The Earth Charter is an inspiring statement that sets forth an integrated ethical vision for our common future. The Charter principles are intended to have enduring significance for people of all races, cultures and religions, and to guide humanity to clarify its shared values and develop a new global ethic for a sustainable way of life. The Charter is intended to serve as the environmental equivalent of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights --to guide the relations of humans with the Earth, as well as to integrate a concern for environmental protection with social justice and economic opportunity.

The Earth Charter was one of the expected outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, better known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. During the two years leading up to and including the Earth Summit, NGOs and government delegations from around the world worked on elements of the Charter. Still, governments could not reach agreement on an Earth Charter.

The Earth Charter movement was restarted in May of 1995 when the Earth Council, led by Maurice Strong (Secretary General of the Earth Summit) and Green Cross International, led by Mikhail Gorbachev (former President of the Soviet Union) joined the government of the Netherlands in hosting an international meeting at The Hague. An independent Earth Charter Commission was formed in 1997 to oversee the final development of the text and to come to agreement on a global consensus document.

After numerous drafts and after considering the input of over 5,000 people, the Earth Charter Commission came to consensus on the Earth Charter in March, 2000, at a meeting held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

Efforts to have the Earth Charter formally recognized at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, 2002, came very close to success, resulting in numerous public statements of support from world leaders and heads of state.

The Earth Charter is now increasingly recognized as a global consensus statement on the meaning of sustainability, the challenge and vision of sustainable development, and the principles by which sustainable development is to be achieved. It is used as a basis for peace negotiations, as a reference document in the development of global standards and codes of ethics, as resource for governance and legislative processes, as a community development tool, as an educational framework for sustainable development, and in many other contexts. Hundreds of groups around the world have endorsed the Charter. In Canada, as far as 2005, about 100 different organizations have endorsed it.

The Preamble of the Earth Charter begins this way :

We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, 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.

Then it defines its 16 Principles in 4 groups:

I. RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE
II. ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
III. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
IV. DEMOCRACY, NONVIOLENCE, AND PEACE


The closing paragraphs are as follows:

As never before in history, common destiny beckons us to seek a new beginning. Such renewal is the promise of these Earth Charter principles. To fulfill this promise, we must commit ourselves to adopt and promote the values and objectives of the Charter.

This requires a change of mind and heart. It requires a new sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility. We must imaginatively develop and apply the vision of a sustainable way of life locally, nationally, regionally, and globally. Our cultural diversity is a precious heritage and different cultures will find their own distinctive ways to realize the vision. We must deepen and expand the global dialogue that generated the Earth Charter, for we have much to learn from the ongoing collaborative search for truth and wisdom.

Life often involves tensions between important values. This can mean difficult choices. However, we must find ways to harmonize diversity with unity, the exercise of freedom with the common good, short-term objectives with long-term goals. Every individual, family, organization, and community has a vital role to play. The arts, sciences, religions, educational institutions, media, businesses, nongovernmental organizations,
and governments are all called to offer creative leadership. The partnership of government, civil society, and business is essential for effective governance.

In order to build a sustainable global community, the nations of the world must renew their commitment to the United Nations, fulfill their obligations under existing international agreements, and support the implementation of Earth Charter principles with an international legally binding instrument on environment and development.

Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.


You can read the complete Earth Charter in the attached pdf document.

To learn details on worldwide initiatives, to endorse the Charter and much more, check these websites:

Main site : www.earthcharter.org
Canadian site: http://members.shaw.ca/earthcharter/#Canada
USA site - www.earthcharterusa.org/
Earth Charter in Action - www.earthcharterinaction.org