The
Earth Charter at the Johannesburg Summit:
A Report
Prepared by the Earth Charter Steering Committee and International Secretariat
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November,
2002
This
report describes the activities and accomplishments of the Earth Charter
Initiative at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held
in Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August – 4 September 2002. Of
special interest is the story of the Earth Charter and the Summit’s
Political Declaration, the acceptance by the Summit of an Earth Charter
Type II Partnership, and the many statements of support made by government
leaders and NGOs during the Summit. In the conclusion of the report,
some observations are made about the success that the overall Earth
Charter Initiative has had in other areas.
Under
the oversight of the Earth Charter Steering Committee, co-chaired by
Ruud Lubbers, Yolanda Kakabadse, Kamla Chowdhry, and Steven Rockefeller,
the Earth Charter Secretariat, under the direction of Mirian Vilela,
and a number of Earth Charter Commission members worked very effectively
with many friends of the Earth Charter building support for the Charter
during the Summit preparatory process which began in 2001. Earth Charter
supporters participated in various independent events, regional roundtables,
and the final three WSSD intergovernmental PrepComs. Three members of
the Earth Charter Commission—Kamla Chowdhry, Severn Cullis-Suzuki,
and Yolanda Kakabadse—served as members of Secretary General Kofi
Annan’s High Level Advisory Panel for WSSD, which unanimously
recommended that the Summit formally recognize the Earth Charter. During
a WSSD passing-the-torch ceremony in Rio de Janeiro in June, 2002, Maurice
Strong urged government support for the Earth Charter at the Summit
in his keynote address and personally presented the Earth Charter to
President Mbeki of South Africa as well as to Prime Minister Persson
of Sweden and President Cardoso of Brazil. These and many other initiatives
laid the foundation for what was achieved in Johannesburg. A separate
report on the Earth Charter and the Summit preparatory process has been
prepared by the Secretariat and may be found on the Earth Charter website.
1. The Johannesburg Summit
The
focus of the Summit was on developing a plan of practical action to
implement the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21, and the goals of the UN Millennium
Declaration, building on the commitments and recommendations of other
major UN meetings held since Rio, including the Doha Development Declaration
and the Monterrey Consensus. The major concerns were the eradication
of poverty, overcoming the growing gulf between the rich and the poor,
and reversing the trend of global environmental degradation.
The
center of activity where government delegations gathered at the Summit
was in Sandton, a handsomely designed relatively new urban center built
on the outskirts of Johannesburg. There were many meetings conducted
by NGOs, local government associations, business groups, and organizations
like IUCN (The World Conservation Union) in Sandton and at the Ubuntu
Village, a center for cultural events and exhibitions in Johannesburg.
[“Ubuntu” is an African word for humaneness and for caring,
sharing, and being in harmony with nature.] The WSSD NGO Global Forum
met in Nasrec, some distance from Johannesburg.
The
Summit pursued two different types of outcomes. The Type I outcomes
are the Political Declaration—the Johannesburg Declaration on
Sustainable Development—and the Plan of Implementation, a lengthy
document with over 150 sections. The Type II outcomes are partnerships
involving governments, intergovernmental agencies, NGOs, and businesses
as well as others. During the preparatory process and at the Summit,
there was a lengthy debate among NGOs about the Summit’s promotion
of partnerships. No one seriously questioned the need for partnerships
that promote cooperation among government, business, and civil society.
However, some were concerned that many nations were promoting voluntary
partnerships as a substitute for government commitment and action. In
addition, there was a concern that the Type II partnerships should be
closely tied to Type I commitments and that the United Nations should
put in place mechanisms for holding Type II partnerships accountable
and coordinating their activities when appropriate. Some NGOs decided
not to go forward with Type II partnerships. Those that did organize
partnerships submitted them to the Summit Secretariat, and if they were
accepted, a formal presentation of the partnership was scheduled at
the Summit.
The
most intense debates at the Summit were about the adoption of targets
and timetables in the Plan of Implementation. In spite of the opposition
of a number of nations, the Summit did succeed in adopting some targets
and timetables. For example, it was agreed to halve by the year 2015
the proportion of the world’s people living without access to
safe drinking water and basic sanitation and the proportion of people
who suffer from hunger, and it was agreed to restore by 2015 the planet’s
fisheries to levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield.
The most severe critics of the Summit are environmentalists who have
focused on the Summit’s failure to do more in this regard. A proposal
from the European Union involving targets and timetables for increases
in the production of renewable energy was defeated, and this generated
great disappointment among environmental groups.
2. The Johannesburg Declaration
One
goal of the Earth Charter Initiative has been to gain recognition of
the Earth Charter by the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10)
and the United Nations General Assembly. Over the past year major efforts
have been made by Earth Charter Commissioners and the Secretariat to
achieve this objective, and significant support for the Earth Charter
at the state government level was secured. For example, in his address
at the opening session of the World Summit, President Mbeki of South
Africa cited the Earth Charter as a significant expression of “human
solidarity” and as part of “the solid base from which the
Johannesburg World Summit must proceed.” Furthermore, in the closing
days of the Summit, the first draft of the Political Declaration—the
Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development—which was
prepared by South Africa, included in paragraph 13 recognition of “the
relevance of the challenges posed in the Earth Charter.” Unfortunately,
on the last day of the Summit in closed-door negotiations the reference
to the Earth Charter was deleted from the Political Declaration.
While
this development was very disappointing, it appears that the Earth Charter
did have a significant influence on the Political Declaration. The final
version of the Political Declaration released at the conclusion of the
Summit on 4 September includes in paragraph 6 wording almost identical
to the concluding words of the first paragraph of the Earth Charter
Preamble, which states that “it is imperative that we, the peoples
of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater
community of life, and to future generations.” Paragraph 6 of
the Johannesburg Declaration states:
From this [African] Continent, the Cradle of Humanity, we declare, through
the Plan of Implementation and this Declaration, our responsibility
to one another, to the greater community of life and to our children.
These words express the spirit of global interdependence and inclusive
ethical responsibility that underlies the vision in the Earth Charter.
In earlier UN declarations and treaties, there are references to nature,
the earth, and ecosystems, but in the Johannesburg Declaration one finds
in paragraph six the first reference to the “community of life”
in a UN international law document. It is also noteworthy that the Earth
Charter ethic of care finds expression in the reference to a “caring
global society” in the Johannesburg Declaration paragraph 2. For
the full text of the Johannesburg Declaration, see www.johannesburgsummit.org.
During
the preparatory process, both Secretary General of the United Nations
Kofi Annan and Secretary General of the World Summit Nitin Desai emphasized
the importance of a new global ethic of stewardship to guide the implementation
of sustainable development. However, the focus of the Summit was on
implementation and practical action. Among governments there was little
interest in discussing ethical principles, and some governments actively
opposed references to the need for global ethics. The only mention of
ethics in the Summit’s Plan of Implementation appears in paragraph
5 where it is stated: “we acknowledge the importance of ethics
for sustainable development, and therefore we emphasize the need to
consider ethics in the implementation of Agenda 21.”
Even
though little attention was focused on the subject of global ethics,
it is fair to assert that the Plan of Implementation does set forth
practical strategies and mechanisms that, if adopted and implemented,
would lead to significant progress in realizing most of the sixteen
main principles in the Earth Charter. The issue, of course, is whether
governments, businesses, and civil society have the motivation and will
to respond to this challenge and to cooperate in addressing it. In this
regard, a shared ethical vision and strong commitment are essential,
which was the clear message of the Earth Dialogues that were co-chaired
by Mikhail Gorbachev and Maurice Strong in Lyon, France in February,
2002.
3. An Earth Charter Type II Partnership Focused on Education
The
Earth Charter Initiative developed a Type II partnership entitled “Educating
for Sustainable Living with the Earth Charter” that was accepted
by the Summit. It was formally presented at the Summit on September
1 by Earth Charter Commissioners Wakako Hironaka and Erna Witoelar,
Mirian Vilela, executive director of Earth Charter Secretariat, Brendan
Mackey, chair of the Earth Charter Education Committee, and several
participants in the partnership. Joining this partnership are the governments
of Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, and Niger, UNESCO, and thirteen NGOs.
The goal of the initiative is to use the Earth Charter to provide education
and training for local leaders and communities regarding the fundamental
principles of sustainable development. A broader Earth Charter and Education
program developed by the Earth Charter Education Committee provided
a foundation for the creation of this partnership. Over the years the
government of the Netherlands has provided the Earth Charter Initiative
with strong support, and following the launch of the partnership, the
Netherlands was invited to join it and the proposal is under consideration.
Among those most actively involved in designing the Earth Charter Type
II partnership have been Rick Clugston, Peter Corcoran, Brendan Mackey,
and Mirian Vilela.
UNESCO,
in its role as task manager for Agenda 21 Chapter 36 on Education, Training,
and Awareness announced two major Type II partnerships related to higher
education. They involve “Global Higher Education for Sustainability”
and “Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future,” which
involves a multimedia teacher education program. Both partnerships incorporate
the Earth Charter in their programs.
4. State Government Endorsements
Between
the opening and closing of the Summit, members of the Earth Charter
Commission, Steering Committee, and Secretariat worked tirelessly with
a large network of friends of the Earth Charter to persuade government
delegations to support recognition of the Earth Charter in the Political
Declaration. Eight Earth Charter Commissioners attended the Summit:
Kamla Chowdhry, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Wakako Hironaka, Yolanda Kakabadse,
Steven Rockefeller, Pauline Tangiora, and Erna Witoelar. Federico Mayor
arrived during the final days of the Summit. A number of states including
Costa Rica, Jordan, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Romania made clear
references to the importance of ethics and their support for the Earth
Charter in their addresses before the Summit during its final three
days. Some examples follow.
• Costa Rica: Dr. Abel Pacheco de la Espriella, President, September
2nd
Our
aspiration is to bring an ethical and humanistic perspective to economic
development. Later this month in Costa Rica, we will submit for the
consideration of our Congress a Constitutional Chapter on Environmental
Guarantees that includes the fundamental principles of the Earth Charter.
• Mexico: Mr. Vincente Fox, President, September 3rd:
De igual manera, México apoya y difundirá la Carta de
la Tierra, que contiene principios éticos fundamentals para el
desarrollo sostenible.
English translation: Mexico supports the Earth Charter, which contains
fundamental ethical principles for sustainable development, and will
disseminate it.
• Romania: Mr. Ion Iliescu, President, September 2nd:
The targets set in Agenda 21, post-Rio conventions, Millennium Declaration,
and more recently the Doha Agreements and the Monterrey Consensus provide
a sound basis for our renewed commitment to specific action in line
with the implementation guidelines to be adopted at this Summit. The
proposed Earth Charter further offers a moral underpinning for political
action.
• Dominican Republic: Mr. Rafael F. de Moya Pons, Minister of
Natural Resources and the Environment, September 4th:
Como se puede ver, nuestro compromiso con el desarrollo sostenible es
un compromiso práctico y real, ejercitado todos los días
y sustentado en una concepción ética del desarrollo.
Es por elle que también queremos dejar constancia de que la República
Dominicana apoya los principios enunciados en la Carta de la Tierra,
que ponen al ser humano y a su entorno natural por delante de los intereses
económicos de costo plazo.
English translation: As is evident, our commitment to sustainable development
is a practical and real commitment, practiced every day and supported
by an ethical conception of development.
It is for this reason that we also want to state that the Dominican
Republic supports the principles established in the Earth Charter that
put people and the natural environment ahead of short-term economic
interests.
• Jamaica: A.J. Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General,
September 4th:
Jamaica supports the guiding principles of the Earth Charter as a framework
for sustainable development. We affirm the wisdom that, for sustainable
development to be realized, it must be pursued within a framework of
true partnership in decision-making and action among all stakeholders.
• Jordan: Dr. Bassam Awadullah, Minister of Planning, September
2nd:
As we strive through our collective efforts to reduce the disparities
between countries, and enhance inclusiveness and equality, we would
do well to draw on the ethical vision of the Earth Charter. It is a
vision that seeks to inspire all peoples with a new sense of global
interdependence and shared responsibility for the well being of the
human family and the larger living world. In our struggle to bring forth
a sustainable global society, we must use this code of conduct as a
common standard by which our actions are to be guided and assessed.
• Netherlands: Mr. Jan-Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister, September
3rd:
We should encourage business to make a commitment to accountability--not
because they have to, but because they want to, inspired by sustainable
development. Such inspiration might be drawn from the Earth Charter.
• Niger: Mrs. Aïchatou Mindaoudou, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
September 4th:
Est-il besoin de rappeler que nous vivons dans un monde de plus en plus
interdependent et fragile dans lequel le future est à la fois
source d’inquiétudes et plein de promesses. Pour évoluer
nous devons reconnaître qu’en dépit d’une grande
diversité de cultures, d’intérêt et de developpement,
nous appartenons à une seule et même humanité dotée
d’un destin commun. Fort de cela, le Niger supporte la Charte
de la Terre qui prône les principes fondamentaux visant à
édifier une société mondiale juste, durable et
pacifique.
English translation: Is there a need to recall that we live in a world
increasingly interdependent and fragile, in which the future at once
holds great worries and great promises? To move forward we must recognize
that despite a great diversity of culture, interest and development,
we belong to one humanity sharing a common destiny. Given this, Niger
supports the Earth Charter which sets forth the fundamental principles
for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society.
5. Promoting the Earth Charter at the Summit
Prior
to the formal opening of the World Summit, the Earth Charter Secretariat
organized a day-long meeting of Earth Charter supporters in Sandton
in an effort to plan and coordinate their activities. Attending this
meeting were representatives of the Earth Charter Commission, Steering
Committee, Secretariat, and national focal points from all parts of
the world. This meeting was chaired by Mirian Vilela and Alide Roerink,
a representative of NCDO, the Earth Charter national focal point in
the Netherlands. Strategies were developed for promoting the Earth Charter
with government delegations, NGO caucuses, and the media. There was
extensive discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of going forward
with a Type II partnership. It would be several days before the group
reached the decision to proceed with a partnership. As a result of this
meeting, a core group of over twenty-five Earth Charter supporters was
able to function effectively as a team during the ten days of the Summit.
The
Earth Charter was presented at many different events in the course of
the Summit. A number of these events were organized by the Earth Charter
Secretariat. Shortly after the opening of the Summit, a special “Celebration
of the Earth Charter” was held at the IUCN Environment Centre
in the Nedcor Bank in Sandton. At this event an overflow crowd heard
speeches strongly supporting the Earth Charter by Secretary General
Nitin Desai; Jan Pronk, Kofi Annan’s Special Envoy to the Summit;
Jane Goodall; Carlos Rodriguez, minister of the environment for Costa
Rica; Parvez Hassan, former chair of the IUCN Commission on Environmental
Law; and Steven Rockefeller, co-chair of the Earth Charter Steering
Committee. Julia Marton-Lefèvre, executive director of LEAD International,
chaired the panel of speakers.
Prior
to the Summit, Jan Pronk wrote a letter to all state ministers of the
environment urging them to support formal recognition of the Earth Charter
at the Summit, which many of them did. For example, the Forum of Ministers
of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean met on August
31 and reaffirmed their commitment to and finalized the Latin American
Ministerial Initiative for Sustainable Development. In its section on
“Operative Guidelines,” the Latin American Initiative calls
for “the construction of a new ethical practice for sustainable
development that takes into account the processes developed so far,
such as the Earth Charter.”
At
a gathering of international lawyers and judges, Parvez Hassan commented
that the Earth Charter was the most important development in international
environmental and sustainable development law since the Rio Earth Summit.
Yolanda Kakabadse, in her capacity as president of IUCN, provided strong
support for the Earth Charter on several occasions. In a special publication
designed for the Summit, she states:
We must now act. We have excellent agendas for action as well as an
ethical framework in the Earth Charter, the ‘peoples’ mandate,’
which grew out of the participation of environmental groups and associations
from all walks of life in the Rio Earth Summit process. By codifying
the ethics and principles that underpin our relationship with our planet,
the Earth Charter gives us an inspirational tool with which to reclaim
and redefine globalization. (World Conservation 2/2002)
The
Earth Charter Initiative, in collaboration with Center for Respect of
Life and Environment, The Australian National University, Florida Gulf
Coast University, and Soka Gakkai International held a WSSD parallel
event on “Educating for Sustainable Living with the Earth Charter”
at the Ubuntu Village complex. The forum was moderated by Professor
Brendan Mackey and Mirian Vilela. Keynote speakers included: Eiichi
Yamashita, vice minister for environment, Japan; Steven Rockefeller,
Earth Charter Commission; Razeena Wagiet, environmental adviser to national
minister of education, Republic of South Africa; András Szöllösi-Nagy,
deputy assistant director general, UNESCO; and Hans van Ginkel, rector,
UN University, and president, International Association of Universities.
A packed audience also heard contributions from: Joan Anderson, Soka
Gakkai International; Anna Birney, education coordinator, Stakeholder
Forum for Our Common Future; Peter Blaze Corcoran, Florida Gulf Coast
University, University Leaders for a Sustainable Future; Renaud Richard,
Youth Earth Charter Coalition, Youth Action Summit, WSSD Youth Caucus;
Daniella Tilbury, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication and
Macquarie University, Australia; Rick Clugston, Global Higher Education
for Sustainability Partnership and Earth Charter USA; Karine Danilyan,
Yerevan University/Association for Sustainable Human Development, Armenia;
Marilise Esteves, University of Mato Grosso, Brazil; Sally Linder, Temenos
Workshops and the Ark of Hope; and Gillian Martin Mehers, director of
international training, LEAD International.
Brendan
Mackey, Rick Clugston and Peter Corcoran spoke on the educational roles
of the Earth Charter at an event organized by IUCN entitled "Engaging
People in Sustainability: future and action orientated discussion on
education for sustainable development.” Other speakers at this
event included Denis Hamu, chair of the IUCN Commission on Education
and Communication. The event was moderated by Daniella Tilbury. Brendan
Mackey spoke on the Earth Charter at a parallel event in the NASREC
Centre organized by the International Environment Forum entitled “Education
and Values for Sustainable Development.” Steven Rockefeller made
a presentation on global ethics and the Earth Charter in a workshop
on “The Sustainability Transition” organized by the Stockholm
Environment Institute and the Global Scenario Group, which took place
at the IUCN Environment Centre. He discussed how to use the Earth Charter
and a values framework in connection with the work of multi-stakeholder
national sustainable development councils at a workshop organized by
the Earth Council and chaired by its president, Ambassador Frans van
Haren.
The
International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) organized
a special session on “Just and Peaceful Communities,” which
included several presentations on Earth Charter endorsement initiatives
in different parts of the world. The session was chaired by Ambassador
Frans van Haren, the vice rector of the UN University for Peace and
president of the Earth Council. Deputy Mayor Abed Al Raheem Al Boucai
of Amman, Jordan, reported that all the cities and towns in Jordan had
endorsed the Earth Charter as a result of the leadership Earth Charter
Commissioner Princess Basma bint Talal. Amalio de Marichalar of Soria,
Spain described the successful Earth Charter initiative in Soria. Gwendolyn
Hallsmith provided an account of her work in the state of Vermont, USA,
which resulted in the endorsement of the Earth Charter by twenty-four
cities and towns.
Among
the wide diversity of exhibitions related to the Summit at the UBUNTU
Village, Soka Gakkai International presented a beautifully designed
display on the Earth Charter with the title “A Quiet Revolution:
The Earth Charter and Human Potential,” which President and Mrs.
Mbeki visited. Joan Anderson of Soka Gakkai reports that roughly 15,000
people attended the exhibition, which won third prize in the “Independent
Exhibits” category at the UBUNTU Village. Another Earth Charter
exhibition, sponsored by the Earth Council, was featured in the IUCN
Exhibition Hall at its Environment Centre.
Under
the leadership of Sally Linder, a group of artists and educators from
the United States brought the Ark of Hope to the World Summit in an
effort to help promote the Earth Charter. The Ark of Hope is a large
wooden chest beautifully decorated with images of the planet’s
cultural and biological diversity, and the Earth Charter is inscribed
on papyrus parchment on the inside of its lid. The Ark is filled with
prayers, poems, and images expressing the hopes and aspirations of thousands
of people. Supporters of the Earth Charter in the United States walked
the Ark of Hope from the state of Vermont to the United Nations in New
York City where it was on exhibition during the second WSSD PrepCom.
In Johannesburg, Sally Linder and her colleagues brought the Ark of
Hope into the black settlements of Soweto, Zandsprite, and Diepsloot,
where they spent over a week sharing with children and young people
the vision of the Earth Charter and exploring with them through dialogue
and art hopes and aspirations for the future. During the Summit twenty-two
young people from Diepsloot marched with the Ark of Hope organizers
to the Summit convention center where they addressed delegates on the
concerns of youth and the relevance of the Earth Charter. Following
this moving presentation, Secretary General of the Summit, Nitin Desai
and Mrs. Desai met personally with the youths and Ark of Hope organizers.
Collaborating with Sally Linder and the Ark of Hope in Johannesburg
were Trees-ah Elder, Gwendolyn Hallsmith, Diane Gayer, Jason Houston,
Andrea Morgante, Nina Meyerhof, and Barbara Waters. More information
on the Ark of Hope may be found on its website www.arkofhope.org.
Working
closely with Steven Rockefeller and Mirian Vilela at the Summit were
the following individuals: Emad Adly (Egypt), Ziyad Alawneh (Jordan),
Joan Anderson (United Kingdom), Melanie Ashton (Australia), Linley Black
(New Zealand), Mateo Castillo (Mexico), Rick Clugston (United States),
Peter Blaze Corcoran (United States), Karine Danilyan (Armenia), Marilise
Esteves (Brazil), Ashley Henry (United States), Lisa King (Canada),
Brendan Mackey (Australia), Amalio de Marichalar (Spain), Renaud Richard
(France), and Alide Roerink (Netherlands).
6. NGO and Local Government Endorsements
During
the course of the Summit, a number of NGO organizations affirmed their
support for the Earth Charter in declarations and statements that were
forwarded to the leadership of the Summit. Among the NGO endorsements
are the following.
The
Earth Charter was widely embraced by educational organizations in Johannesburg.
the “Statement on Education for Sustainable Development”
issued on 29 August by representatives of National and Regional Professional
Associations for Environmental Education, which has members in 73 countries
and all continents, declares:
We urge all governments to prepare with major stakeholders and implement
national or regional plans for sustainable development education and
action for change. . . .
We support The Earth Charter as an ethical framework for sustainability,
the UN Decade for Education for Sustainable Development and support
UNESCO to lead this process.
The
Ubuntu Declaration, issued in Johannesburg by eleven of the world’s
foremost educational and scientific organizations, called for the greening
of classroom curricula at all levels and endorsed the Earth Charter.
The preamble of the Ubuntu Declaration includes the following affirmations:
Cognizant that integrated solutions for sustainable development depend
on the continued and effective application of science and technology
and that education is critical in galvanizing the approach to the challenges
of sustainable development.
Endorsing the Earth Charter as the inspiring, fundamental and balanced
set of principles and guidelines for building a just, sustainable and
peaceful global society in the 21st century, which should permeate all
levels and sectors of education.
Acknowledging the ultimate goal of education in all its forms is to
impart knowledge, skills and values to empower people to bring about
changes.
Consistent with Earth Charter Principle 14, the Ubuntu Declaration also
calls on educators and governments to “review the programmes and
curricula of schools and universities, in order to better address the
challenges and opportunities of sustainable development,” and
the document emphasizes the importance of “creating learning modules
which bring skills, knowledge, reflections, ethics and values together
in a balanced way.” The organizations issuing the Ubuntu Declaration
are: United Nations University; UNESCO; African Academy of Science;
International Council for Science; International Association of Universities;
Copernicus-Campus; Global Higher Education for Sustainability Partnership;
Science Council of Asia; Third World Academy of Science; University
Leaders for a Sustainable Future; and the World Federation of Engineering
Organizations.
Under
the leadership of the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives
(ICLEI), over 700 mayors, leaders, and representatives of local governments
from around the world met at the Local Government Session at the World
Summit and endorsed the Johannesburg Call, which was presented by the
South African Local Government Association and the City of Johannesburg.
It states: “As the interface between government and people, we
are dedicated to the attainment of a more just, equitable, and caring
world.” In a section entitled “Local Action 21; Implementation
Framework for the post Johannesburg decade of Local Agenda 21,”
the Johannesburg Call further states:
Ten years after the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, implementation of Agenda
21, the Rio conventions, and the Habitat Agenda is proceeding so slowly
that the horrors of global poverty and environmental disruption are
becoming ever more overwhelming. We demand, therefore, a profound shift
in the current development model to one based on true equity and deep
reverence for the processes of nature. We commit ourselves to the Earth
Charter and the Melbourne Principles . . .
Building on the Workshop on Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems (CASE),
which took place in Toronto, Canada, in March 2002, the Melbourne Principles
for Sustainable Cities were developed at an International Charrette
held in Melbourne, Australia, in April 2002, organized by the United
Nations Environment Programme International Environmental Technology
Centre and the Environment Protection Authority, Victoria.
In
the closing plenary of the Local Government Session at the Summit, the
participants endorsed the “Local Government Declaration to the
World Summit on Sustainable Development,” which was later presented
to the Summit by the president of the World Associations of Cities and
Local Authorities Coordination (WACLAC). This declaration sets forth
local government principles and commitments relevant to the goals of
the Johannesburg Summit. In a section on “Commitments,”
the Local Government Declaration states:
We reaffirm our strong commitment to Agenda 21, and further commit ourselves:
. . . to develop a new and deeper culture of sustainability in our cities
and localities, including a commitment to socially and environmentally
sound procurement policies and consumption patterns, sustainable planning,
investment and management of resources, and promotion of public health
and of clean energy sources; to this end we ask all local governments
to discuss endorsement of the Earth Charter.
The
“Youth Major Group Statement on Governance, Globalization, Finance,
and Trade,” issued on 30 August by the Youth Caucus, includes
the following endorsement of the Earth Charter: “We recommend
the Earth Charter as a valid ethical framework for this new system of
global governance, and demand respect for both cultural and biological
diversity.”
7. Progress in Other Areas
In
addition to securing recognition of the Earth Charter by the United
Nations, the Earth Charter Initiative has had three other objectives:
(1) worldwide dissemination of the document, (2) the promotion of it
as an educational tool, and (3) endorsement and implementation. Much
progress has been made in pursuing these goals. The Earth Charter has
been translated into twenty-eight languages and has been widely distributed
throughout the world. It is now recognized by a steadily growing number
of governments, organizations, institutions, and individuals,reaching
a new level of recognition at the Johannesburg Summit. The Earth Charter
is being effectively promoted as an educational tool. Many schools,
colleges, universities, faith communities, and several national and
local governments are now using the Earth Charter in educational programs.
The Earth Charter Secretariat will be putting special emphasis on the
educational uses of the Earth Charter over the next year or two. The
“Educating for Sustainable Living with the Earth Charter”
World Summit Type II Partnership will be part of this effort. A commentary
on the Earth Charter is being prepared, which will be a valuable teaching
resource. It should be completed in the course of the next year.
Regarding
endorsements and implementation, the Earth Charter Secretariat reports
that it has now been endorsed by over 8,000 organizations worldwide.
It is estimated that these organizations have memberships that exceed
100 million people. A growing number of cities and towns in different
regions of the world have endorsed the Earth Charter. Local government
organizations like the International Council of Local Environmental
Initiatives (ICLEI) and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have also endorsed
the document. The World Resources Institute is developing measurable
indicators for the Earth Charter principles, which will enhance the
practical value of the document for governments and NGOs.
In
the next few months, the Earth Charter Steering Committee will review
the goal of seeking recognition of the Earth Charter by the United Nations
General Assembly and decide whether or not to seek such recognition
in 2003 or 2004, building on the extensive support generated in and
through the Johannesburg Summit process.
As
substantial support for the Earth Charter continues to grow and the
document is used ever more widely as an educational tool and guide to
action, the Earth Charter Initiative is becoming a significant global
people’s movement that can influence public policy and business
practice as well as the choices and lifestyles of millions of individuals.
