According to The Earth Charter Initiative Website (n.d.) The Earth Charter is a document that sets out four ethical principles that set out to achieve a just, sustainable and peaceful world society. The main aim through these principles is to instill in all individuals a sense of shared responsibility for the well being of all human life, non-human life and future generations.
Listed below are the four principles and a summary of their outcomes and indicators.
Principle One – Respect and Care for the Community of Life- This principle aims to achieve a care and compassion for that which is beyond the individual self. It seeks to achieve a sense of respect and responsibility for all life, non- human and human and to achieve this an awareness of how systems on earth are interrelated needs to be achieved. It seeks to build democratic, peaceful and just societies through the building of the notion of human rights and fundamental freedoms. It aims to that we need to recognise the actions we partake in today have the potential to affect future generations and the need to hand down our values and traditions to the generations to come.
Principle Two- Ecological Integrity – This principle sets out outcomes and indicators that look at protecting and conserving biological diversity. It seeks to instill the notion that we have a responsibility for the actions we take and the potential impact these will have on the environment. Similar to principle one, we are to be aware of the interrelatedness of all biological forms on this planet and the possible affect one action we make in one area could impact another area. Through this awareness we are to consciously seek to do no harm to the environment and its life giving resources. It also mentions the importance of transparency of scientific knowledge and the recognition of traditional cultural knowledge that contributes to protection and conservation.
Principle Three – Social and Economic Justice – Social and Economic Justice looks at the need to eradicate poverty, social inequities like gender inequality, discrimination, inability to access education, and the lack of distribution of wealth within and among nations. It seeks to achieve trade that supports sustainability and the rights of those individuals who are involved in the trading process. It aims to make multinational businesses accountable in their actions and to be transparent in their activities.
Principle Four – Democracy, Non-Violence, and Peace- This principle seeks democratic processes, the involvement of all stakeholders in decision making processes, the freedom of individual expression and opinions, to gather in peaceful assembly and the right to a fair justice system. It seeks to eliminate corruption and empower communities so they are able to care for their environment. It aims to achieve education for all children and youth that allows them to feel empowered to achieve sustainability and that recognises the importance of moral and spiritual education in achieving this goal. It seeks to prevent the unnecessary suffering of all animals, domesticated and wild, at the hands of humans and aims to eliminate the uninhibited taking of non-targeted species. Lastly, this principle seeks to achieve cooperation between nations and people, to prevent armed conflict, to seek military resources being converted to achieve peaceful purposes including aims to help restore environments. Overall, to recognise the need for peace and to achieve peace.
Personal Opinion of the Earth Charter
When I first read the Earth Charter my impression was that it is a very idealistic declaration. This cannot be achieved. Perhaps I need to question where this cynical assumption is coming from, what thinking am I using in coming to this conclusion or, is this thinking being influenced by others?
The Earth Charter Initiative: Values and Principles for a Sustainable Future n.d http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/pages/Read-the-Charter.html 21 Sep 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment