Anti-Agenda 21 Platform Part of Long Property Rights Tradition

While it might seem like the Agenda 21 conspiracy theorists have arisen quite quickly out of the murky backwaters of the Republican party, Llewellyn Hinkes-Jones traces the lengthy enti-environmentalist roots of the movement.

1 minute read

September 2, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


According to Hinkes-Jones, the vocal conspiracy theorists that posit a 1992 United Nations resolution (Agenda 21) that encourages sustainable development is really a global elitist land grab, "are actually part of a longstanding tradition in
American politics of grandiose paranoia as political shibboleth against
environmentalism. That these theories have now been officially adopted into the GOP platform is less surprising than you might think."

"The Agenda 21-related conspiracies are only the most recent incarnation
of this country's property rights movement," argues Hinkes-Jones, "which has long used
disruptive techniques to foment dissent against environmentalists and
land regulations. Often associated with groups like the John Birch
Society and the Heartland Institute, and seen most prominently in the
1990s as the Wise Use movement, property rights groups oppose any government interference in land rights."

"In the case of the UN's Agenda 21 and the anti-smart growth fervor it
has spawned, the attention is largely coming from development and
construction companies. Their ire is aimed more specifically against
septic tank regulations, wetlands protections, and any other
restrictions on new construction in rural areas."

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 in The Atlantic Cities

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Crowds of people walking and biking along waterfront in Sunset Dunes Park in San Francisco, California on a sunny day.

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway

The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

April 22 - Mission Local

Portland Oregon Bus

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws

One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

April 22 - KATU.com

Houston, Texas skyline.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy

The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.

April 22 - Urban Edge