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Table of Contents Preamble Belief, Values, Principles and Aspirations of the New Age:
1. Compliance with the Divine Will
2. The Soul of Humanity 3. Global Concepts and Universal Values 4. The Scale of Human and Earth Rights 5. The People’s Grassroots Movement 6. The Measurement of Sustainable Development 7. Earth Management 8. Global Ethics 9. Respect and Care for the Community of Life 10. Ecological Integrity 11. Social and Economic Justice 12. Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace 13. Earth Government 14. The Earth Court of Justice 15. The Statute of the Earth Court of Justice
Chapter I: Belief, Values, Principles and Aspirations of the New Age Civilization of the 3rd Millennium (Articles 1-2)
Chapter II: Membership (Articles 3-7) Chapter III: Principal Bodies of the Earth Community Organization(ECO) (Articles 8-9) Chapter IV: The Elected Representatives Council (Articles 10-51) Chapter V: TheEarth Executive Council(Articles 52-170) Chapter VI: The Earth Judiciary Council (Articles 171-185) Chapter VII: The Earth Court of Justice(Articles 186-200) Chapter VIII: The Earth Security Council (Articles 201-210) Chapter IX: The Global Sustainable Society Council (Articles 211-220) Chapter X: The Secretary- General (Articles 221-225) Chapter XI: The Trusteeship Council and the Trusteeship System (Articles 226-239) Chapter XII: Earth Security and Peace (Articles 240-247) Chapter XIII: Settlement of Disputes (Articles 248-252) Chapter XIV: Local Arrangements of Disputes (Articles 253-254) Chapter XV: State and Citizen Participation to Legal Disputes (Articles 255-258) Chapter XVI: The Global Community Assessment Centre(GCAC) (Articles 259-263) Chapter XVII: Warning System on Environmental Hazards and Emergencies to Prevent Disasters from Happening (Articles 264-266) Chapter XVIII: Rescues and Emergencies(Articles 267-270) Chapter XIX: Global Economic and Social Co-operation(Articles 271-276) Chapter XX: The Economic and Social Council (Articles 277-290) Chapter XXI: Ethics, Policies and Management Practices to the Corporate Sector and Institutions (Articles 291-310) Chapter XXII: The Scale of Human and Earth Rights (Articles 311-322) Chapter XXIII: The Management of the Earth(Articles 323-330) Chapter XXIV: Earth GovernmentArticles 331-337) Chapter XXV: Statement Regarding Non-Self -Governing Territories (Articles 338-339) Chapter XXVI: Resource Management and Control (Articles 340-345) Chapter XXVII: Transitional Security Arrangements (Article 346) Chapter XXVIII: Miscellaneous Provisions Articles 347-350) Chapter XXIX: Amendments (Articles 351-352) Chapter XXX: Ratification and Signature (Articles 353-355)
1. Compliance with the Divine Will The Divine Will is the most powerful force of the Universe and is pure spiritual energy. Divine Will becomes a force in our lives enabling each one of us to create the higher purpose of humanity, evolve spiritually and serve the greater plan of humanity and evolution of all Life. When Divine Will is called into humanity it supersedes personal will, government will and the will of any other organization or institution. Divine Will transforms the will and desires of every human being to reflect the Soul of Humanity's purpose and the Divine Plan for Life on Earth. Once the will of humanity has merged with the Divine Will, we will no longer remember what we were like before. The new consciousness will be taken for granted as if we were always this way. The Vision of the Divine Plan can then be seen. Divine Will was drawn to humanity. Divine Will is a part of the Soul of Humanity to be used for the higher purpose of good and Life's evolution. The Earth Community Organization (ECO) has taken action by calling the Divine Will into our lives and following its guidance. The Light of God's Spirit flows into the Soul of Humanity and into each one of us. Every human being will now live a life through the eyes of the Soul of Humanity and, as a group, according to the Divine Will and inspired by Love. Every human being will identify with the Soul of Humanity thus making possible to understand the unique place we have in the Universe and the special higher purpose we have to accomplish as a group. We will become aware of all other Souls throughout the Universe. Our expanding consciousness is important for humanity. We will blend our consciousness with that of the Soul of Humanity. It is important that new activities be created that is of value to the Soul of Humanity. ECO will assist the group effort in pursuing those actions that represent humanity's higher purpose and our identification with Life. We will learn to serve humanity and radiate the Will of God to others. Divine Will is transmitted into our personal will and desires and help us to evolve, move forward in our lives and deal with all community problems or issues. All beliefs, motivations and goals that do not represent true Soul activity will go away. The Soul of Humanity and God the Spirit will reweave the fabric of our lives so we can see our path with a clear mind and see creative ways to evolve, learn, grow and expand our consciousness. The Soul of Humanity shows us the way to:
* fulfill our dreams; * support and care for ourselves and as a unified group; * find creative new ways and conduct creative new actions for our well-being and the quality of our lives; * value our spiritual growth; * honor and respect ourselves, and as a group; and * release any beliefs, thoughts, motivations and goals that do not honor us. We will assist humanity in its evolution. A new beginning! All possibilities stand in front of us, and we can create anything we want in accordance with the higher purpose of the Soul of Humanity. Our mind will link and merge with the mind of the Soul of Humanity thus enabling us to synthesize knowledge and information in a flash. Our mind will be filled with new ideas, revelations, that reflect God's ideals, and we will see God's Pure Light. We will feel the radiating Love from the Soul of Humanity, its gentleness, its kindness, its compassion, its forgiveness, its serenity, a sense of deep Peace, and its creative intelligence pouring into us. Spirit is within each one of us. There is an inner Peace within Spirit, a pure awareness of all of humanity, all Life, and of all the Universe. Spirit knows the Divine Will or Will of God. It is in contact with God the Creator of the Universe. Humanity welcomes the "Belief, Values, Principles and Aspirations of the New Age" with Faith in the Divine Will and without fears such as the fear of change. Humanity seeks meaningfull experiences and embraces the future for the better. Divine Will brings forth a sustainable global society embracing universal values related to human rights, economic and social justice, respect of nature, peace, responsibility to one another, and the protection and management of the Earth. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of Life within Earth Community. Old values and beliefs that no longer serve the greater good and the higher purpose of the Soul of Humanity are left behind. Divine Will is about helping humanity find: * Why we are all important to "Earth
Community"? Being unified under the Soul of Humanity, Divine Will, God the Spirit and the Earth Community Organization dissolve all barriers and expand our consciousness. We become more whole and complete within ourselves and as a group. Our common Spirit is able to resolve planetary problems in a coherent way. One common global Vision allows us to see how all the parts of the whole relate to each other. We have the right relationship with one another, with all life forms and Earth itself, and with the Soul of Humanity, the Divine Will and God the Spirit. Our Vision shows us how to:
* love and what is to be loved; * experience Divine Love; * heal humanity; * see what is truly important and bring it about through awareness; * serve others within Earth Community in the highest way; * lead and educate; * understand and act upon our feelings and behaviors in a positive way; and * find unity in diversity with all Life. Compliance with the Divine Will is about creating a new kind of global civilization in alignment with the Divine Plan:
* respect for the life-support system of the planet; * mutual love and respect; * a sense of unity in diversity; and * creating activities guided by the Soul of Humanity. Compliance with the Divine Will expands our mind to see clearly local and global impacts amongst the interactions of the environment, resources, economic development and social aspects. We will see issues in relation to many other issues and find sound solutions (win/win solutions) to problems in accordance with the Divine Plan. When there is a need to find a solution to a problem or a concern, a sound solution would be to choose a measure or conduct an action, if possible, which causes reversible damage as opposed to a measure or an action causing an irreversible loss. Compliance with the Divine Will brings about the event of Peace in the world by creating harmony, unity and balance where there is conflict. Divine Will creates harmony between ourselves and others in the community, and respects each person ways. Humanity accepts a wide range of ideals, beliefs, values, principles and aspirations of the New Age. Divine Will brings in peace and goodwill. Compliance with the Divine Will can help us think clearly and globally about issues so that we will know with certainty what to do. A sense of direction is found. We blend with the Soul of Humanity's mind and think as the Soul with objectivity, accuracy and precision. We will hold a one-pointed focus and be devoted and fearless to our higher purpose and goals. 2. The Soul of Humanity The Soul of Humanity is a wonderful loving Being made up of all the Souls of humanity, the Souls of all lifeforms on Earth and the Soul of Earth itself. This is what Souls do best, and it is to unify and better serve God. They have merged together to better serve God. Souls can evolve as well and they have. They have formed a new Being, the Soul of Humanity, to better serve God. The Soul of Humanity is helping to bring about the event of Peace in the world. Knowing that Earth is a spiritual entity as well as a physical entity in space and time in the Universe we begin to have a better relationship with Earth and with all its living inhabitants. This way Earth management will become a spiritual and a natural process whereby each person is responsible and accountable for its management the best they can. Peace in the world and Earth management have for too long been in the hands of and affected by government and business leaders, in the hands of a few people on the planet, as opposed to being in the hands of all of us (over 6 billion people on Earth) working together to keep our planet healthy. We are the keepers of the Earth. Over the past thousands of years, our species has gone through all sorts of loops and dead ends but we are who we are today: hopeful, imaginative, creative, demanding, powerful, diversified, changing, evolving, intelligent, resourceful, and a kilometre length of skills, qualifications and strengths. We have what it takes to manage Earth wisely and keep it healthy. Respect for Earth is very important to the success of our goal. The Soul of Humanity will: * resolve problems, concerns and issues peacefully * reinstate the respect for Earth * keep Earth healthy, productive and hospitable for all people and living things Good Souls have joined forces to bring forth a sustainable global society embracing universal values related to human rights, economic and social justice, respect of nature, peace, responsibility to one another, and the protection and management of the Earth. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of life within Earth Community. When there is a need to find a solution to a problem or a concern, a sound solution would be to choose a measure or conduct an action, if possible, which causes reversible damage as opposed to a measure or an action causing an irreversible loss. 3. Global Concepts and Universal Values A) The Glass Bubble concept of "a Global Community" Look up, look down, to the right, to the left, in front and behind you. Imagine all this space is inside a giant clear glass bubble. This is "a global community." Wherever you go, you are inside a "global
community". Every thing, every living creature there, interacts one upon the
other. Influences inter-weave and are responsible for causes and effects. Worlds
within worlds orbiting in and out of one another's space, having their being. The concept of the Glass Bubble can be extended to include the planet Earth and all the "global communities" contained therein. The following definition of The Global Community is
appropriate: "The Global Community is defined as being all
that exits or occurs at any location at any time between the Ozone layer above
and the core of the planet below." The technical definition being "a sound balance among the
interactions of the impacts (positive and/or negative), or stresses, on the four
major quality systems: People, Economic Development, Environment and
Availability of Resources," and
The none-technical definition being "a sound balance among the
interactions designed to create a healthy economic growth, preserve
environmental quality, make a wise use of our resources, and enhance social
benefits."
When there is a need to find a solution to a problem or a concern, a sound solution would be to choose a measure or conduct an action, if possible, which causes reversible damage as opposed to a measure or an action causing an irreversible loss. The Earth Community Organization
can help you to realize your actions by coordinating efforts efficiently together. * that Earth is a spiritual Being, a part of the Soul of Humanity * interactions between the four major quality systems (small circles, not to scale) shown here * that the ecosystem and life-support system of the planet (the large circle around the planet) are much more important for all of humanity and other lifeforms * the reason for developing and implementing the Scale of Human Rights * the search of sound solutions and therefore a sound balance amongst interactions * the measurement and evaluation of the impact equation * the development and use of indicators and indices * the reason for creating the Earth Community Organization and Earth Government * Earth management
C) Universal Values Our universal values are meant to bring together the billions of people around the world for the good of all humanity. These values are the common grounds to start a new global dialogue. East and West talking; capitalism and communism, all different political and social philosophies and structures reaching to one another, compromising, changing, letting go old ways that dont work, creating new ways that do, and finding what is very important to ensure a sound future for Earth. All peoples on Earth will now join forces to bring forth a sustainable global society embracing universal values related to human rights, economic and social justice, respect of nature, peace, responsibility to one another, and the protection and management of the Earth. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of life within Earth Community. The following universal values were obtained during the World Congress on Managing and Measuring Sustainable Development - Global Community Action 1 held in August 2000. They are now an integral part of the Charter of the Earth Community. a. Working together to keep our planet healthy, productive and hospitable for all people and living things. This requires quality relationships and responsibility to one-self and others, and dealing wisely with consumption, work, finances, health, resources, community living, family, life purpose, wildlife and the Earth. b. We are committed to be responsible to ourselves and to one another, and to sustaining Earth. The key is personal responsibility and accountability. Therefore the individual is the important element, one who takes responsibility for his/her community. As previously defined, an 'individual' here may either be a person, a corporation, a NGO, a local community, a group of people, organizations, businesses, a nation, or a government. c. Apply a wellness approach in dealing with physical well-being. There is a multitude of influences shaping family life and its well-being. Wellness is a concept related to physical well-being. It is a new health paradigm replacing the old model of doctors, drugs, and treating symptoms. Spiritual well-being deals with mental, emotional and spiritual as well as physical health. Instead of blaming the doctor for an illness and expecting insurance companies and government to pick up the health care tab, a wellness approach places personal responsibility as part of the solution. d. All cultures and nations value the family as an important social unit. The family is the basic social unit of the Earth Community. e. Earth Community is becoming pluralistic. Recognition and respect of this pluralism is a necessity for the survival of mankind. The history of humanity has always been that of an increasingly more complex interrelationship between its members. Clans to tribes, to nations, to empires, and to today's economic and political alliances. Societies have become global and communications have made us all 'neighbours'. Massive migrations within and among countries have contributed to increasing contacts between human beings of different origins, religions, ideologies, and moral-value systems. f. Earth Community recognizes that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Freedom is both a principle and a value. It is because human beings are free that they are subject of law and are creators and holders of rights. Freedom and human rights are therefore basic to each other. Equality and freedom are therefore accepted and enshrined as universal values by which the Earth Community Organization will governed its affairs. As universal values they are concerned with our ability to decide, to choose values and to participate in the making of laws, and they are dependent on the recognition of other people. These values forbid any form of discrimination on the grounds of race, nationality, sex, religion, age or mother tongue. By accepting both values of freedom and equality we can achieve justice. One can be answerable for one's actions in a 'just' way only if judgements are given in the framework of democratically established laws and courts. Social justice is another universal value to which Earth Community aspires and accepts as a universal value. Social justice consists in sharing wealth with a view to greater equality and the equal recognition of each individual's merits. Human rights and democracy are closely intertwined. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is one of the characteristics of a democracy. The typical fundamental freedoms of a democracy (freedom of expression, thought, assembly, and association) are themselves part of human rights. These freedoms were present during the August 2000 World Congress as we have dialogue and debate on the rights of different people and their accompanying obligations and responsibilities as human beings. These freedoms can exist everywhere. g. An adequate level of health care is a universal value as well as a human right. We expect adequate health services to be accessible, affordable, compassionate and socially acceptable. The Earth Community Organization is proposing that every individual of a society is co-responsible for helping in implementing and managing health programmes along with the government and the public institutions. h. There are universal quality of life values which lead to "human betterment" or the improvement of the human condition. In addition to the value of species survival (human and other living organisms), they include: adequate resources, justice and equality, freedom, and peace or balance of power. A better quality of life for all people of the Earth Community is a goal for all of us and one of our universal values. i. For a community to be sustainable there has to be a general social and economical well-being throughout the community. Health is the basic building block of this well-being. Health is a complex state involving mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, social and economical well-being. Health promotion generates living and working conditions that are safe, stimulating, satisfying and enjoyable. To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, a community must be able to identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change with the environment. The overall guiding principle for the community is the need to encourage reciprocal maintenance, to take care of each other and the environment. The important part of the thinking in both community health and ecological sustainability is the need to find a sense of community as a crucial aspect of a healthy individual development. j. The Charter of the Earth Community is a declaration by every human being to the commitment of responsibility to themselves and to one another, and to sustaining Earth. The key is participation in the sustainable development process, personal responsibility and accountability. Therefore the individual is the important element, one who takes responsibility for his/her community. As previously defined (see Vision in , an 'individual' here may either be a person, a corporation, a NGO, a local community, a group of people, organizations, businesses, a nation, or a government. We are all working together to keep our planet healthy, productive and hospitable for all people and living things. This requires quality relationships and responsibility to one-self and others, and dealing wisely with consumption, work, finances, health, resources, community living, family, life purpose, wildlife and the Earth. We are also all accountable to others about our actions and the things we do throughout our lives. k. The Charter of the Earth Community is an acceptance and commitment about peace, freedom, social and economic well-being, ecological protection, global ethics and spiritual values; it also recognizes the interactions between aspects included in the major quality systems such as: economic, environmental, social, and the availability of resources. l. Responsibility and accountability are universal values. Every individual on Earth is responsible and accountable for their action(s). Note: All universal values obtained during the World Congress were listed in the Proceedingson the website. 4. The Scale of Human and Earth Rights A healthy environment is essential to long term prosperity and well-being, and citizens in Earth Community demand a high level of ecological protection. This is the 'raison d'etre' of the Scale of Human Rights. Primordial human rights are those human rights that individuals have by virtue of their very existence as human beings: to live, eat, drink fresh water, breath clean air, safety and security, and have shelter. These rights are separate categories than ecological rights, the right of the greatest number of people, economic rights, social rights, cultural rights and religious rights. Ecological and primordial human rights are the only rights that have existed unchanged throughout the evolutionary origin of our species. Any major change would have threatened our very existence. All other human rights listed here are rights created by human beings and can be changed depending of new circumstances; they are not stagnant but are rather flexible and adaptive, and they can evolve. Ecological and primordial human rights of this generation and of future generations are therefore much more important than any other human rights existing now and in the future. This is the reason for drawing the Scale of Human and Earth Rights as shown here: Scale of Human and Earth Rights
* Primordial human rights * The ecological rights, the protection of the global life-support systems and the primordial human rights of future generations * Community Rights and the right that the greatest number of people has by virtue of its number (50% plus one) and after voting representatives democratically * Economic rights (business and consumer rights, and their responsibilities and accountabilities) and social rights (civil and political rights) * Cultural rights and religious rights In this way the Scale of Human and Earth Rights gives us a 'sense of direction' for future planning and managing of the Earth. Earth management is now well defined and becomes a goal to achieve. We no longer waste energy and resources in things that are absolutely unimportant. Note: The Scale of Human and Earth Rights was brought forward during the World Congress in August 2000, and it was discussed further in the December 2000 and March 2001 Newsletters. 5. The People’s Grassroots Movement
The Earth Community organization was first introduced in a report on
global changes published in 1990 by Germain Dufour. The report contained 450
policies (workable sound solutions) on sustainable development, and was
presented to the United Nations, the Government of Canada, several non-profit
organizations and scientists. Today global link-ups are already happening at a fast rate. Business leaders are much
more sensitive to the greater, wider needs for their expertise and are already
in the process of creating a new kind of civilization. Although there is a need to find a home for the Earth Community Organization, and also although the organization was not registered legally in any country so far, the organization exists and has a membership, organizes worldwide conferences, and has an active Global Community Assessment Centre (GCAC). At the moment the organization is handling several research and development projects one very important project being the research and development of the Earth Government model. All Participants of the August 2000 World
Congress on Managing and Measuring Sustainable Development - Global Community
Action 1 have been given a lifetime membership of the Earth Community Organization. Over the past decades, Earth Community has initialized the People's Participation Grassroots Movement in wanting what is rightfully ours to manage: Earth. 'We the Peoples' of the Earth are now set with one goal, one direction, that is to protect and manage Earth for our generation and for all of the others to come. We are the hopes of humanity. We are now developing the foundation of Earth Government, the highest aspirations of humanity, a Vision of the most powerful reform in the History of Humanity. People from all over the planet are developing models for Earth Government, the greatest of all hopes. Human consciousness has evolved and will seek no rest until Earth Government has come to life. Societies seek to form a democratically elected Earth Government, one representative per million people. Over six thousands representatives will be managing Earth. The Middle Age feudal Kingdom has evolved to become a planetary government where representatives are making decisions on behalf of their communities. In the Vision of Earth in Year 2024 governing now requires participation from every person on Earth. National governments have turn over to their citizens the responsibility and accountability of local and global problems. Finding sound solutions to problems and making decisions is no longer accomplished behind closed doors but is now a process requiring everyone's participation. National governments and Earth Government have made democracy a living and a spiritual process for the good of all of humanity. Participation is now a necessity. Participation, global concepts, universal values and the Scale of Human Rights are being taught at the school level. Earth Community has focused societies aspirations toward a unique goal: humanity survival now and in the future along with all life on Earth. 6. The Measurement of Sustainable Development The evaluation of sustainable development is a tool and a process allowing us to evaluate decisions which we feel must be made now in order to reach our objective: to sustain Earth and all of humanity. All impacts and their associated action-decisions are evaluated. A measurement of the current performance gives us a basis for comparison to see how far we are in reaching our objective. An evaluation of sustainable development consists of ranking risks relative to each other and finding which practice is better than another. A scale of good practices emphasizes the quantifiable aspects of all impacts, compares them to each other, and makes a judgment as to which impacts must be our priorities now in Earth Community. Assigning values to impacts is part of the combined social, environmental, resources and economic accounting system that covers not only the conventional economic indicators (GDP, GNP, etc.) but also such matters as the costs of restoring a damaged environment and effects of economic activities on health. A scale of good pratices is based on and would have to satisfy what it means to fulfill the requirements of sustainable development. We will fulfill the requirements for a sustainable development by implementing economic activity that can advance sustainability by: a) reducing per capita consumption of energy and resources; b) reducing energy and resource content per unit of output; c) reducing waste discharges per unit of output and in total; d) decreasing wastage of natural resources during harvesting and processing, thus increasing the amount put to productive use. We will fulfill the requirements for a sustainable development by implementing various conservation strategies such as: a) the maintenance of ecological succession, soil regeneration and protection, the recycling of nutrients and the cleansing of air and water; b) the preservation of biological diversity, which forms the basis of life on Earth and assures our foods, many medicines and industrial products; c) the sustainable use of ecosystems and species such as fish, wildlife, forests, agricultural soils and grazing lands so that harvests do not exceed rates of regeneration required to meet future needs; d) the use of non-renewable resources in a manner that will lead to an economy that is sustainable in the long term. This will require the development of renewable substitutes; e) the reduction in soil erosion by changing farming practices. We will fulfill the requirements for a sustainable development by developing a combined social and economic accounting system that covers not only the conventional economic indicators (GDP, GNP, etc.) but also such matters as soil depletion, forest degeneration, the costs of restoring a damaged environment and the effects of economic activity on health. We will fulfill the requirements for a sustainable development by creating tests for sustainability: a) the amount of arable land and forest that is being lost; b) the amount of silt in rivers coming from eroded farm fields; c) the loss of large numbers and even whole species of wildlife; d) the positive and negative impact of process and products on health; e) the impact of development on the stock of non-renewable resources such as oil, gas, metals and minerals; f) the impact of waste products; g) the ability of new proposals to implement cleaner and more resource-efficient techniques and technologies. We will fulfill the requirements for a sustainable development by being committed to make forest management to include getting more value out of the wood. This means wasting less of the trees that are cut and making better use of what are now considered non-commercial tree speices. We will fulfill the requirements for a sustainable development by requiring formal Impact Assessment for all major projects so as to predict the sustainability of these developments and determine whether impacts can be mitigated. We will fulfill the requirements for a sustainable development by using essential elements of an adequate urban and rural development: a) suitable community facilities and services; b) decent housing and health care; c) personal security from crime; d) educational and cultural opportunities; e) family stability; f) efficient and safe transportation; g) land planning; h) an atmosphere of social justice; i) aesthetic satisfaction; j) responsive government subject to community participation in decision-making; k) energy conservation and energy efficiency are part of the decision-making process and made part of the community design; l) the application of the 4 Rs is integrated in the community design; m) community businesses, working areas, play areas, social and cultural areas, education areas, and training areas; n) the use of renewable energy sources, central heating where possible, and cogeneration of electricity are made part of the community design when possible; o) the form of community development integrates concepts such as cooperation, trust, interdependence, stewardship, and mutual responsibility; p) promote self-sufficiency in all areas such as energy, garbage, food and sewage disposal; q) rely on locally-produced goods. At the end, a Scale of Good Practices is developed not only from what it means to fulfill the requirements of a sustainable development but also from the perspective of keeping us all healthy and sustaining Earth to make it happen. Health is created and lived by people within a community: where they work, learn, play, and love. Health is a complex state involving mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, economical and social well-being. Each community can develop its own ideas of what a healthy community is by looking at its own situation, and finding its own solutions. Health promotion generates living and working conditions that are safe, stimulating, satisfying and enjoyable. To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, a community must be able to identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change with the environment. The overall guiding principle for the community is the need to encourage reciprocal maintenance, to take care of each other and the environment. The important part of the thinking in both community health and ecological sustainability is the need to find a sense of community as a crucial aspect of healthy individual development. Developing a scale of values and designing and testing quality indicators is the most important task. The Gross Environmental Sustainable Development Index (GESDI) is quantitatively describing quality indicators rather than merely measuring different variables. GESDI includes all possible aspects, all physical, biological, health, social and cultural components which routinely influences the lives of individuals and communities. If we are to achieve effective evaluation of quality, comprehensive data are needed about the status and changes of the variables. Optimally, these data may be organized in terms of indices that in some fashion aggregate relevant data. These indices are in turn used to predict the impact of public and private actions, assess conditions and trends, and determine the effectiveness of programs in all areas. For instance, reliable data are needed to evaluate the effects of human activities on the environment and to determine what possible actions that can be done to ameliorate the adverse effects. The quality of urban environment constitutes a major test of the level of the well-being of a nation as a society. Essential elements of an adequate urban environment include the following parts: * Health care system, * Educational system, * Seniors'care, * Food chain, nutrition, * Population growth, * Farming communities, * Parks, * Psychological, biological, genetics and evolution, * Spiritual pathways, * Entertainment, * Quality of life, customs and beliefs, information access, communication, aesthetics * Decent housing, suitable community services, * Pollution, waste, * An atmosphere of social justice, * Family stability, * Religion, * Infrastructures and facilities, land planning, * Juvenile crimes, gangs, drugs, illiteracy, * Socio-cultural and political influences, multi-culturalism, laws, * Anthropological, Aboriginals, Natives issues. Knowing what are the important elements of sustainable development allows us to structure indicators into major areas such as demographic data; the economic data of the individual, family, and household; the status of the region's economy; housing, community facilities, and aesthetic quality; social quality. Here also the weights given to the different segments of the evaluation were obtained or guess-estimated from the results of the Survey on the Scale of Values. An other indicator was developed to measure the costs of development: the Gross Sustainable Development Product (GSDP). The GSDP is defined as the total value of production within a region over a specified period of time. It is measured using market prices for goods and services transactions in the economy. The GSDP is designed to replace the Gross Development Product (GDP) as the primary indicator of the economic performance of a nation. The GSDP takes into accounts: · the economic impacts of environmental and health degradation or improvement, resource depletion or findings of new stocks, and depreciation or appreciation of stocks; · the impact of people activity on the environment, the availability of resources, and economic development; · the "quality" of the four major quality systems and the impacts of changes in these systems on national income and wealth; · global concerns and their impacts on the economy; · the welfare, economic development and quality of life of future generations; · expenditures on pollution abatement and clean-ups, people health, floods, vehicle accidents, and on any negative impact costs; · the status of each resource and the stocks and productive capacities of exploited populations and ecosystems, and make sure that those capacities are sustained and replenished after use; and · the depreciation or appreciation of natural assets, the depletion and degradation of natural resources and the environment, ecological processes and biological diversity, the costs of rectifying unmitigated environmental damage, the values of natural resources, capital stocks, the impacts of degradation or improvement, social costs, health costs, environmental clean-up costs, and the costs of the environment, economic growth, and resources uses to current and future generations and to a nation’s income. The measurement of GSDP shows that consumption levels can be maintained without depleting and depreciating the quality and quantity of services. It indicates the solutions to the problems as well as the directions to take, such as:
· invest in technology, R & D, to increase the end-use efficiency;
The measurement of GSDP also gives a proper and sound signal to the public, government and industry about the rate and direction of economic growth; it identifies environmental, health, and social quality; it identifies sustainable and unsustainable levels of resource and environmental uses; it measures the success or failure of
sustainable development policies and practices; and it identifies resource scarcity. Values obtained enable us to make meaningful comparisons of sustainable development between cities, provinces, nations over the entire planet.· increase productivity; · modify social, educational programs and services; · slow down or increase economic growth; · remediate components of the four major quality systems; and · rectify present shortcomings of income and wealth accounts. A status report of all physical accounts show the physical state and availability of resources and the state of the environment. Examples of the physical stock accounts are: • minerals • oil, gas and coal • forests • wildlife • agricultural • soils • fish • protected wilderness areas • flow rate of water Valuation in terms of money accounts is difficult for some non-market values such as: * aesthetic satisfaction * air quality * water quality * soil carrying capacity and productivity * acid rain deposition * biodiversity * wilderness and protected areas * land productivity GESDI can be obtained for these quality indicators that are difficult to give a money value to. Both the GESDI and GSDP are measured together and tell us about the quality and cost of development, locally and globally. Measurements of GESDI and GSDP provide insights for the discussion of issues such as :
· Is the actual rate of development too slow or too fast? · Are People aspects being stressed too far? · Are resources and the environment managed in a sustainable manner? · What forms of community and home designs promote sustainability? · In what ways should social, educational, and health programs and services be modified? · Is this generation leaving to the future generation a world that is at least as diverse and productive as the one it inherited? · What improvements can be brought up to the quality of development? 7. Earth Management This third millennium is a new challenge. New standards, goals and objectives have to be defined. Firm universal guidelines are essentials in keeping the world healthy. When a group of ordinary people realized they, personally, will make the changes they need in their fields, in their village, in their communities, they can then find ways to bring about these changes for all. There is a wisdom in the ways of very humble people that needs to be utilized. Every humble person deserves to have ideas respected, and encouraged to develop his or her own life for the better. Sound solutions to help manage and sustain Earth will very likely be found this way. Everyone can help assess the needs of the planet and propose sound solutions for its proper management, present and future. Everyone can think of better ideas to sustain all life on Earth and realize these ideas by conducting positive and constructive actions. When there is a need to find a solution to a problem or a concern, a sound solution would be to choose a measure or conduct an action, if possible, which causes reversible damage as opposed to a measure or an action causing an irreversible loss; that is the grassroots process. Earth Community Organization can help you realized your actions by coordinating efforts efficiently together. Earth management is a priority and is a duty of every responsible person on Earth. Also, part of the theme is the concern of all issues related to the management of Earth with respect to the availability of resources, the environment, social and economic development aspects. All these issues and concerns were discussed during the World Congress on Managing and Measuring Sustainable Development - Global Community Action 1 held on August 2000. Now for the next stage - the management of Earth. We found during the World Congress that there were several universal values and global concepts that connect all communities and societies to each other. Proper Earth management is a necessity and requires all peoples to unite and actually manage the planet. Local and global policies need to be developed and implemented by every community. Every person on Earth is responsible for this very important duty. The time for action is now - positive and constructive actions to sustain Earth. The new Global Dialogue on Earth Management - all Peoples together has the mandate to conduct and implement positive and constructive actions all over the planet. It is a grassroots process involving everyone as part of Earth Community. Participants from all sectors and walks of life will describe and explain the actions they have performed in their own homes, communities or in any other place on the planet. Everyone is responsible for the proper management of Earth and therefore everyone is invited to submit research papers, Vision statements, actions conducted in sustaining Earth, results of brain-storming exercises, comments and recommendations. Positive and constructive actions in sustaining Earth. These are actions learned from the previous Global Dialogue or new ones. Participants from all sectors of life will describe and explain actions that they have performed in their own homes, communities, business places or in any other places on the planet. 8. Global Ethics The Earth Community Organization (ECO) found a way of dealing with globalization: global ethics. In the past, corporations ruled without checks and balances. Now, global ethics will be a basic minimum to do business, and there will be checks and balances. Our judgement will be based on global ethics. Global ethics must always be grounded in realities. But realities are changing constantly and are different in different places. We live in a world that makes progress toward democracy. Ethics and morality exist only when human beings can act freely. In our free society, rights are tied to responsibilities. Corporations are committed to improvement in business performance and want to be seen as 'good corporate citizens' on a local and a global scale. Corporations have social responsibilities as they are an integral part of society. Global ethics recalls that those realities, on which others build upon, have to be protected first. ECO has found that universal values and human rights as described above were the foundation of global ethics. 9. Respect and Care for the Community of Life A) Respect Earth and life in all its diversity a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings. b. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity. B) Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love a. Accept that with the right to own, manage, and use natural resources comes the duty to prevent environmental harm and to protect the rights of people. b. Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good. C) Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful a. Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential. b. Promote social and economic justice, enabling all to achieve a secure and meaningful livelihood that is ecologically responsible. D) Secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations a. Recognize that the freedom of action of each generation is qualified by the needs of future generations. b. Transmit to future generations values, traditions, and institutions that support the long-term flourishing of Earth's human and ecological communities. 10. Ecological Integrity A) Protect and restore the integrity of Earth's ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life a. Adopt at all levels sustainable development plans and regulations that make environmental conservation and rehabilitation integral to all development initiatives. b. Establish and safeguard viable nature and biosphere reserves, including wild lands and marine areas, to protect Earth's life support systems, maintain biodiversity, and preserve our natural heritage. c. Promote the recovery of endangered species and ecosystems. d. Control and eradicate non-native or genetically modified organisms harmful to native species and the environment, and prevent introduction of such harmful organisms. e. Manage the use of renewable resources such as water, soil, forest products, and marine life in ways that do not exceed rates of regeneration and that protect the health of ecosystems. f. Manage the extraction and use of non-renewable resources such as minerals and fossil fuels in ways that minimize depletion and cause no serious environmental damage. B) Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a precautionary approach a. Take action to avoid the possibility of serious or irreversible environmental harm even when scientific knowledge is incomplete or inconclusive. b. Place the burden of proof on those who argue that a proposed activity will not cause significant harm, and make the responsible parties liable for environmental harm. c. Ensure that decision making addresses the cumulative, long-term, indirect, long distance, and global consequences of human activities. d. Prevent pollution of any part of the environment and allow no build-up of radioactive, toxic, or other hazardous substances. e. Avoid military activities damaging to the environment. C) Adopt patterns of production, consumption, and reproduction that safeguard Earth's regenerative capacities, human rights, and community well-being a. Reduce, reuse, and recycle the materials used in production and consumption systems, and ensure that residual waste can be assimilated by ecological systems. b. Act with restraint and efficiency when using energy, and rely increasingly on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. c. Promote the development, adoption, and equitable transfer of environmentally sound technologies. d. Internalize the full environmental and social costs of goods and services in the selling price, and enable consumers to identify products that meet the highest social and environmental standards. e. Ensure universal access to health care that fosters reproductive health and responsible reproduction. f. Adopt lifestyles that emphasize the quality of life and material sufficiency in a finite world. D) Advance the study of ecological sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of the knowledge acquired a. Support international scientific and technical cooperation on sustainability, with special attention to the needs of developing nations. b. Recognize and preserve the traditional knowledge and spiritual wisdom in all cultures that contribute to environmental protection and human well-being. c. Ensure that information of vital importance to human health and environmental protection, including genetic information, remains available in the public domain. 11. Social and Economic Justice A) Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social, and environmental imperative a. Guarantee the right to potable water, clean air, food security, uncontaminated soil, shelter, and safe sanitation, allocating the national and international resources required. b. Empower every human being with the education and resources to secure a sustainable livelihood, and provide social security and safety nets for those who are unable to support themselves. c. Recognize the ignored, protect the vulnerable, serve those who suffer, and enable them to develop their capacities and to pursue their aspirations. B) Ensure that economic activities and institutions at all levels promote human development in an equitable and sustainable manner a. Promote the equitable distribution of wealth within nations and among nations. b. Enhance the intellectual, financial, technical, and social resources of developing nations, and relieve them of onerous international debt. c. Ensure that all trade supports sustainable resource use, environmental protection, and progressive labor standards. d. Require multinational corporations and international financial organizations to act transparently in the public good, and hold them accountable for the consequences of their activities. C) Affirm gender equality and equity as prerequisites to sustainable development and ensure universal access to education, health care, and economic opportunity a. Secure the human rights of women and girls and end all violence against them. b. Promote the active participation of women in all aspects of economic, political, civil, social, and cultural life as full and equal partners, decision makers, leaders, and beneficiaries. c. Strengthen families and ensure the safety and loving nurture of all family members. D) 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 a. Eliminate discrimination in all its forms, such as that based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, language, and national, ethnic or social origin. b. Affirm the right of indigenous peoples to their spirituality, knowledge, lands and resources and to their related practice of sustainable livelihoods. c. Honor and support the young people of our communities, enabling them to fulfill their essential role in creating sustainable societies. d. Protect and restore outstanding places of cultural and spiritual significance. 12. Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace A) Strengthen democratic institutions at all levels, and provide transparency and accountability in governance, inclusive participation in decision making, and access to justice a. Uphold the right of everyone to receive clear and timely information on environmental matters and all development plans and activities which are likely to affect them or in which they have an interest. b. Support local, regional and global civil society, and promote the meaningful participation of all interested individuals and organizations in decision making. c. Protect the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, association, and dissent. d. Institute effective and efficient access to administrative and independent judicial procedures, including remedies and redress for environmental harm and the threat of such harm. e. Eliminate corruption in all public and private institutions. f. Strengthen local communities, enabling them to care for their environments, and assign environmental responsibilities to the levels of government where they can be carried out most effectively. B) Integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life a. Provide all, especially children and youth, with educational opportunities that empower them to contribute actively to sustainable development. b. Promote the contribution of the arts and humanities as well as the sciences in sustainability education. c. Enhance the role of the mass media in raising awareness of ecological and social challenges. d. Recognize the importance of moral and spiritual education for sustainable living. C) Treat all living beings with respect and consideration a. Prevent cruelty to animals kept in human societies and protect them from suffering. b. Protect wild animals from methods of hunting, trapping, and fishing that cause extreme, prolonged, or avoidable suffering. c. Avoid or eliminate to the full extent possible the taking or destruction of non-targeted species. D) Promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence, and peace a. Encourage and support mutual understanding, solidarity, and cooperation among all peoples and within and among nations. b. Implement comprehensive strategies to prevent violent conflict and use collaborative problem solving to manage and resolve environmental conflicts and other disputes. c. Demilitarize national security systems to the level of a non-provocative defense posture, and convert military resources to peaceful purposes, including ecological restoration. d. Eliminate nuclear, biological, and toxic weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. e. Ensure that the use of orbital and outer space supports environmental protection and peace. f. Recognize that peace is the wholeness created by right relationships with oneself, other persons, other cultures, other life, Earth, and the larger whole of which all are a part. Between now and August 2002 we will have created the Interim Earth
Government for Earth Community. The Interim Earth Government for Earth
Community will govern for as long as necessary to create the democratic
structure of the government and to put in place the voting system it
requires. Officers and Ministers of the Interim Earth Government will be required to
work as a team. Perhaps a question on everyone's mind is how do
we get billions of people to vote democratically for the Earth Government?
This may seems like an impossible task. What voting system would satisfy us all? This is an issue and also a Discussion Roundtable. Headquarters are at the address shown below but will be
moved after a properly conducted democratic election. In the mean time
the interim Earth Government will administer the affairs. Germain Dufour
In order to elect representatives to Earth Government
it is proposed (as part of a Discussion Roundtable of the August 2002 conference)
the following:
A. Each individual government in the
world will administer the election of representatives to Earth Government
with an NGO and/or members of Earth Government be allowed to verify all
aspects of the process to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
B. Representatives be elected every
five years to form a new Earth Government.
C. It is proposed here that there will be one elected representative per 1,000,000
people. A population of 100 million people will elect 100 representatives. This process will create a feeling of belonging and participating to the affairs of the Earth
Community and Earth Government. The number of elected representatives will change with the change in the world population.
D. Earth population is now 6.114 billion
people. If all representatives had been elected this year there would be
6,114 representatives to form Earth Government. They would be the Legislative
elected body of Earth Government. They would participate in some ways in
choosing the Executive and Judiciary bodies of Earth Government. All these
aspects will be discussed during the global dialogue in August 2002.
E. All representatives will not have
to be meeting in Headquarters. The Interim Earth Government and later
on, Earth Government, will meet and make decisions, including voting of
day to day affairs, through the use of the Internet and other communications
devices.
In order to elect representatives to Earth Government
it is proposed (as part of a Discussion Roundtable of the August 2002 conference)
the following:
A. Each individual government in the
world will administer the election of representatives to Earth Government
with an NGO and/or members of Earth Government be allowed to verify all
aspects of the process to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
B. Representatives be elected every
five years to form a new Earth Government.
C. It is proposed here that there will be one elected representative per 1,000,000
people. A population of 100 million people will elect 100 representatives. This process will create a feeling of belonging and participating to the affairs of the Earth
Community and Earth Government. The number of Elected Representatives will change with the change of the world population.
D. Earth population is now 6.114 billion
people. If all representatives had been elected this year there would be
6,114 representatives to form Earth Government. They would be the Legislative
elected body of Earth Government. They would participate in some ways in
choosing the Executive and Judiciary bodies of Earth Government. All these
aspects will be discussed during the global dialogue in August 2002.
E. All representatives will not have
to be meeting in Headquarters. The Interim Earth Government and later
on, Earth Government, will meet and make decisions, including voting of
day to day affairs, through the use of the Internet and other communications
devices.
The history of the Global Community Assessment Centre (GCAC), its R & D projects, and objectives are found at: Earth Community Organization is now offering local and global services and is
accepting contract work through Earth Community, a business branch of Global
Community WebNet Ltd. The listing of services is found at:
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Chapter XXX: Ratification and Signature (Articles 353-355) Article 353 1. The present Charter shall be ratified by the signatory Members in accordance with their respective constitutional processes. 2. The Members signatory to the present Charter which ratify it after it has come into force will become original Members of the Earth Community on the date of the deposit of their respective ratifications. Article 354 Articles 354 and 355 will be added later.
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