environment?
Q5: Can you give me more examples that happened in people's daily life and is bad
for the environment?
Step 2 Listening
1. Lead in
More and more people are realizing the damage that is being done the environment and learning more and more harm that the environment is doing to our human inhabit. People are celebrating International Earth Day, when varieties of activities are held so that more people will be involved in environment protection.
2. While-listening
Listen to Part 1 and answer the questions.
1) Why is she giving this speech?
2) What does she think the most serious problem is?
3) What does she say that we should do about it?
4) What do you think she will say next?
Listen to Part 2 and fill in the blanks with what Ss hear.
Argument 1: We should _____________.
We must _________________________.
We should _______________________.
If we _______, we ________________. Argument 2; _______________________
Problem: _______________________
Solutions: _______________________
3. Post-listening
Pair work: Infer what the speaker will say next, list like the above one and share the speech with the partner and the class.
Group work: Discuss with group members about the measures that we may take to protect air, forest; animals; grassland.
Ask Ss to deliver their speech on environment protection.
Step 3 Speaking
1. Talking about what Ss can see in the picture.
(1) (2)
Q1: What is being piled in the picture 1?
Q2: What can coal be used for?
Q3: What is being giving off from the workshop?
Q4: What is being polluted?
Every coin has two sides. It is true with coal, which is a valuable resource that can be used to produce energy, but it can also cause serious pollution.
2. Group work: A debate Coal is/isn’t a valuable resource.
pros cons
A businessman An environmentalist
A scientist A local citizen
A local leader
… …
Period 2 Reading Welcome to the Earth Summit
I. Goals:
1.To promote the students' understanding of the text
2. To get the students to grasp the detailed information of the text
3. To enable the students to master some words and expressions
4. To improve the students' reading ability
II. Teaching procedures
Step 1 Warming up
Ask the students some questions connected with pollution
Q1: Did you use to go swimming in a river when you were young?
What about the children today? Why not?
Q2: Do you use one-off chopsticks while having fast food?
Q3: How do you deal with the plastic bags?
Q4: What do you think of the air today?
Q5: What do you think of the relationship between economy development and
pollution?
Step 2 Pre-reading
1. Discussion
Read the title and discuss in pairs what problems will be discussed at the summit.
(As the title states, problems related to the earth will be discussed at the summit, like air, water, forest, desert, grassland, etc)
2. Prediction
Group work: Fill in the chart with what Ss predict about what each part of the text will be about.
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
3. Problem-solving
Go through the whole passage and compare whose guess is the closest to the content of the passage.
4. Find the answers to these two questions.
Q1: When and where was the Earth Summit held?
(In 2002 in Johannesburg in South Africa.)
Q2: Which Chinese officer attended the meeting? What did he say?
(Premier Zhu Rongji; Stressed the need for quality and fairness in the world. )
Step 3 While-reading
1. Individual work
Get the students to read the text carefully and ask some students to answer the following questions in their own words.
Q1: What was the meeting held in 1972 about ?
Q2: What's the main theme of the Earth Summit?
Q3: Do you know the 'big three’? What are they?
Q4: Where do you think usually has 'the big three'? Why?
Q5: What does global development mean nowadays? What should developed
countries actually do?
Q6: What's the use of conferences like the Earth Summit?
Q7: What's the key to the future? As a student, what should you do?
2. Reading for information
Introduction Name The Earth Summit
When In 2002
Where Johannesburg, south Africa
Theme Sustainable development
How to continue developing the world without damaging the environment
Body
The “big three” Contaminated drinking water; 20%
Poor sanitation:
Air pollution: three million deaths; in rural areas in developing countries
Global development Equality Each country takes part in
Fairness
International cooperation Rich counties help poor countries; Prosperity of developing countries; Possible sustainable development
Conclusion
Impact 1. help to understand the existing serious problems
2. there’s still time to take action
3. change the way we live to save the earth
4. Ss are learning “earth issues”
5. a place to find solutions for the future
Step 4 Post-reading
1. Retelling
Suppose you were the Chinese girl who attended the Earth Summit, tell what she heard and saw at the Summit. Begin with “Hello, everyone. I’m the luckiest girl to attend the 2002 Earth Summit in Johannesburg. Now let me tell you about the summit. …”
2. Interview
Ss work in pairs, playing the role of a newspaper reporter, attendants from different continents attending the Earth Summit. Finally the teacher invites some pairs to act out their interview
2. Design the coming Earth Summit
Group work:
Task: Prepare the coming Earth Summit
Arrangement: S1: organization
S2: Prepare necessities for the Summit
S3: Mess media
S4: Attendants invited
S5: budget
S6: Transportation & accommodation
Have Ss present the preparations for the Summit in groups.
Period 3Language Study & Grammar
I. Goals:
1. To get Ss to learn and master the usages of the new words and the useful expressions in this unit.
2. To enable Ss to grasp the grammar: Inversion.
II. Teaching procedures:
Step 1 Warming up
1. Greetings
2. Play a guessing game: first some items are shown on the screen, and each item is the paraphrase of one new word. Divide the class into four groups. Ss are encouraged to guess the word as quickly as possible. This game is to enlarge Ss’ vocabulary.
(1) To make a place or substance dirty and dangerous by adding sth to it.
(2) To make a short statement giving only the main information and not the details of a plan, report etc.
(3) The situation or experience of being poor.
(4) A position or situation in which people have the same rights, advantages.
(5) To do sth in order to protect someone or sth from being attacked
(6) To do sth that produces an effect or change in someone or sth
(7) .Behavior that is intended to hurt other people physically
(8).Not right or fair
(9).Sth that you can choose to do or use instead of sth else
contaminate, summarize, poverty, equality, defend, affect;
violence, unfair, alternative )
Complete the following sentences with the words from the bracket, using the correct form.
1. According to the report, the environment has become a major _______ worldwide.
One in five children before age five die from diseases caused by environmental
problems. ( kill )
2. Internet use has been spreading at a(n) _________ speed in China. “Have you surfed the net?’’ has become a more common greeting than the traditional “ Have you eaten?’’ ( alarm )
3. The word “netizen”, which means a person who uses the Internet, comes from “net” and “________”. ( city )
4. During the interview, the young man asked about the job ____________ as a sales manager. ( responsible)
5. How many Chinese ______________ will be sent to the international meeting in Stockholm, Sweden? ( represent )
6. The people who listened to the report were shocked by the ________ of the villagers. ( suffer )
7. It was there people’s __________ to work hard and well that impressed me most. ( willing )
( possible answers: killer, alarming, citizen, responsibility, representatives, suffering, willingness )
Step 3 language points and useful expressions
1. Attend: 出席，上（大學(xué)等），照料
To go to an event such as a meeting
eg: Only 7 people attended the meeting.
To go regularly to a school, church etc
eg: All children between the ages of 5 and 16 must attend school.
To look after someone, especially because they are ill
eg: The nurse attended the patient daily.attend to sb/sth 處理，照應(yīng)
eg: I may be late – I have got one or two things to attend to.
Are you being attended to in a shop?
Then do some exercises to enable Ss to distinguish the following words:
attend / join / join in / take part in / join sb in sth Ex: Fill in the blanks with the expressions given.
1. He’ll _________ an important meeting tomorrow.
2. Almost all the teams in our school __________ the basketball match.
3. My wish is to ________ the army after graduation.
4. We’ll _______________ social activities during the summer vacation.
5. They didn’t ___________ the wedding.
6. I ________ the party last year.
7. Our headmaster will _______ us ____ the discussion this afternoon.
( possible answers: attend, join in, join, take part in, attend, joined, join in )
2. take notes: 作筆記，記錄
take action: 采取行動
Eg: Do you takes notes of the lectures?
He sat quietly in the corner taking notes carefully.
They took action to stop him.
The police took action to deal with this thing immediately.
The medicine will not take action for several hours.
開始起作用，見效，生效
The pill takes effect as soon as you swallow it.
take turns
take measures/steps
take place
take care
take medicine
take time
take cold
take notice
take sides
Eg: You always takes sides with him without even listening to me.
3. content:
1). n. 內(nèi)容，目錄 (常作 ~ s ) ; 容量，容積
Eg: the contents of a book
a table of contents
Look up the contents at the beginning of the book.
a bucket of more than usual content
2). Adj. 滿足的，滿意的
be content to do sth
be content with sth
content oneself with sth
He is quite content to watch TV for hours.
I’m very content with my life at present.
As there’s no butter we must content ourselves with dry bread.
access: 進(jìn)入，接近
Eg: The dead-end street was the only access to her home.
Access to the mountain-town is often difficult because of the bad roads.
have access to :
Eg: Twenty percent of the people on earth do not have access to clean drinking water.
have sth that you can use
Eg: The public don’t have access to the site.
the right to enter a place
Not until we know more will we be able to improve the situation.
Until 的三種句式
I didn’t go to bed until my mother came back. （ 陳述句 ） v
Not until my mother came back did I go to bed. （ 倒裝句 ）
It was not until my mother came back that I went to bed. （ 強(qiáng)調(diào)句 ）直到她母親把一切對杰克和盤托出，杰克才明白她為什么跟自己生氣。
1).Jack didn’t understand why she was angry with him until her mother told him everything.
2).Not until her mother told him everything did Jack understand why she was angry with him.
3).It was not until her mother told him everything that Jack understood why she was angry with him.
A better understanding of the environment is necessary, as is the willingness to act.
As 此處的用法與so相同。
Eg: He is a patriot, as are his bothers.
David works hard, as do his classmates.
Harry is unusually tall, as are his sisters.
He believed, as did his family, that you were telling the truth.
With better education, people will be able to build a better society in harmony with
nature.
in harmony with 與---- 協(xié)調(diào) ,和諧
Eg: The color of the sofa is in harmony with the sitting room.
He soon found himself in harmony with his new co-workers.
Your suggestions are not in harmony with the aims of this project.
…perhaps put an end to the death and suffering caused by the big three.
put an end to 結(jié)束，毀掉
Eg: Winning the competition put an end to his financial problems.
The discussion was put an end to by his sudden arrival.
The wind put an end to the pier.
wipe out : 擦洗---- 的內(nèi)部，去除，消滅To make sth inside clean
Eg: wipe out the coffee pot
To destroy, remove, or get rid of sth completely
Eg: wipe out the enemy’s major military targets
Half the population was wiped out by this disease.
informal ) to make you feel extremely tired
Eg: The heat had wiped us out.
And if poverty is less of a problem and people are better educated, there is a good chance that we will see -------
there is a good chance ( that ) ----
“有 可能發(fā)生某事 ”Eg: There is a good chance that I’ll finish the work tomorrow.
There is a good chance ( that ) he will be gone by then.
affect: vt.影響，感動，（疾病）侵襲
effect：n. 影響，效果，作用
Eg: This country was affected by draught.
The amount of rain affects the growth of crops.
The sight affected her to tears.
It may be the effect of the illness.
This accident had an effect on the future of both mother and son.
Not until we know more will we be able to improve the situation.
Only by changing the way we live can we save the earth.
Had I known that air conditioners cause so much pollution, I would never have bought one.
There exist serious problems and there is still time to take action.
Among the speakers was China’s then Premier Zhu Rongji.
A better understanding of the environment is necessary, as is the willingness to act.
Without international cooperation, developing countries cannot prosper, nor will sustainable development be possible.
Study the structures of inverted sentences and g
A. Here comes the bus.
There goes the bell.
Down he went.
On the wall hangs a picture.
B. Hardly had I got home when it began to rain.
Never have I seen such a wonderful film.
Step 6 Practice
So neither nor as
1. Richer countries have a responsibility to protect the environment, ___________ the
poor countries.
2. We shouldn’t waste so much water,________ we use things that are harmful to the environment.
3. Air conditioners cause much pollution,________ cars.
4. Many people are determined to change the way they live.___________ I.
5. I don’t buy products that cause pollution, ________ most people I know.
6. She is interested in environmental protection,________________ her mother.
7. If you don’t stay at the party,_____________ will I.
8. I can’t attend the meeting and _______________ you; we have some other work to do.
9. A: How old are you?
B: Can you keep a secret?
A: Sure.
B: ______________ I.
Possible answers: (so/as do, neither/nor should, so/as do, so/as am, neither/nor do, so/as is, neither/nor, neither/nor can, so/as am )
II. Rewrite the following sentences, beginning with the underlined part.
1. We will not have enough drinking water until we stop polluting our lakes and rivers.
Not until_______________________________________________
2. We can save the earth only by learning to live in harmony with nature.
Only __________________________________________________.
3. I knew that air pollution causes almost three million deaths every year only after the meeting.
Only___________________________________________________
4. Sustainable development can only be possible with international cooperation.
Only__________________________________________________.
5. The Earth Summit is not only a place to talk about problems, but also a place to
find solutions for the future.
Not only___________________________________________________.
6. People will be able to build a better society in harmony with nature only with better education.
Only______________________________________________________.
7. We seldom think of the small changes that we can do to make a big difference.
Seldom___________________________________________________.
8. I have never realized that water is so precious.
Never ____________________________________________________.Try to be clean in our daily activities;
c. Use environmentally safe products Dispose of trash properly Recycle household waste, yard waste, and hazardous chemicalsDon’t pour waste water into rivers and lakes without being cleaned.Recycle the used battery.Use paper bags instead of plastic bags. 2. Report the ways to stop pollution in class.
I. 參考網(wǎng)址：
http://www.unesco.org/water/water_celebrations/index.shtml
（World Day for Water 2004）
6. http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/index.html
7. http://www.un.org (聯(lián)合國)
8. http://www.ukabc.org/wssd.htm
9. http://www.earthobservationsummit.gov
10. http://www.danknapp.com/speechcn.htm （how to plan and prepare a speech）
II. 補(bǔ)充語法
倒裝語序分為“全部倒裝”和“部分倒裝”。在全部倒裝的句子中，整個謂語都放在主語的前面；在部分倒裝的句子中，只是謂語中的一部分（如助動詞、情態(tài)動詞或系動詞be等）放在主語前面，其余部分仍放在主語后面。一、由there, here 或now 等引起，謂語為come（或go）的句子，例如：
There comes the bus! There goes the bell!
Here comes Mary! Now comes your turn.
注：如果主語為人稱代詞，仍用自然語序，例如：
There he comes! Here she comes!
二、由then 引起，謂語為come（或 follow）的句子，
Then came a new difficulty.
Then followed eight years of the Anti-Japanese War.
三、由here（或there）引導(dǎo)，謂語為be的句子
Here is China’s largest tropical forest.
Here are some picture-books.
注：如果主語為人稱代詞，仍用自然語序，
Here you are. / Here we are. / Here it is
四、由so引起的，表示前面所說的情況也適用于另一個人（或物）的句子，如：
Society has changed and so have the people in it.
He plays the violin quite well. So does my sister.
如果一個句子只是重復(fù)前面一句話的意思，盡管so用開頭，語序也不要倒裝
--It was cold yesterday.–-So it was!
五、由neither或nor引起的，表示前面所說 的情況也適用于另一個人（或物）的句子，
-- I won’t do such a thing.
–-Neither / Nor will I.
-- I haven’t done my homework.
–- Neither / Nor have I.
If you don’t go, neither will I.
I didn’t read the notice, nor did he.
六、在if引導(dǎo)的非真實(shí)條件句中，如有助動詞had, should或were時，可以省略if，進(jìn)行倒裝，
Had I come five minutes earlier, I would have met the famous scientist.
(If I had come five minutes …)
Should anyone call, tell him to wait for me here.
Were I ten years younger, I would with you.
Should you change your mind, let us know.
七、out, in, up, down, away等副詞放在主語前,主謂倒裝
Up flew the red balloon.
Out rushed a policeman from among the crowd.
注：如果主語是一個人稱代詞，謂語仍放在后面，如：
Away they went./ Down it flew. / Up it went.八、當(dāng)as引導(dǎo)讓步狀語從句時，把表語提到前面來, 用“形容詞（或副詞、名詞+ as +主語+謂語”這種形式
Child as he is, he knows a lot.
Tired as he was, he continued to work.
Hard as I work, I can’t catch up with you.
Much as we like the place, we can’t stay here.
九、當(dāng)always, often, many a time等詞放在句首時，后面常用倒裝語序，如：
Always did he come to help us.
Often did we warn them not to do so.
Many a time did he go swimming in the river.
注：上述所說的詞不放在句首，不用倒裝語序。
十、only所修飾的副詞、介詞短語或狀語從句放在句首時，其后面的主語部分要進(jìn)行倒裝，如：
Only in this way can you hope to improve the situation there.
Only then did I realize that I was wrong.
Only once did his father discuss his future with him.
Only yesterday did I realize what was going on.
Only after he came back was I able to see him.
注：only修飾主語，仍用自然語序，如：
Only socialism can save China. 十一、含有否定意義的副詞、連詞或短語構(gòu)成的狀語放在句首時，常用倒裝語序
not, never, hardly, seldom, little, rarely,
scarcely, not until, not only…but also…,
neither…nor… no sooner…than…,
hardly…when …, scarcely…when
Never shall I forget the day.
Not until I began to work did I realize Ihad wasted much time.
Not only did he read the book, but also he remembered what he had read.
No sooner had he arrived than he fell ill.
Hardly / Scarcely had he arrived when he fell ill.
注：上面所說的詞和詞組如果不在句首，句子不必用倒裝語序。
另外，not only…but also連接兩個主語時, 不用倒裝，如：
Not only the students, but also the teacher wishes for a holiday.
十二、當(dāng)so（或such）…that…結(jié)構(gòu)中的so或such用于句首時，要采取倒裝語序，如：
So loudly did he speak that he was heard upstairs.
So angry was he that he couldn’t speak.
So hard does he study that he is the best in the class.
Such was the force of the explosion that all the windows were broken.
Such was his strength that he could bend iron bars.
注：such和be連用作表語時，也常用倒裝語序，
Such was the result.
Such were her words.
Such was the story he told.十三、在下列結(jié)構(gòu)中也常用倒裝語序：
In front of them stood a great castle.
On the bed lay a sick old man.
Under the tree sat an old man.
Seated on the ground are some young men.
Lying on the floor was a boy.
典型例題：
1. Not until I began to work ______ how much time I had wasted.
A. didn't I realize B. did I realize
C. I didn't realize D. I realize
2. - Do you know Tom bought a new car?
- I don't know, _______.
A. nor don't I care B. nor do I care
C. I don't care neither D. I don't care also
答案為B。 Not until 引導(dǎo)從句位于句首，后面的主句要倒裝。
答案為B。句中的nor引出部分倒裝結(jié)構(gòu)，表示"也不"。由 so, neither, nor引導(dǎo)的倒裝句，表示前一情況的重復(fù)出現(xiàn)。其中, so用于肯定句, 而 neither, nor 用在否定句中。 典型例題
- Why can't I smoke here?
- At no time _______ in the meeting-room.
A. is smoking permitted B. smoking is permitted
C. smoking is it permitted D. does smoking permit
答案A. 這是一個倒裝問題。當(dāng)否定詞語置于句首以表示強(qiáng)調(diào)時，其句中的主謂須用倒裝結(jié)構(gòu)。這些否定詞包括no, little, hardly, seldom, never, not only, not until等。本題的正常語序是 Smoking is permitted in the meeting-room at no time.
Not until the early years of the 19th century _______ what heat is.
A. man did know B. man know
C. didn't man know D. did man know
答案D. 看到Not until…的句型，我們知道為一倒裝句，答案在C，D 中選一個。改寫為正常語序?yàn)椋琈an did not know what heat is until the early years of the 19th. 現(xiàn)在將not提前，后面就不能再用否定了,否則意思就變了。 典型例題
No sooner _______ than it began to rain heavily.
A. the game began B. has the game begun
C. did the game begin D. had the game begun答案D. 以具有否定意義的副詞放在句首時，一般采用倒裝句(謂語前置)。這類表示否定意義的詞有never, seldom, scarcely, little, few, not, hardly, 以及not only…but (also), no sooner…than, hardly… when scarcely… when等等。
注意：只有當(dāng)Not only… but also連接兩個分句時，才在第一個分句用倒裝結(jié)構(gòu)。如果置于句首的Not only… but also僅連接兩個并列詞語，不可用倒裝結(jié)構(gòu)。
Not only you but also I am fond of music.
About World Day for Water
The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/47/193 of 22 December 1992 by which 22 March of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993, in conformity with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) contained in Chapter 18 (Fresh Water Resources) of Agenda 21. States were invited to devote the Day, as appropriate in the national context, to concrete activities such as the promotion of public awareness through the publication and diffusion of documentaries and the organization of conferences, round tables, seminars and expositions related to the conservation and development of water resources and the implementation of the recommendations of Agenda 21.
hat is World Environment Day?
World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to raise environmental awareness and to encourage action to protect the environment.
IV. EARTH SUMMIT
In 1992, more than 100 heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the first international Earth Summit convened to address urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development. The assembled leaders signed the Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity, endorsed the Rio Declaration and the Forest Principles, and adopted Agenda 21, a 300 page plan for achieving sustainable development in the 21st century.
The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created to monitor and report on implementation of the Earth Summit agreements. It was agreed that a five year review of Earth Summit progress would be made in 1997 by the United Nations General Assembly meeting in special session. This special session of the UN General Assembly took stock of how well countries, international organizations and sectors of civil society have responded to the challenge of the Earth Summit.