The current era's severe environmental issues are only the product of improper human behavior in earlier eras, particularly during the industrial revolution in the latter half of the eighteenth century. The industrial revolution was sparked in large part by the discovery of the steam engine, which increased production and raised the need for raw materials for industry. And then, because the environmental circumstances were not taken into consideration at the time, a significant amount of toxins were discharged throughout the production process. During that time, profitable economic variables were common. The Stockholm Action Plan, which outlined the guiding principles for environmental protection, was announced at the 1972 United Nations special conference on the human environment, held in Stockholm. This was before the world started to notice changes in the environment. By including the environmental component in addition to the (social and economic) components, sustainable development was able to address the issues raised by traditional development.