After the Rio Conference on the environment and development (Unced, 1992), in the light of the new economic, technological and environmental changes, it is necessary to assess the application of the resolutions passed in Rio, known as Agenda 21. This resolution had the merit of asserting the transnational nature of problems such as the water crisis and pollution, which affect countries and regions beyond their place of origin. Climate change, the thinning of the ozone layers, the management of water in the oceans and drinking water, deforestation, desertification and soil degradation, the spreading of waste, the loss of biodiversity and cultural diversity, massive urbanisation, and agricultural industrialisation: these are all problems that must be tackled with the concerted action of the whole world. Both general agreements such as those on greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming and local actions are needed. In particular, unanimous agreement has been reached about the impossibility of separating environmental protection from the fight against poverty and the lack of human and social progress. For this reason the concept of sustainable development has been adopted. The World Commission on environment and development has defined it: "development that fulfils present needs without compromising the possibility for future generations to fulfil their needs". This concept has been recognised as a primary objective at both local and international level, an imperative for the perpetuation of human life on Earth. To achieve this there must be integration between the economic, social and environmental dimensions and new ways of conceiving productive and consumer activities. The next task is on the one hand to assess the extent to which this process called "visions for sustainable development" (Johannesburg Summit, 2002) has been implemented, and on the other hand to carry out concrete actions towards the project's completion. These projects are promoted everywhere in the world, based on a commitment to protect the environment, and the will to return to the traditional techniques, processes and landscape, or imposed by compelling needs for water. The aim of these experiments is to create a new, ethical economy and a technology that is able to incorporate the revolutionary values of tradition.