The Earth Charter YOUTH NETWORK

Values and Principles for a Just, Sustainable, and Peaceful Global Society in the 21st Century

How do we address

the current challenges

to life on Earth?

Challenges like these…

The dominant patterns of production and consumption are causing environmental devastation…

... and challenges like these ...

The depletion of resources and a massive extinction of species. The communities that are being destroyed...

The benefits of development are not equitably shared and the gap between rich and poor people is widening…

An unprecedented rise in human population has overcharged the ecological and social systems. The foundations of global security are being threatened. These tendencies are dangerous, but not inevitable.

What are the current challenges to life on Earth?

• Exploitation of natural resources• Climate change• Loss of biodiversity• Population growth and rapid urbanization• Unsustainable livelihoods and poverty• Unsustainable consumption• Poor governance• Lack of universal primary education• Lack of health education, potable water, and sanitation• Social inequity and war

What is“Our Common Future”?

If these trends continue,what will the Earth look like in 50 years?

If we want to alter these trends, what should we do?

What is the “buzz word” for these types of activities?

Development

What is conventional development? What are some examples?

What is sustainable development? What are some examples?

Sustainable Development

“Sustainable development meets the needs of the presentwithout compromising the ability of future generations tomeet their own needs”

Brundtland Commission Report

“Enough for everyone, forever” Billboard, Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002

during World Summit on Sustainable Development

Key themes of SD

• Intercultural Understanding and Peace • Human Rights• Sustainable Production and Consumption• Cultural Diversity• Participatory Processes• Overcoming Poverty• Gender Equality• Health• Environmental Protection• Rural Transformation

... to help promote sustainable development we use…

The Earth Charter

• The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental values and principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century.

• Work on the EC has brought about dialogue, partnerships and activities that have become an “Initiative.”

Why do we need the Earth Charter?

• To examine our values and choose a better way

• To realize our common ground although we are diverse

• To unify us in our work for change

Mission of the Earth Charter Initiative:

“To promote the transition to sustainable ways of livingand a global society founded on a shared ethicalframework that includes respect and care for thecommunity of life, ecological integrity, universal humanrights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy,and a culture of peace.”

Goals of the EC Initiative

• To promote the dissemination and implementation of the Charter

• To encourage and support the educational use of the Earth Charter

• To seek endorsement of the Earth Charter by the U.N.

Key Themes in the Earth Charter

Universal Responsbility

Respect

Community of Life Common but Differentiated Responsability

Common Good

Peace and Non-ViolenceInterdependency

Eradication of poverty

Equitable economic development

Human Rights

Democracy

Preamble

Simple and easy to understand – to generateawareness of current global challenges and ourresponsibility for caring for the Earth.

“We stand at a critical moment….”

“We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more”

“Universal Responsibility”

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, love and compassion.

3. Build democratic societies societies that are free, just,participatory, sustainable and peaceful.

4. Secure Earth’s bounty and beauty for present and future generations

In order to accomplish these four general

commitments, it is necessary to have:

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 ofenvironmental protection and when

knowledge is limited, apply aprecautionary approach.

7. Adopt patterns of production, consumptionand reproduction that safeguard Earth’s

regenerative capacities, human rights andcommunity well-being.

8. To promote the study of ecologic sustainability, the open interchange and

the wide application of the acquiredknowledge.

III. Social and Economic Justice

9. Eradicate poverty, as an ethical, socialand environmental imperative.

10. Ensure that economic activities andinstitutions, at all levels, promote human

development in an equitable andsustainable manner.

11. Affirm gender equality and equity as prerequisites for sustainable development

and ensure the universal access toeducation, health care and economic

opportunity.

12. Defend the right of all persons, withoutdiscrimination, to a natural and social

environment supportive of their dignity,bodily health and spiritual well-being, with

special attention to the rights ofindigenous people and minorities.

IV. Democracy, Non-Violence

and Peace

13. Strengthen the democratic institutions at all levels and offer transparency and accountability in

governance, provide access to information, inclusiveparticipation in decision making and access to

justice.

14. Integrate in formal education and in lifelong knowledge, the skills, knowledge

and values needed for a sustainable wayof life.

15. Treat all living beings with respect

and consideration.

16. Promote a culture of tolerance,

non-violence and peace.

The Way Forward

Reflects on how important it is that each of uscommit to bring about changes.

“Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life….

It also invites us to continue with the interculturaland inter-religious dialogue to identify thosevalues that will lead the community of lifetowards justice, sustainability, and peace.

This is the promise of the Earth Charter:

By declaring what we must care about ...

By describing what we must do...

By inspiring as many people as possible…

More and more people will care ...

More and more people will take action ...

More and more people will inspire more andmore people ...

The Earth Charter youth network

Inspiring Young People to Take Action to Create a More Just, Peaceful and Sustainable World

The Earth Charter youth network

• Is active in over 100 countries and at the global level, with diverse individual activists, Youth Groups and Partners.

• About 90 Earth Charter Youth Groups (ECYGs) use the Earth Charter in various action programs to promote Earth Charter principles.

• We partner with major international youth organizations in inspiring

young people to build sustainable communities

• e-GLO (Earth Charter Global Leadership Opportunity) is being developed as an online leadership training for youth around the world

How can joining the Youth Network help you?

• Use of the Earth Charter as a reference guide and an educational tool in your activities

• Networking and dialogue with individuals and ECYGs to gain inspiration, new ideas, and potential partnerships.

• Access to useful resources

• Announcements of opportunities, i.e. conferences, grants, scholarships, competitions, and campaigns

• Support and encouragement from the International Youth Facilitator and the Youth Leadership Team

Networking and Dialogue

• Youth Blog: http://earthcharter.org/youth

• ECYG Wikipage: http://ecyg.wikispaces.com

• Social Networking sites:– Facebook– Orkut– Hi5– MySpace– Friendster– Taking it Global– Vkontakte

Earth Charter Youth Groups (ECYGs)

• ECYGs work in their local communities, nations and internationally. Youth groups include a great diversity of young women and men from various ethnic, religious, and socio-economic groups. Some are existing groups that have decided to become ECYGs due to inspiration of the Earth Charter.

• There are around 50 ECYGs in over 30 countries

What does an ECYG do?

ECYG activities vary from region to region. Many groups aim to:

• Raise awareness• Take action• Build local capacity• Help their community• Attend conferences

Examples of previous ECYG activities

• Organization of workshops to improve youth leadership

• Planning workshops about the EC• Installing garbage bins at schools• Providing communities with clean water• Establishment of school libraries• Planting trees• Organization of essay contests• Improving youth skills in advocacy and activism

What can you do to help your community?

www.EarthCharter.org (Photos from Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Reports)

Charter International

Earth Charter International Secretariat andEarth Charter Center for Education for Sustainable Development

at UPEACE, Costa Rica

Contact the Youth Facilitator: youthcoordinator [@] earthcharter.orgVisit our wikipage at: http://ecyg.wikispaces.com

Join the Earth CharterInitiative

ContactEarth

“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.”

— PreambleThe Earth Charter 2000