Subject: Earth Charter launched at the Hague http://www.pl.net/5life/earthcharter.html Earth Charter posted 7thJune 2000 The Earth Charter will be formally launched at the Hague Peace Palace, Netherlands on 29th June 2000. The Earth Charter was originally presented at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 but was not adopted. Since then it has been re-drafted through a broad consultative process. It will also be presented to a Special Session of the UN General Assembly in 2002 (marking Rio+10). Earth Charter [1]: I. Respect and Care for the Community of Life 1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity. 2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love. 3. Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful. 4. Secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations. II. Ecological Integrity 5. Protect and restore the integrity of Earth's ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life 6. Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a precautionary approach. 7. Adopt patterns of production, consumption, and reproduction that safeguard Earth's regenerative capacities, human rights, and community well-being. 8. Advance the study of ecological sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of the knowledge acquired. III. Social and Economic Justice 9. Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social, and environmental imperative. 10. Ensure that economic activities and institutions at all levels promote human development in an equitable and sustainable manner. 11. Affirm gender equality and equity as prerequisites to sustainable development and ensure universal access to education, health care, and economic opportunity. 12. Uphold the right of all, without discrimination, to a natural and social environment supportive of human dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well-being, with special attention to the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities. IV. Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace 13. Strengthen democratic institutions at all levels, and provide transparency and accountability in governance, inclusive participation in decision making, and access to justice. 14. Integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life. 15. Treat all living beings with respect and consideration. 16. Promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence, and peace. Charter and global declaration initiatives other than the Earth Charter include [2]: - A Common Agreement on Investment and Society - CAIS (Alliance for Democracy, US) - Alternative MAI (Polaris Institute) - Charter99, a Charter for Global Democracy (Westminster UNA, UK) [3] - Citizen's Public Trust Treaty (Public Citizen, US) - The Siena Declaration on the Crisis of Economic Globalization (International Forum on Globalization, 1998) - World Charter for Nature [4] Some people have criticised the Earth Charter for not going far enough - for example in highlighting the impact of war on the environment, although there are general references in 6e (Avoid military activities damaging to the environment) and 16 (see below). Joan Russow suggests that the World Charter for Nature which was adopted as a UN resolution in 1982 by all member states except the US, is a stronger document than the Earth Charter, and calls for its implementation (since governments have already agreed to it) with additions from new environmental documents, and the inclusion of a conference action plan [5]. Like the Earth Charter, the World Charter for Nature also only makes brief reference to the impact of military activity on the environment. 'Human rights' and 'future generations' are mentioned in the Earth Charter but not in the World Charter for Nature. It is suggested that full support be given to the Earth Charter, and work begin on an Earth Charter (II) for possible launch in 2012. [1] There are subarticles under each of the 16 articles, as well as a preamble etc. For a full version see [2] details of the first five initiatives can be found at [3] see 'Charter 99' Global Futures Bulletin #95 01 Nov 1999 [4] [5] references to 'man' and 'mankind' in the World Charter for Nature could be changed to 'humankind' or 'humanity'. g <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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