Global Dialogue 2006

Statement of rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities of a person, 'a global community' and 'the Global Community'

Ever since the early 1990s, the Global Community has researched and developed the concept of 'a global community'. It has since been made a part of the foundation of the Global Community and is thought as the way of life of the future. The concept is also in the Statement of rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities of a person belonging to 'a global community' and to 'the Global Community', the human family.

That is, the statement is about to take a stand:

Certainly a more concise description of the rights and responsibilities of a person and of 'a global community' and that of 'the Global Community' is required at this time. During Global Dialogues 2000, 2002 and 2004 we have found why each member of 'the Global Community' is important ~ and how all work together to create a good place to live. Now is time to assign rights and responsibilities to global communities. What rights and responsibilities should be assigned to 'a global community' and to the Global Community? What rights and responsibilities to assign to a person in global communities? Global Dialogue 2006 continues this process. You are all invited to participate in these discussions.

To determine rights requires an understanding of needs and responsibilities and their importance. The Scale of Human and Earth Rights and the Charter of the Global Community were researched and developed by the Global Community to guide us in continuing this process. The Scale shows social values in order of importance and so will help us understand the rights and responsibilities of global communities.

The statement of rights of a person and of the Global Community can be integrated into our lives by taking a stand on values. The Global Community is asking all nations to adopt and entrench this statement into your way of life and constitution. Make it acceptable to your society. Educate children of it.

It is understood that whenever a person is given a right or a responsibility then 'a global community' and 'the Global Community' give the right or responsiblity to that person. Similarly, whenever a right or a responsibility is given to 'a global community' or to 'the Global Community' then the rights and responsiblities of a person are readjusted accordingly.

* Proper governance of Earth is the most importance function of the Global Community. We define Earth governance as the traditions and institutions by which authority in a country is exercised for the common good. This includes:

(i)     the process by which those in authority are selected, monitored and replaced,
(ii)     the capacity of the government to effectively manage its resources and implement sound policies with respect to the Scale of Human and Earth Rights and the belief, values, principles and aspirations of theGlobal Community,
(iii)     the respect of citizens and the state for the institutions that govern economic, environment, Earth resources, and social interactions among them,
(iv)     the freedom of global citizens to find new ways for the common good, and
(v)     the acceptance of responsibility and accountability for our ways.

* The quality of Earth governance is reflected in each local community worldwide. The Global Community will show leadership by creating a global civil ethic within the Global ommunity. The Charter of the Global Community describes all values needed for good global governance: mutual respect, tolerance, respect for life, justice for all everywhere, integrity, and caring. The Scale of Human and Earth Rights has become an inner truth and the benchmark of the millennium in how everyone sees all values. The Scale encompasses the right of all people to:

a)     the preservation of ethnicity
b)     equitable treatment, including gender equity
c)     security
d)     protection against corruption and the military
e)     earn a fair living, have shelter and provide for their own welfare and that of their family
f)     peace and stability
g)     universal value systems
h)     participation in governance at all levels
i)     access the Earth Court of Justice for redress of gross injustices
j)     equal access to information

*     The Charter of the Global Community is itself a statement for the fundamental rights of all Global Community citizens, ensuring the rights of minorities, one vote per million people from each state government. When member nations vote during any meeting they are given the right of one vote per million people in their individual country. That is the most fundamental community right, the right of the greatest number of people, 50% plus one, and that is the 'new democracy' of the Global Community.

*     Governance of the Earth will make the rule of arbitrary power--economic (WTO, FTAA, EU), political, or military (NATO)-- subjected to the rule of law within global civil society, the human family. Justice is for everyone and is everywhere, a universal constant.

*     The Global Community has no intention of changing the status and privileges of state governments. In fact, state governments become primary members of the the Global Community. Global governance can only be effective within the framework of a world government or world federalism. There is no such thing as global governance through the work of a few international organizations such as the WTO, the EU, or the United Nations dictating to the rest of the world. These organizations are heading in the wrong direction and are causing conflicts between nations, doing away with democracy, increasing the gap between rich and poor, and creating a culture of violence worldwide, terrorism being a small example of what they can do.

*     The Global Community allows people to take control of their own lives. The Global Community was built from a grassroots process with a vision for humanity that is challenging every person on Earth as well as nation governments. The Global Community has a vision of the people working together building a new civilization including a healthy and rewarding future for the next generations. Global cooperation brings people together for a common future for the good of all.

*     Earth governance does not imply a lost of state sovereignty and territorial integrity. A nation government exists within the framework of an effective Global Community protecting common global values and humanity heritage. Earth governance gives a new meaning to the notions of territoriality, and non-intervention in a state way of life, and it is about protecting the cultural heritage of a state. Diversity of cultural and ethnic groups is an important aspect of Earth governance.

*     Earth governance is a balance between the rights of states with rights of people, and the interests of nations with the interests of the Global Community, the human family, the global civil society.

*     Earth governance is about the rights of states to self-determination in the global context of the Global Community rather than the traditional context of a world of separate states.

*     Although the Global Community ensures state governments that it will obey the principle of non-intervention in domestic affairs, it will also stand for the rights and interests of the people within individual states in which the security of people is extensively endangered. A global consensus to that effect will be agreed upon by all nation states.

*     Effective Earth governance requires a greater understanding of what it means to live in a more crowded, interdependent humanity with finite resources and more pollution threatening the global life-support systems. The Global Community has no other choice but to work together at all levels. The collective power is needed to create a better world.

*    We the Peoples of the Global Community are reaffirming faith in the fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and smalll. We the Peoples implies every individual on Earth. Earth management is now a priority and a duty of every responsible person on Earth. The Global Community has taken action by calling the Divine Will into our lives and following its guidance. Divine Will is now a part of the Soul of Humanity to be used for the higher purpose of good and Life's evolution. We will learn to serve humanity and radiate the Will of God to others. We will establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and we promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.

*     The spiritual belief, universal values, principles and aspirations of theGlobal Community will be attained by:

a)     practicing tolerance and living together in peace and harmony with one another as neighbours,
b)     promoting the economic and social advancement of all peoples,
c)     maintaining peace and security in the world by using negotiations and peaceful means,
d)     finding unity in diversity with all Life,
e)     establishing the respect for the life-support system of the planet,
f)     creating activities guided by the Soul of Humanity,
g)     keeping Earth healthy, productive and hospitable for all people and living things, and
h)     applying the principle that 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.
i)     The Charter of the Global Community is a declaration of interdependence and responsibility and an urgent call to build a global symbiotical relationship for sustainable development. It is a commitment to Life and its evolution to bring humanity to God. The Global Community has focused people aspirations toward a unique goal: humanity survival now and in the future along with all Life on Earth.
j)     The "Belief, Values, Principles and Aspirations of the Global Community" described in of the Charter are closely interrelated. Together they provide a conception of sustainable development and set forth fundamental guidelines for achieving it; they were drawn from international law, science, philosophy, religion, and they were discussed as research papers during the World Congress on Managing and Measuring Sustainable Development - Global Community Action 1 held in August 2000. They were also a part of the August 2002 global dialogue on Earth Management - all Peoples together, and will also be discussed during Global Dialogue 2006.
k)     The goal of sustainable development is full human development and ecological protection. The Charter recognizes that humanity's environmental, economic, social, cultural, ethical, spiritual problems and aspirations are interconnected. It affirms the need for holistic thinking and collaborative, integrated problem solving. Sustainable development requires such an approach. It is about freedom, justice, participation, and peace as well as environmental protection and economic well-being.
l)     The Divine Will was drawn to humanity and is now a part of the Soul of Humanity. The goals of the Divine Will are to enable each one of us to create the higher purpose of humanity, evolve spiritually, serve the greater plan of humanity and evolution of all Life. As never before in history, common destiny beckons us to seek a new beginning. Such renewal is the promise of these Charter "Belief, Values, Principles and Aspirations of the Global Community". 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 Charter, for we have much to learn from the ongoing collaborative search for truth and wisdom.
m)     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 cooperation of government, global civil society, and business is essential for effective governance.
n)     In order to build a sustainable global community, each individual, each local community, and national governments of the world must initiate their commitment to the Global Community, fulfill their obligations under existing international agreements, and support the implementation of Charter principles with an international legally binding instrument on environment and development.
o)     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. Our expanding consciousness will blend with that of the Soul of Humanity.
p)     Humanity welcomes the "Belief, Values, Principles and Aspirations of the Global Community" 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 on Earth shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of Life within the Global Community.

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Rights and responsibilities of a Global Community citizen

It is understood that whenever a person is given a right or a responsibility then 'a global community' and 'the Global Community' give the right or responsiblity to that person. Similarly, whenever a right or a responsibility is given to 'a global community' or to 'the Global Community' then the rights and responsiblities of a person are readjusted accordingly.

*     A member of a global community has the right to life.

*     A member of a global community has the right to security of person.

*     No one shall be held in slavery.

*     No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

*     No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

*     A member of a global community has the right to freedom of movement and residence.

*     A member of a global community has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

*     Family aspects

(1)     A member of a global community has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2)     Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
(3)     Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(4)     Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(5)     The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

* Freedom
A member of a global community has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

* Social duties

(1) A member of a global community has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, a member of a global community shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

* A member of a global community has the right to a nationality.

* Property ownership

(1) A member of a global community has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

*     A member of a global community has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

*     A member of a global community has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.

*     A member of a global community has the right of equal access to public service in his country.

*     A member of a global community, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the Global Community and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

*     Employment

(1)     A member of a global community has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2)     A member of a global community, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3)     A member of a global community who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4)     A member of a global community has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

* A member of a global community has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

* Education

(1)     A member of a global community has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2)     Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
(3)     Education is one of the most effective catalysts for change. Society should undertake to educate the people of today to change their ways and the younger generations to have respect for nature. In forest regions, the young people should receive knowledge about the biological, social and economic values of forests. Environmental conservation should be conferred as much importance as math, physics and history in school curricula. Workers should be taught to use technology to enhance forest ecosystems instead of destroying them and for reforestation and afforestation projects. Human ideologies require modification. Anthropocentrism needs to give way to ecocentrism as the dominant view of the world. If humans are able to see themselves as part of nature, they will also respect forests as living communities, not just resources to be exploited. Perhaps forests need to be perceived as a non-renewable resource.

* A member of a global community has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the Global Community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

* A member of a global community is entitled of:

1.     conscience and religion
2.     thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communications
3.     peaceful assembly association

* A member of a global community is entitled of democratic rights:

1. right to vote
2. maximum duration and sitting of legislative bodies

* A member of a global community is entitled of mobility rights:

1. the right to move to and live in any province
2. the right to pursue a livelihood in any province

* A member of a global community is entitled of legal rights:

1.     life, liberty, and security of the person
2.     security against unreasonable search and seizure
3.     no arbitrary detention or imprisonment
4.     be informed promptly for the reasons for any arrest or detention
5.     retain and instruct counsel on arrest
6.     trial within a reasonable time by an impartial tribunal
7.     the presumption of innocence
8.     no self-incrimination
9.     no cruel and unusual punishment
10.     the right to a court-appointed interpreter

* A member of a global community is entitled of equality rights:

1. equal treatment before and under the law
2. equal benefit and protection of the law without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability

* A member of a global community is entitled of language rights:

1. the official languages
2. minority language education rights in certain circumstances

*     The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

*    No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

*     A member of a global community is entitled to a social and international order.

*     Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the Global Community for the maintenance of peace.

*     The Global Community also believes that the Earth Court of Justice is the only higher Court to decide about global problems and their solutions, to discriminate and to prosecute on the basis of the Scale of Human and Earth Rights and on the basis of the Belief, Values, Principles and Aspirations of the Global Community.

*     The Universal Declaration of Human Rights resides in the fact that it gives equal emphasis to cultural rights, economic and social rights, and civil and political rights. The Global Community asks how meaningful is the right to life or to participation in political life if the ecological base (the base of life) is seriously threatened:

*     wilderness is vastly disappearing
*     climate change affects everyone and everything
*     the ozone layer is dangerously damaged by man-made chemicals
*     global warming causes major local and global problems
*     our drinking (fresh) water is becoming more polluted and the increase in population requires much more fresh unpolluted water
*     clean air no longer exists; air contains chemicals affecting life all over the planet
*     farmers do not generally engage on their own in investment in soil conservation and despite all other efforts the world is losing its best soils
*     everyone wants to consume more products, and thus use more of our resources, and no one seems to know what to do with wastes
*     wars destroy not only human lives but also other lifeforms and the environment

*    A healthy environment is essential to long term prosperity and well-being, and citizens in the Global Community demand a high level of ecological protection. Primordial human rights were developed for this purpose.

*     Primordial human rights are those human rights that individuals have by virtue of their very existence as human beings: to live, safety and security, eat, drink fresh water, breath clean air, and have shelter. These rights are separate categories than ecological rights, community 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.

*     The existing and future uses of water are constantly challenged; balancing supply and demand is made even harder by the amounts of pollution found in the air, land and waters. A large part of our body is made of water, and we cannot live without water; therefore water is a primordial human right by our very nature. In order to avoid conflicts and wars over drinking (fresh)water, fresh water has been categorized as a primordial human right. Industrial pollution plays a major role in the deterioration of nature but this time the level of pollution is above the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. Pollution also affects significantly human health and all lifeforms on Earth. Every person needs Oxygen to live so clean air is certainly also a primordial human right by our very nature.

*     The Global Community asks how meaningful is the right to life or to participation in political life if poverty, gender inequality, destitution and epidemics prevent individuals from enjoying freedom of movement, freedom to vote, to marry and so on? The Global Community found evident that economic and social rights are the essential prerequisite for the effectiveness and exercise of all other rights (other than ecological rights) recognized for human beings. The developing countries are having a harder time than others to achieve the exercise of these rights on a lasting basis, with the problems of economic globalization presenting new challenges. We must therefore beware of enforcing economic rights alone to the detriment of individual civil rights and the rights of all individuals to decide their own fate and the future of their country, their political rights. The universality of human rights recognizes the right of all individuals to participate in the cultural life of their community and of other country, to receive education and training, and to be informed. During the World Congress, you were asked to list universal values that were the most important, very important, important, not so important, and values that should be let go in order to sustain all life on Earth. The Global Community is aware that traditional customs and standards could burden the sustainability of all life on Earth. They could burden Earth society or any society forever, and holds individuals in a straitjacket. We cannot accept that. No one can! There are choices to be made and you must make them. Cultures can develop and can go on developing. Even religious beliefs may evolve (read the article 'Religious beliefs, Peace in the world and Earth management'). We are living now and we are able to create these changes. We are at least as bright, most certainly brighter, than the people who were living thousand of years ago. As far as the Global Community is concerned, cultural and religious differences cannot be a reason or an excuse or a pretext for not respecting human rights including and most importantly the ecological rights. Quite the contrary, all kinds of cultures may promote human rights and especially cultural rights. They are different in their achievements, but they are equal in dignity where they are expressions of freedom. At any time or in any given place, men, women and children use their culture to invent new ways of making human rights a living reality. Diversity enriches us if it respects the dignity of each individual, and if it takes account of human rights as a whole.

*    The Global Community found that 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. We believe 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.

*    the Global Community calls upon all nations and global communities to publicize the text of the Scale of Human and Earth Rights and to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories.

*    The Global Community recognizes the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings and everyone should enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people.

*     Human and Earth rights should be protected by the rule of law.

*     The Global Community proclaims the Scale of Human and Earth Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every global community, every organ of society, keeping this Scale constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of global communities themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

*     All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

*    Every member of a global community has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Legal rights

1.    Every member of a global community is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
2.     Every member of a global community charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
3.     No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
4.     No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Every member of a global community has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

*     Every member of a global community has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

*     Every member of a global community has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

*     Every member of a global community has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

*     No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

* Cultural rights
(1)     Every member of a global community has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2)     Every member of a global community has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

*     Every member of a global community is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms can be fully realized.

*     The Earth Court of Justice will hear cases involving crimes related to the global ministries. It will have the power to rule on cases involving crimes related to each one of the ministries.

*     The invasion of nations such as those of the Middle East and Afghanistan are crimes against humanity and will be prosecuted.

*     It is a crime against humanity and all life on Earth not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. It is a terrible crime against the global life-support systems, against the very existence of the next generations. On the Scale of Human and Earth Rights the crime is of maximum importance.

*     Prosecuting criminals on the basis of universal jurisdiction regardless of a territorial or nationality nexus required a solid commitment of political will from national governments and the Global Community. Once in effect, the Earth Court of Justice will become the principal judicial organ of the Global Community. The Court will have a dual role: to settle in accordance with international law the legal disputes submitted to it by national governments, local communities, and in some special cases by corporations, non-government-organizations and citizens, and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized organs and agencies.

*     We are all members of the Global Community. We all have the duty to protect the rights and welfare of all species and all people. No humans have the right to encroach on the ecological space of other species and other people, or treat them with cruelty and violence.

*     All species, humans and cultures have intrinsic worth. They are subjects, not objects of manipulation or ownership. No humans have the right to own other species, other people or the knowledge of other cultures through patents and other intellectual property rights.

*     Defending biological and cultural diversity is a duty of all people. Diversity is an end in itself, a value, a source of richness both material and cultural.

*     All members of the Global Community including all humans have the right to sustenance -- to food and water, to safe and clean habitat, to security of ecological space. These rights are natural rights, they are birthrights given by the fact of existence on earth and are best protected through community rights and commons. They are not given by states or corporations, nor can they be extinguished by state or corporate action. No state or corporation has the right to erode or undermine these natural rights or enclose the commons that sustain all through privatisation or monopoly control.

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Universal values

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 Global Community.

a.     Working together to keep our planet healthy, productive and hospitable for all people and living things. This requires quality global symbiotical 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 global community. 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 a global community of the Global Community.

e.     The Global 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.     The Global 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 Global Community governs 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 the Global 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 and Earth 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 and Earth 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 Global Community 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 Global 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 Global 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. 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 Global 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).

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Fulfilling the requirements for a world sustainable development

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 with respect to the Scale of Human and Earth Rights, and it 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 global 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 global 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 global community as a crucial aspect of healthy individual 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.

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;
·     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.

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.

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?

*     Ensure that substances, processes and activities which are harmful to the environment are prevented from entering the environment, and to ensure that costly subsequent means of restoration are avoided, and that irreversible environmental degradation are avoided. Adverse effects include, but are not limited to: toxicity, bioaccumulation, bioconcentration, persistence, depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, reduction of carbon sinks, increased greenhouse gases, increased human-induced climate change, reduction or loss of biodiversity, as well as heat, light and electro-magnetic radiation, atomic radiation, and hormone mimicry.

*     Every proponent of an intervention in the ecosystem must demonstrate that the intervention will not cause harm to the environment or will not create ecologically unsound wastes.

*     Use of prevention technologies - technologies that emphasize "protecting, conserving and sustaining the environment from the beginning, and thus avoiding the cycle of rectification of error - will contribute to socially equitable and environmentally-sound development.

*     Mandatory standards and technical regulations will be developed to prevent adverse effects of substances or activities on the ecosystem including the adverse effects on the health of human and non-human species within and throughout bioregions.

*     Prevent the release of persistent or biaccumulative toxics by changing the extractive or productive activities which produce the product or substance.

*     Maintaining lawns requires a drain on local water supplies. Governments should pass regulations which encourage the replacement of grass lawns with indigenous plant reserves consistent with the fauna of the bioregion and home/community market gardens.

*     The generation of waste shall be prevented, and the emphasis shall be on the generation of byproducts that can become an ecologically safe and sound resource. If waste is already in existence, waste shall be disposed of at its source in an ecologically safe and sound manner ensuring that nothing is being stored that could, if an accident occurred, cause harm to the environment. If no assurance can be given that waste will not cause potentially significant adverse effects, then the activity that is generating the wastes shall cease, or permission to undertake the project will not be granted.

*     The most stringent environmental provisions shall be adopted complying with all international, national, bilateral and bioregional agreements, protocols and conventions as a minimum.If there is a conflict between international, national, bilateral and regional agreements, the most stringent environmental provisions shall prevail.

*     Every activity or substance that could prevent the protection and conservation of the environment will be included in environmental legislation, regardless of whether the activity or substance is, or is presumed to be covered under another Act.

*     Governments shall undertake to not relax environmental standards and technical regulations, or human rights protection, or social justice and equality/equity provisions to attract short-term economic benefit.

*     No proposal to relax standards or technical regulations shall be used to attract industry into a specific global community.

*     "Ambient criteria", or "environmental quality criteria" refers to levels of contaminants in the environment that must be zero use, production, and release in all cases where a toxic substance is persistent or bioaccumulative. It also applies when a substance will generate persistent or bioaccumulative toxic byproducts or breakdown products during its productions, use or disposal.

*     The Global Community evaluates both the environmental costs of not converting to ecologically sound practices and the environmental costs of permitting ecologically unsound practices (including the costs to future generations of irreversible environmental degradation)and the environmental costs of potential mitigation, and restoration.

*     An actual assessment of the short and long term potentially adverse environmental effects of existing and proposed projects and activities shall be carried out. So-called "Environmental Assessments" which review "environmental, economic, social, cultural, heritage, health effects of the reviewable projects" are not legitimate environmental impact assessments.

*     A full cost accounting of violating the rights of the disenfranchised shall be carried out. The groups bearing the greatest impact from ecologically unsound practices are usually the disenfranchised in society-the poor and the members of minority groups.

*     The Polluter Pay Principle ensures that those who may release polluting substances into the environment pay the full-cost of environmentally safe handling, treatment, disposal, and remediation; in addition, permits shall be suspended and canceled, if the polluter has caused serious irreversible ecological damage.

*     Given that throughout history sympathetic government regimes have failed to enforce their own statutory legislation, and given that there has been resultant environmental degradation, current governments shall seek environmental compensation from companies that can be shown to have consistently contributed to environmental degradation. The funds from environmental compensation shall be put into developing.

*     Compensation shall never be used as reason for not exercising the duty to preserve, protect, conserve the environment.

*     There exists a notion that environmental degradation is reversible; it can be restored, and rehabilitated. This notion shall never be used as a justification for the causing of environmental degradation.

*     Experience has demonstrated that the concept of the disaster reduction should be enlarged to cover natural and other disaster situations including environmental and technological disasters and their interrelationship which can have a significant impact on social, economic, cultural and environmental systems, in particular in developing countries.

*     The argument that in a pristine environment that has not yet been polluted by industrial activity shall be able to have emission standards relaxed is inherently invalid and should be discounted. In other words a licence to pollute could be given to industry in an pristine area because the area is not yet officially been designated as being polluted.

*     Polluting industries that have been regulated under statutory law, shall not through redefinition of practice be excluded from the previous regulations [ where a plant with "industrial" air emissions is redefined as a recycling plant and thus the regulations related to "industrial.... ] is deemed inapplicable.

*     Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, the lack of scientific certainly shall not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation. Extreme care shall be applied to all potentially harmful emissions, contaminents, agents of pollutants, or re concentrated substances or created through imballance in biogeochemical cycles.

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Values the Global Community stand for

The Global Community stands for the following values:

A)     Respect and Care for the Community of Life
B)     Ecological Integrity
C)     Social and Economic Justice
D)     Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace

A) Respect and Care for the Community of Life

1)     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.

2)     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.

3)     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.

4)     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.

B) Ecological Integrity

1)     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.

2)     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.

3)     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.

4)     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.

C) Social and Economic Justice

1)     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.

2)     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.

3)     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.

4)     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.

D) Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace

1)     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.

2)     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.

3)     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.

4)     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.

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Security

The Global Community has broadened the traditional focus of the security of states to include both the security of people as well as that of the planet.

Global security policies include:

a)     every person on Earth has a right to a secure existence, and all states have an obligation to protect those rights
b)     prevention of conflicts and wars; identification, anticipation, and resolving conflicts before they become armed confrontations. The Earth Court of Justice will help here.
c)     military force is not a legitimate political instrument
d)     weapons of mass destruction are not legitimate instruments of national defence
e)     eliminate all weapons of mass destruction from all nations and have inspectors verifying progress to that effect
f)     all nations should sign and ratify the conventions to eliminate nuclear, chemical and biological weapons
g)     the production and trade in arms should be listed as a criminal act against humanity; this global ministry will introduce a Convention on the curtailment of the arms trade, a provision for a mandatory Arms Register and the prohibition of the financing or subsidy of arms exports by governments
h)     the development of military capabilities is a potential threat to the security of people and all life on Earth; the ministry will make the demilitarization of global politics a high priority.
i)     anticipating and managing crises before they escalate into armed conflicts and wars
j)     maintaining the integrity of the environment and global life-support systems
k)     managing the environmental, economic, social, political and military conditions that threatened the security of people and the planet
l)     over the past decades and even now today, all Five Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council (mostly the United States, Russia and Britain) were responsible for selling weapons and war equipment. These three nations are required to give back to the Global Community an amount of 8 trillion dollars (American) as a payment for the immense damage they have caused in the world. They have created a culture of violence throughout the world. They are nation bullies, nation predators. They are responsible for economic mismanagement, ethnic tensions, crimes, drug abuse, high unemployment, urban stress, worldwide poverty, and pressures on natural resources. Most conflicts in the world are direct legacies of cold war power politics, senseless politics. Other conflicts were caused by the end of the cold war and the collapse of old regimes. Other factors have combined to increase tension: religious, economical, political, and ethnic aspects.

In the past, security was thought as better accomplished through military means. Expanding the military capabilities and forming alliances with other nations were the only way to 'win'. Today wars are unlikely to produce winners. the Global Community is all over the planet. Ethnic groups are everywhere. Some say there are more Italians in Montreal, Canada that there are in Italy. So we would fight our own people? Wars truly make no sense! The world is too crowded and too small nowadays! And weapons too lethal! So security cannot be achieved through the military. The only job the military should be asked to do today is to protect the global life-support systems. These systems have the highest priority on the Scale of Human and Earth Rights and are certainly more important than any of the other rights on the Scale including security. Simply because without life there is no other right possible. Without Oxygen there is no life! Without clean water there is no life! So protect life on Earth at all costs. Wars are the biggest threat to life and the ecosystem of the planet. Primordial human rights come next on the Scale of Human and Earth Rights. Without a shelter life will still exist in some places but is not possible in cold place.

Security must be achieved by other means than wars. We might as well shelved the war industry from humanity right now and that means phasing out all nuclear, biological, chemical weapons right now. No waiting! That also means having inspectors verifying the phasing out in all nations of the world, and not just in some Middle East country. The nature of global security has changed since the rise of the Global Community. Security used to be about the protection of the state and its boundaries, people, institutions and values from an outside threat. the Global Community emphasizes as a priority the prohibition of external interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states. Today the security of people within the Global Community is just as important as the security of states. Citizens must be secure. the Global Community is just as important as the security and life of citizens and states. There are many threats to security other than the threats to the global life-support systems and threat caused by weapons of mass destruction and the threats to the sovereignty of a state, and they include:

* the proliferation of conventional small arms
* the terrorizing of civilian populations by domestic groups
* gross violations of human and Earth rights

* Global security can only be achieved if it can be shared by all peoples and through global co-operation, based on principles as explained in the Charter of the Earth Government such as justice, human dignity, and equity for all and for the good of all. All people and states are protected by the Global Community.

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Global ministries

The formation of global ministries to manage the world affairs in several aspects of our lives: energy, agriculture, environment, health, Earth resources, Earth management, security and safety, emergencies and rescues, trade, banks, speculation on world markets, peace, family and human development, water resources protection, youth, education, justice, science and technology, finance, human resources, ethics, human and Earth rights, sustainable development, industry, and manufacturing products, etc. Global ministries will be given power to rule themselves in harmony with each other. The WTO will not be the only global ministry that can rule on cases related to trade. The Global Community, he Human Family, is calling for the immediate formation of the Earth Ministry of Health. The globalization of trade, the extensive mouvement of people all over the world, the increase of poverty and diseases in developing countries and all over the world, have caused pathogens and exotic diseases to migrate over enormous distances and now, are an increasing threat to local ecosystems and communities, economies and health of every human being and all life. The Global Community, the Human Family, is calling this threat of the upmost importance and must be dealt with immediately by every nation. We must manage health in the world. We are calling for the immediate creation of the Earth Ministry of Health.

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Social Justice

As universal values, equality, justice and freedoms 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. All persons within a given society deserve equal access to goods and services that fulfill basic human needs.

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Ecological rights

The ecological base is the essential prerequisite for the effectiveness and exercise of all rights recognized for human beings. The stewardship of the ecological base has to be given priority before the fulfilment of various economic and social wishes. Demands resulting from the socio-economic system of a particular country have to find their limits in the protection of the global life-support systems. Vital interests of future generations have to be considered as having priority before less vital interests of the present generation. Supply chains have to be designed in a way, that the goods can enter after usage or consumption into natural or industrial recycling processes. If serious damages to persons, animals, plants and the ecosystem cannot be excluded, an action or pattern of behaviour should be refrained from. A measure for supplying goods or services should choose a path which entails the least possible impact on the ecological and social system concerned. This way functioning proven systems will not be disturbed, and unnecessary risks will not be taken. Supply strategies consuming less resources should have preference before those enhancing more resource consumption. The idea of sustainability has been extended to be a moral and ethical state, as well as an economic and environmental state, wherein sustainable consumption patterns respect the universal values of peace, security, justice and equity within the human relationships that exist in 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 oppose to a measure or an action causing an irreversible loss. The existing and future uses of water are constantly challenged; balancing supply and demand is made even harder by the amounts of pollution found in the air, land and waters. A large part of our body is made of water, and we cannot live without water; therefore water is a primordial human right by our very nature. In order to avoid conflicts and wars over drinking freshwater, freshwater has been categorized as a primordial human right. Industrial pollution plays a major role in the deterioration of nature but this time the level of pollution is above the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. Pollution also affects significantly human health and all lifeforms on Earth. Every person needs Oxygen to live so clean air is certainly also a primordial human right by our very nature.

Conservation of the earth's resources and creation of sustainable and satisfying livelihoods is most caringly, creatively and efficiently and equitably achieved at the local level in a global community. Localization of economics is social and ecological imperative. Only goods and services that cannot be produced locally, using local resources, local knowledge should be produced non-locally and traded long distance. Earth democracy of the Global Community is based on vibrant, resilient local economies, which support national and global economies. The global economy does not crush and destroy local economies.

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Primordial human rights

Primordial human rights are necessarily human needs but not all human needs are primordial human rights. To determine rights requires an understanding of needs and reponsibilities and their importance.
On the Scale of Human and Earth Rights, Primordial Human Rights are those that individuals have by virtue of their very existence as human beings. They are very specific primordial human needs. First there are the material needs, the requisites for a dignified life and truly the primordial human rights:

safety and security
eat a balance diet
'clean' energy
a 'clean' and healthy environment
drink fresh water
breath clean air
basic clothing and
have shelter.

Then there are the nonmaterial needs which can evolve, and are flexible and adaptive:

social justice
basic health care
communications facilities in the community
well-rounded education
cultural protection
spiritual and religious acceptance and
human and Earth rights

Primordial human rights are those human rights that individuals have by virtue of their very existence as human beings:

live
safety and security
eat
drink fresh water
breath clean air and
have shelter.

These rights are separate categories from those of ecological rights, community 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.

The Global Community has developed a global strategy to reinforce primordial human rights. Recommendations to that effect are:

*     provision of minimal standards of health, education, and housing worldwide
*     reduce inequality in access to work opportunities
*     care for the quality of life of the people
*     all nations must ratify an agreement to form the Earth Court of Justice
*     increase global cooperation between nations to deal with terrorism in a more selective, targeted way
*     help the Earth Community promote and implement its global civic ethic program worldwide
*     allow our volunteers perform their global ethical management tasks during conflict resolution
*     emphasise social responsibility of corporations in the whole cycle of their products or services
*     expand coordination and global cooperation among nations, agencies, and NGOs, regarding information, early warning, apprehension, and punishment of terrorists through the Earth Court of Justice. The Court will create an environment for transparent Justice.
*     when there is massive damage done to a country that is abhorent to most countries of the world then the Earth Court of Justice will find it justified to go after the suspected criminals wherever they may be hiding

the Global Community is also proposing that:

a)     different nations may require different political systems at different times
b)     a democratic system is not a "must have it" to be a responsible member nation of the Global Community
c)     all democracies are to be upgraded, or improved upon, to be a responsible member nation of the Global Community. The Scale of Human and Earth Rights and the Charter of the Global Community are the newly added requirements to all democratic systems of the world.

* Human rights represent an ideal and a supreme goal which can give meaning to life in society. Throughout the history of humanity, the rights of human beings have been defined and enshrined with reference to the values of the dignity of each individual and of freedom, equality and justice. These values are universal. The Global Community has accepted and enshrined them into its own ways of behaving and dealing with all peoples. Cultures and societies differ so much that their expression takes varying forms, but diversity does not affect the foundation of inalienable values constituted by human and Earth rights. Each individual is recognized as a representative of humankind. Human dignity resides in each of us, and this dignity must be recognized and respected by all.

* How meaningful is the right to life or to participation in political life if poverty, gender inequality, destitution and epidemics prevent individuals from enjoying freedom of movement, freedom to vote, to marry and so on? The economic and social rights are the essential prerequisite for the effectiveness and exercise of all other rights (other than ecological rights) recognized for human beings. The developing countries are having a harder time than others to achieve the exercise of these rights on a lasting basis, with the problems of economic globalization presenting new challenges. We must therefore beware of enforcing economic rights alone to the detriment of individual civil rights and the rights of all individuals to decide their own fate and the future of their country, their political rights. The universality of human rights recognizes the right of all individuals to participate in the cultural life of their community and of other country, to receive education and training, and to be informed.

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Cultural rights

Traditional customs and standards could burden the sustainability of all life on Earth. They could burden Earth society or any society forever, and holds individuals in a straitjacket. We cannot accept that. No one can! There are choices to be made and you must make them. Cultures can develop and can go on developing. Even religious beliefs may evolve. We are living now and we are able to create these changes. Cultural and religious differences cannot be a reason or an excuse or a pretext for not respecting human and Earth rights including and most importantly the ecological rights. Quite the contrary, all kinds of cultures may promote human and Earth rights. They are different in their achievements, but they are equal in dignity where they are expressions of freedom. At any time or in any given place, men, women and children use their culture to invent new ways of making human and Earth rights a living reality. Diversity enriches us if it respects the dignity of each individual, and if it takes account of human and Earth rights as a whole.

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Consumer rights

Global consumption is a very important aspect of a community's needs. Consumers should be concerned with the impact of their decisions on the environment but also on the lives, human and Earth rights and well-being of other people. Since one of the key functions of families as a social institution is to engage in production (selling their labour in return for wages) and consumption (using those wages to buy goods and services), then the role of families has impacts on sustainable consumption and development. This certainly limits the rights of a family and of a community.

Just as corporations have social responsibilities and so do consumers in societies. Consumers are socialized to improve the quality of their lives. Quality of life is a multi-dimensional, complex and very subjective concept. For instance, someone who has changed their consumption habits to better ensure that their choices will make a better quality of life for themselves, the environment and future generations, may be seen by others as having a lower or inferior quality of life since they have removed themselves from the materialistic mainstream characteristic of our consumer society. Someone may feel that an absence of violence and abuse in their life leads to a higher quality of living even though they have fewer tangible resources, money, or shelter; peace of mind and freedom from abuse has increased the quality of their daily life relative to what it was like before. 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 Earth Community is a goal for all of us.

Consumers' rights impinge on the rights of other humans living in the Global Community. The right to choice is the consumer right that refers to the right to have a range and variety of goods and services at competitive, fair prices and variable, satisfactory quality. In order to assure choice in the developed country markets, governments have implemented trade laws to facilitate cross border transactions and transnational corporations (TNCs) have set up business off shore so they can lessen the cost of the production process. The goods that are available in the developed country markets are provided by slave labour, child labour, sweatshops or in countries that allow the TNCs to forego adhering to pollution or ecological concerns and human rights in pursuit of profit. Labour rights are abused in efforts to earn more profits. This leads to abhorrent working conditions, job insecurity and low living standards (all human rights). Consumers in developed countries have been socialized to want more and more things to consume but have not been socialized to appreciate the impact of their consumption choices on the human rights of other people; that is, they are not being responsible for their decisions.

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Political rights

The political system of an individual country does not have to be a democracy. Political rights of a country belong to that country alone. Democracy is not to be enforced by anyone and to anyone or to any global community. Every global community can and should choose the political system of their choice with the understanding of the importance of such a right on the Scale of Human and Earth Rights. On the other hand, representatives to the Global Community must be elected democratically in every part of the world. An individual country may have any political system at home but the government of that country will have to ensure (and allow verification by the Global Community) that representatives to the Global Community have been elected democratically. This way, every person in the world can claim the birth right of electing a democratic government to manage Earth: the rights to vote and elect representatives to form the Global Community.

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Economic rights and responsibilities

Globalization is a process interaction which involves growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide with implications and impacts on social, cultural, political, environmental and familial aspects and rights. With the globalization of the economy comes now the task for defining the obligations that go with the rights. This phenomenon is also present in the arena of international finance. In this area, however, the presumed virtues of globalization are far from being materialised. Until now, no orderly or stable financial system has been implemented. Furthermore, the current financial system does not succeed in channelling sufficient funds to finance crucial world problems such as adequate social development in poor countries. We have assigned ourselves the task of defining a set of rules to balance consumption, consumer rights and responsibilities :

a) Socially responsible and sustainable to future generations
b) In line with the universal values defined above
c) In line with human rights and responsibilities defined above

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Global corporate ethics

The Global Community found a way of dealing with globalization: global ethics. In the past, corporations rule without checks and balances. From now on 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. the Global Community found that universal values and human rights as described above were the foundation of global ethics.

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Corporate checks and balances

The Global Community has now at hand the method and framework to conduct societal checks and balances of a global sustainable development. A more balance world economy will result of annual checks and balances. Corporations will take their social responsibilities and become involved in designing, monitoring, and implementing these checks and balances. Several corporations have already done so. Results will be taken into account in the evaluation of sustainable development. Corporations are required to expand their responsibilities to include human rights, the environment, community and family aspects, safe working conditions, fair wages and sustainable consumption aspects.

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Improved democracy

Earth democracy of the Global Community is based on economic democracy and on the Scale of Human and Earth Rights. Economic systems in Earth democracy of the Global Community protect ecosystems and their integrity, they protect people's livelihoods and provide basic needs to all. In the earth economy there are no disposable or dispensable species or people. The earth economy is a living economy. It is based on sustainable, diverse, pluralistic systems that protect nature and people, are chosen by people, for the benefit of the common good.

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I am not just a woman, I am a person, I am citizen of a global community

What are the universal needs of a person, family, a global community? All life on Earth is part of the Global Community and, therefore, every human being has a responsibility toward all lifeforms.

At this time, we have written down statements indicating what direction this discussion is going. These statements are part of a new brain-storming exercise of Global Dialogue 2006 (everyone is welcome to participate) and were categorized in the following four sections:

A)   Rights and responsiblitities of a person in ' a global community '
B)   Rights and responsiblitities of a person in ' the Global Community '
C)   Rights and responsiblitities of ' a global community '
D)   Rights and responsiblitities of ' the Global Community '

We have already said that 'a global community' is not about a piece of land you acquired by force or otherwise. One could think of a typical global community of a million people that does not have to be bounded by a geographical or political border. It can be a million people living in many different locations all over the world. The Global Community is thus more fluid and dynamic. The Global Community is this great, wide, wonderful world made of all these diverse global communities. We need to let go the archaic ways of seeing a community as the street where we live and contained by a border. Many conflicts and wars will be avoided by seeing ourselves as people with a heart, a mind and a Soul, and as part of a global community with the same.

The old concept of a community being the street where we live in and surrounded by a definite geographical and political boundary has originated during the Roman Empire period. An entire new system of values was then created to make things work for the Roman Empire. Humanity has lived with this concept over two thousand years. Peoples from all over the world are ready to kill anyone challenging their border. They say that this is their land, their property, their 'things'. This archaic concept is endangering humanity and its survival. The Roman Empire has gone but its culture is still affecting us today. We need to let go the old way of thinking. We need to learn of the new concept, and how it can make things work in the world.

A typical global community may be what a group of people, together, wants it to be. It can be a group of people with the same values. It can be a group of people with the same cultural background, or the same religious background. The people making a global community may be living in many different locations on the planet. With today's communications it is easy to group people in this fashion. It can be a village, or two villages together where people have decided to unite as one global community. The two villages may be found in different parts of the world. It can be a town, a city, or a nation. It can be two or more nations together. A global community could be a group of Africans, maybe NGOs, or maybe businesses, in one(or several) of the nations of Africa, who decided to unite with another group(s), or businesses, situated in Canada, or elsewhere in the world. Together they can grow as a global community and be strong and healthy.

The number of people making a typical global community becomes important when a democratic election to elect representatives to the Global Community is going on. The voting system of the Global Community is very simple and practical. One representative per million people. A global community of 300 million people would have three hundred representatives.

We can no longer perceive ourselves as a People who could survive alone and a People who does not need anyone else. We belong and depend to this much larger group, that of the Global Community. The 21st Century will see limitless links and symbiotical relationships with and within the Global Community. A global symbiotical relationship between two or more nations, or between two or more global communities, can have trade as the major aspect of the relationship or it can have as many other aspects as agreed by the people involved. The fundamental criteria is that a relationship is created for the good of all groups participating in the relationship and for the good of humanity, all life on Earth The relationship allows a global equitable and peaceful development.

The emphasis of a global symbiotical relationship is not so much on how much money a nation should have or how high a GDP should be although money can be made a part of the relationship. We all know developed countries live off developing countries so the emphasis has no need to stress out the profit a rich nation is making off a poor nation. The emphasis of the relationship should give more importance to the other aspects such as quality of life, protection of the environment and of the global life-support systems, the entrenchment of the Scale of Human and Earth Rights and the Charter of the Global Community into our ways of life, justice, peace, cultural and spiritual freedom, security, and many other important aspects as described in the global ministries (health, agriculture, energy, trade, resources, etc.).

In today's the Global Community it is important for our survival to cooperate globally on several aspects such as peace, security, pollution in the air, water and land, drug trade, shelving the war industry, keeping the world healthy, enforcing global justice for all, eradicating poverty worldwide, replacing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Scale of Human and Earth Rights, and entrenching the Charter of the Global Community as a way of life for the good of all.

The best way and solution for any nation is to make the above Statement a way of life and follow the Scale of Human and Earth Rights. Right on top of the scale are the ecological rights, the global life-support systems, and the primordial human rights of this generation and of the next generation. Economic and social rights come next and are not the most important. That makes a lot of sense! What is the most important is not so much being a citizen within a democratic system, but it is first and foremost more important to be in line with the Scale of Human and Earth Rights. Fourth on the Scale, a global community may choose to use any type of political systems of its liking, a democracy or otherwise. That is a global community right, the right that the greatest number of people has by virtue of its number (50% plus one) and after voting representatives democratically. All political systems will be improved by increasing education, transparency, accountability, media access, respect for human and Earth rights, tolerance of political opposition, free elections, participation and independent civil society.

Let us have a look at this stand in more details.

a) I am not just a woman, I am a person, I am citizen of a global community

This is not new. In many parts of the world a man is no longer seen as the 'head of the family', the 'provider'. Both men and women have taken that role depending of circumstances and social factors. Women are no longer seen as subservient persons and used for procreation. Women are seen as equal to men. Women's rights protect the equality between a man and a woman. For a long time, the Global Community has said that greater equality between men and women is an essential element of slowing down world population growth. It was observed that fertility rates were falling everywhere women were allowed to determine when and whether they will have children. Gender inequality also impacts on resource use and the prospects for sustainability and biodiversity protection. Training and education along with their greater sense of nature and shelter protection give women the tools they need to make resource use more equitable and efficient within communities and to mobilize against environmental and health hazards.

The Global Community is dedicated to give women:

     a) equal rights
     b) access to and control of natural resources and land
     c) stronger voices in decisions about sustainable resource use
     d) education on impacts of consumerism and sustainable consumption
     e) access to modern methods of contraception and reproductive health services

There are a lot of situations showing the need for a woman's perspective and solution to a problem, locally and globally.

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I am not just a man, I am a person, I am citizen of a global community

Throughout history, men are being made responsible of having ravaged Earth by militarism, male-created toxic substances and weapons of mass destruction, and the worst kind of trade relationships.

War is the greatest violation of human rights that one people can inflict on another. It brings deaths and injuries, starvation, diseases, millions of people losing their homes and livelihoods, and massive destruction of property. Children and teenagers are placed in internment camps, and several are often forced to serve as soldiers. War not only corrupts the morals of soldiers, it leads to a decline in the morality of the whole nation. Political and military leaders are always convinced that their particular war is justified. From their point of view, there are several reasons to go to war: loyalty to allies, religion, a thirst for power, greed, ancient grievances to be settled, or the desire to alleviate suffering among their people. A nonviolent settlement to a conflict would always be more advantageous. War is self-defeating because it cannot secure what it sets out to achieve, protection against attack. The hatred for the enemy whipped up by war and the desire for revenge among the losers leads to an accursed vicious circle from which there is no escape. The difference between agressive and defensive, or just and unjust wars, is ridiculous. They are tags each side adopted to suit its interests. War and militarism destroy civil liberties within a nation.

Today, men have brought forward the concept of 'partnership'. A trade partnership between nations, or an economical agreement is about the control of a nation by the other. Rich countries manipulate trade agreements in order to ensure profitability. What is trade when the US military is taken over a nation's resources? Trade has no meaning except when the US is getting richer at the expenses of all other nations, including Canada, and at the expenses of the global life-support systems. The military is used against domestic dissidents, like a police force. It is also used to expand markets and keep international dissidents in line. Governments of poor countries that try to take control of their own resources and develop their own economies (instead of remaining areas of cheap labour and raw materials for rich countries) are declared enemies, terrorists, and attacked, officially or otherwise. Nicaragua, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and the Middle East are examples. U.S. military is "to protect U.S. interests and investments" and that includes making other nations safe for U.S multinational corporations. And that is exactly what is happening in the Middle East where the U.S. military is protecting its strategic economic interests especially the continue flow of oil at the cheapest price, thus making global warming worst by ten-fold.

The argument for 'free trade' states that countries should specialize in certain products that they are good at producing and buy from other countries what they are not good at producing, so that the economy is more efficient. What kind of efficiency is it when the pieces of a product are sent half way around the world to be assembled in a country with cheap labour, then shipped back to be sold? It may be profitable, but it is a waste of time and energy as well as resources, and moving products this way is not environmentally friendly and is a threat to the global life-support systems. What kind of efficiency is that? Huge amounts of money are spent on marketing to get people to buy things that they don't need. Where is the efficiency in that?

Of course it is a bad idea to be a member of the World Trade Organization ( WTO). There are no advantages! It just does not work for anyone except when you have an army to knock down any member who does not do your five wishes and plus. A membership in the WTO is not needed and nations should instead seek relationships with fewer other nations only if needed. Certainly it is better to seek an economic relationship with another nation we can trust than with a hundred nations we have no control on and everyone of those nations has a say in the governing of our nation, its environment and social structure. The WTO only offers illusions to profit the few wealthiest people on Earth. They say "become an industrialized nation as we are". But that is the biggest illusion of all. To become an industrialized nation is far from being the best solution. The best way and solution for any nation is to follow the Scale of Human and Earth Rights. Right on top of the scale are the ecological rights, the global life-support systems, and the primordial human rights of this generation and of the next generation. Economic and social rights come next and are not the most important. That makes a lot of sense! The effect of IMF and World Bank policies in the world caused the destruction of the economies of the poor nations (now we call them 'developing' countries). They impoverished the people by taking away basic services and devaluating their currency. They opened up the national economy to be ravaged by competition with richer nations. Poverty lead to other problems causing the ecological destruction of a poor nation.

On the other hand, a global symbiotical relationship between two or more nations can have trade as the major aspect of the relationship or it can have as many other aspects as agreed by the nations involved. The fundamental criteria is that a relationship is created for the good of all nations participating in the relationship and for the good of humanity, all life on Earth. The relationship allows a global equitable and peaceful development.

We are responsible, accountable and equal persons in every way, and we will manage wisely our population and Earth

We can no longer perceive ourselves as a People who could survive alone and a People who does not need anyone else. We belong and depend to this much larger group, that of the Global Community.

Every single human being must deal responsibly with the affairs going on in his (her) own 'global community' ~ when a person takes personal responsibility for his own affairs ~ he becomes empowered as a person. He can then reach beyond his own property and family, and help to work with others living in and around, even a part of the local community he lives in ~ the villages, the town community, the surrounding territory, and so on.

The key is personal responsibility. Therefore the individual is the important element, one who takes responsibility for his community. This individual cares about jobs, homes, streets, the welfare and success of his community.

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We are citizens of the Global Community, the Earth Community, the human family

When a group of ordinary people realized they, personally, will make the changes they need in their fields, in their village. They can then find ways to bring these changes for all. There is a wisdom in the ways of very humble people that needs to be used. Every humble person deserves to have ideas respected, the courage to develop his own life for the better and for the good of all. Sound solutions to help manage and sustain Earth will very likely be found this way. Everyone can help assess the needs of the planet now and propose sound solutions for its proper management, present and future.

Perhaps now we should introduce some important members of the Global Community. Most of the time many politicians representing their citizens at the United Nations have no knowledge, experience, and understanding of global problems. They seek advise from others, and these 'others' are always members of the global civil society. Yet politicians make global decisions or the lack of them during meetings. Politicians become actors on the world scene. Actors taken jobs they are not always qualified to take in reality. They make decisions and they dont understand consequences. In effect, the lack of sound leadership from the part of our politicians are threatening the security of all people and all life on Earth.

The global civil society is made of people from all aspects of life who have a greater understanding of the problem whatever it may be. The global civil society is the mind, heart and Soul of humanity, the human family. They maybe NGOs, businesses, agencies, scientists and professionals, religious groups, or other groups. They should have a voting right during all meetings of the General Assembly and Security Council of the United Nations. They are given an important status in the Global Community.

Perhaps the most important step towards achieving sustainability for the next million years is to control our population growth. World overpopulation is now at the turning point and requires from each and every one of us a statement of rights and belonging to Earth Community, the human family.

Humanity has to regulate its population by means that are voluntary and benign and has to take along with a fair proportion of other lifeforms. Proper Earth management will certainly be a necessary tool to achieve our goal. If not there will be a collapse of humanity and of the environment. From now on every global decision we do will have tremendous consequences on our future.

In general, populations of all lifeforms grow exponentially that is by a steady proportion of whatever was there before. When there is no practical limit on resource then populations usually grow maximally and the only limit is that of the reproductive capacity of the female animal. About 10,000 years ago, human beings were obliged to commit themselves more or less fully to agriculture and the human population was 5 to 10 million. By the time of Christ, after only 8,000 years of large-scale agriculture, the human population was 100 to 300 million. After this time, the exponential growth of the population entered its rapid phase. The billion mark was passed by 1800 A.D. By year 2000, the human population exceeded 6 billion. Thus agriculture allowed a thousand-fold increase in numbers over a period of 10,000 years.

In practical sense, agriculture cannot feed a human population that has grown beyond the capacity limit. We must ask ourselves whether we can stop the growth by means that are voluntary and benign, or whether the eventual environmental restraint will be out of our hands. At some questionable time in our future we will find that our soil will no longer have the nutrients it needs to produce quality food. For some time we may counter this problem by fresh weathering of rock. Not for long! The loss of lifeforms on Earth will be permanent.

Obviously something has to be done! Earth Government proposes a tight global policy, benignly implemented, or it will be very nasty indeed. In practice, a human population of 10 to 12 billion would be too uncomfortably high and would add a high strain on world resources. What kind of world population would be reasonable? What goal should we aim at? A population should be small enough to be sustainable indefinitely and still allow plenty of leeway for ourselves and other lifeforms. It should also be large enough to allow the formation of healthy civilizations.

We propose a world population of 500 million. It would take a thousand years to reach our goal of a population of 500 million. To achieve our goal will require from each and every one of us a stand on the rights and on belonging to the Global Community, the human family. If our population was to decrease as projected here then what other major global problems would be managed automatically?

This question is really saying that the overpopulation is the cause of several major global problems such as:

     * lack of resources
     * poverty
     * wars
     * climate change
     * damage to the global life-support systems
     * a lesser quality of life
     * threat to security
     * lack of good quality soils for agriculture
     * polluted air, water and land
     * overcrowed cities
     * weapons and war products and equipment able to spark global wars
     * widespread drug, human and Earth rights abuse, more old and new diseases out of control

There are many related aspects of the global life-support systems that is affected by an overpopulated planet:

     * global warming
     * Ozone layer
     * wastes of all kind including nuclear and release of radiation
     * climate change
     * species of the fauna and flora becoming extinct
     * losses of forest cover and of biological diversity
     * the capacity for photosynthesis
     * the water cycle
     * food production systems
     * genetic resources
     * chemicals produced for human use and not found in nature and, eventually, reaching the environment with impacts on Earth's waters, soils, air, and ecology

Some religious people will argue that to reduce human reproduction is to prevent the birth of possible babies, to deny life for the glory of God, and that more babies means more glory. We understand this view. Our proposal of a world population of 500 million does not in any way contradict God's Plan for humanity. On the contrary, it reinforces the Will of God for the diversity of Life throoughout the universe. By accomplishing our higher purpose we will be able to propagate trillions of liferforms and much more over the universe. Beside, with such a small population, there is no doubt that our species would last at least a million years.

That is

500 million x 1 million

But if we let our population rise to about 20 billion then we may not survive more that 1,000 years or so. That is

20 billion x 1,000 thousand

In order words, if we exercise restraint the total number of human beings who will be on the planet could be at least 25 times greater than it would be if we allowed the population to increase to 20 billion. Who, then, are those who deny life for the glory of God?

If men and women throughout the world had equal rights that would go a long way into decreasing world population. This is true for Western women. Western men and women get married not so much to procreate but to enjoy the companionship of the 'other', and sometimes the 'other' is a person of the same sex.

Same sex marriage works well with the above proposal of the Global Community of decreasing our overpopulated planet. Two persons with the same sex or not, a man and a woman, two men or two women can get married for a different reason than procreation. Thet may get to share a life of companionship together, and they may include adopted children in their symbiotical relationship.

Let us see a few different scenarios. For Canadians this time.

Two women getting married: Elizabeth and Catherine.

Elizabeth says:
a)        I am not just a woman, I am a person, I am citizen of Canada,
Catherine says:
b)         I am not just a woman, I am a person, I am citizen of Canada
They both say:
c)         We are responsible, accountable and equal persons in every way and,
d)        We are citizens of the Global Community, the human family, the Earth Community.

Two men getting married: John and Charles.

John says:
a)        I am not just a man, I am a person, I am citizen of Canada,
Charles says:
b)         I am not just a man, I am a person, I am citizen of Canada
They both say:
c)         We are responsible, accountable and equal persons in every way and,
d)        We are citizens of the Global Community, the human family, the Earth Community.

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A few examples of how the Statement can be applied

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Send email to gdufour@globalcommunitywebnet.com with questions or comments about this web site.

Copyright © 2004 Global Community WebNet Ltd.

A few examples of how the Statement can be applied

Back to top of page Send email to gdufour@globalcommunitywebnet.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2004 Global Community WebNet Ltd.

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Send email to gdufour@globalcommunitywebnet.com with questions or comments about this web site.

Copyright © 2004 Global Community WebNet Ltd.