The Earth Charter in Practice: An Introductory Workshop

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The Earth Charter in PracticeAn Introductory
Workshop

• Advanced Seminar in International Environmental
  Studies
• An International, Multi-Institution Collaboration
  of the Asia Pacific Initiative
• December 8th, 2006
• Presentation by Hana Heineken,
• on behalf of the
• Committee for Promoting the Earth Charter in
  Japan and the Asia Pacific

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The Earth CharterA Declaration of Principles and
Valuesfor Building a Just, Sustainable, and
Peaceful World
From the new Earth Charter brochure
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The Earth Charter

• Synthesizes many existing international
  agreements
• Adds the (often missing) ethical dimension
• Provides a context for how and why to engage
  in sustainability work and use other tools and
  instruments
• Acts as a framework that unifies inspiration and
  commitment with action and implementation
• Is a Peoples Charter, grounded in an
  international, massively multi-stakeholder
  consultation process

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The Earth Charter represents a Global Consensus
on Sustainability and anEthical Call to Action
Core sustainability values
Responsibility to take action
I. Respect for nature II. Universal human
rights III. Economic justice IV. Culture
of peace

• Protect ...
• Care ...
• Transmit ...
• Adopt ...
• Support ...
• Reduce ...
• Require ...
• Eliminate ...
• Honor ...

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The Sixteen Core Principles of the Earth Charter

• 1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
• 2. Care for the community of life ...
• 3. Build democratic societies ...
• 4. Secure Earth's bounty and beauty for future
  generations ...
• In order to fulfill these four broad
  commitments, it is necessary to
• 5. Protect and restore ... Earth's ecological
  systems ...
• 6. Prevent harm ... apply a precautionary
  approach
• 7. Adopt sustainable patterns of production,
  consumption, and reproduction ...
• 8. Advance the study of ecological sustainability
  ...

• 9. Eradicate poverty ...
• 10. Ensure that economic activities ... promote
  human development ...
• 11. Affirm gender equality ... ensure universal
  access
• 12. Uphold the right of all ... to a healthy
  natural and social environment
• 13. Strengthen democratic institutions ...
• 14. Integrate sustainability into formal
  education and life-long learning ...
• 15. Treat all living beings with respect and
  consideration
• 16. Promote a culture of ... peace
• Supported by 61 more detailed subprinciples

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The Charter is a Comprehensive and
InclusiveDefinition of Sustainable Development
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The Mission of the Earth Charter Initiative

• The mission of the Earth Charter Initiative
• is to establish a sound ethical foundation
• for the emerging global society
• and to help build a sustainable world
• based on respect for nature, diversity,
• universal human rights, economic justice,
• and a culture of peace.

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A Brief History of the Earth Charter Initiative
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A Brief History of the Earth Charter Initiative
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The Earth Charter Commission was responsible
for the final text of the Charter
CO-CHAIRS Mikhail Gorbachev, Russia Mercedes
Sosa, Argentina Maurice Strong, Canada Amadou
Toumani Touré, Mali A.T. Ariyaratne, Sri
Lanka Princess Basma Bint Talal, Jordan Leonardo
Boff, Brazil Pierre Calame, France Severn
Cullis-Suzuki, Canada Wakako Hironaka, Japan John
Hoyt, USA Yolanda Kakabadse, Ecuador Ruud
Lubbers, The Netherlands
Wangari Maathai, Kenya Elizabeth May, Canada
Federico Mayor, Spain Shridath Ramphal,
Guyana Henriette Rasmussen, Greenland Steven
Rockefeller, USA Mohamed Sahnoun, Algeria Awraham
Soetendorp, The Netherlands Pauline Tangiora, New
Zealand/Aotearoa Erna Witoelar, Indonesia Kamla
Chowdhry, India (In memoriam)
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A Brief History of the Earth Charter Initiative
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Earth Charter Endorsements
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Selected EndorsersIncludes over 2,500
Organizations, Institutions, Cities and Ministries

• African Womens Development and Communication
  Network, Kenya
• Arab Office for Youth and Environment, Egypt
• Associaçao Portuguesa de Educaçao Ambiental -
  ASPEA, Portugal
• Australian Centre for Environmental Law
• Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development
• The Club of Budapest
• National Council on Environment and Sustainable
  Development, Portugal
• The CORE Trust, United Kingdom
• Consejo Estatal de Ecología de Michoacan, Mexico
• Council of the Parliament of the Worlds
  Religions
• The David Suzuki Foundation, Canada
• Development Alternatives, India
• Environmental Defense, United States
• Fundación Mundo Sustenable, Mexico
• Fundación Valores, Spain
• Fundación Cultura de Paz, Spain
• The European Environmental Bureau
• The Ministries of Environment in the Nations of
  Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico
• The Government of the Republic of Niger

• National Committee for International Cooperation
  and Sustainable Development, Netherlands
• National University, Costa Rica
• National Wildlife Federation - NWF, United States
• The Green Belt Movement, Kenya
• Green Cross International
• Grupo de los Cien, Mexico
• Grupo Xcaret, Mexico
• Instituto Paulo Freire, Brazil
• International Consortium on Religion and Ecology
• International Council of Local Governments for
• Sustainability - ICLEI
• International Institute for Environment
• Development - IIED
• Inuit Circumpolar Conference - ICC
• The Jane Goodall Institute
• Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development
• Kehati, Indonesia
• LEAD International
• Lenting, Indonesia

• The National Center for Youth Development,
• Nigeria Natural Resources Defense Council,
  United States
• Pro-Natura, Italy
• The Senate of Puerto Rico
• The Senate of Australia
• The Parliaments of Tatarstan, Kabardino-Balkaria,
  and Kalmykia, Russian Federation
• Physicians for Social Responsibility, United
  States
• Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden
• Third World Academy of Sciences - TWAS, Italy
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and
  Cultural Organization - UNESCO
• United Nations University
• University for Peace, Costa Rica
• The US Conference of Mayors
• Vitae Civilis, Brazil
• The Wilderness Society, Australia
• World Conservation Union - IUCN
• Women Environment Development Organization -
  WEDO
• World Federation of Engineering Organizations
• World Resources Institute, United States

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A Brief History of the Earth Charter Initiative
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Earth Charter International Developments in 2006

• Creation of new international governing Council,
  engagement of new leadership, staff, and
  strategic partners
• Conversion of former Earth Charter Secretariat
  (Costa Rica) to Earth Charter International, an
  international network of Centers and Affiliates
  (authorized representatives)
• Opening of new head office in Stockholm, hiring
  of staff
• Expansion of global education work based in Costa
  Rica, special partnership with UNESCO to promote
  Decade for Education for SD
• Expansion of international Youth Initiative,
  partnership with Plan Netherlands and other
  actors
• Creation of Earth Charter Business Initiative,
  consultation process, initial conclusions and
  strategy development

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Earth Charter in ActionA Book Documenting the
First Five Years of Earth Charter Impacts and
Action Programs

• Authors include Mikhail Gorbachev, Wangari
  Maathai, Jane Goodall, Maurice Strong, Princess
  Basma Bint Talal ... over 70 co-authors
• Education resource on what sustainability ethics
  and principles mean in practice
• Examples and case studies from all over the world
  ... from biodiversity to rehabilitating child
  soldiers
• Moving essays on the need for the Earth Charter
  in these times
• Entire book is free to download
• www.EarthCharterinAction.org

Peter Blaze Corcoran, Mirian Vilela, and Alide
Roerink, Eds. Published by KIT
Publishers, Netherlands, Released Nov. 2005.
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The Earth Charter andEducation

• Framing, Guiding, and Supporting
• Education for Sustainable Development

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The Earth Charter and Education

• The Earth Charter has been endorsed by UNESCO and
  used as a key reference document for the Decade
  on Education for Sustainable Development (DESD).
• ECI has been recognized as a strategic partner to
  UNESCO for promoting the DESD.
• ECI recently began a campaign to convince
  Ministries of Education and other important
  institutions to formally adopt both the DESD and
  the Earth Charter. So far this campaign is
  meeting with success Portugal, Romania, Mexico,
  Costa Rica, and the Australian State of
  Queensland have already responded positively.
• ECI is organizing and hosting the DESD launch
  event for all of Latin America.
• ECI education materials are being used to help
  teachers integrate sustainability issues into
  curricula this includes a general guidebook, and
  some specific curricula.
• Thousands of teachers and schools have used the
  Earth Charter in various ways, ranging from early
  childhood education to whole Masters degree
  courses based on the Charters guiding framework
  (two in Mexico).

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Earth Charter Teachers Guide

• Basic guidance on introducing and teaching
  sustainability
• Basic guidance on introducing and using the Earth
  Charter
• Free to download at www.earthcharter.org

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The Earth Charter and Education

• Questions for Discussion
• What is the status of Education for Sustainable
  Development in your country / community / field
  of work?
• What are the most important obstacles or missing
  pieces in ESD, in your context?
• Could the Earth Charter be helpful?
• If yes, how?
• If no, why not?

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The Earth Charter and Education

• BRINK Expedition (Australia) http//www.brinkx.org
  /SchoolRoom/Curriculum/ModuleOne.asp
• The Brink Innovative Education project
• provides the opportunity for students to learn
  from other cultures, promoting an understanding
  of, and a fascination for the complex world
  around them
• encourages an awareness of, and a respect for the
  natural environment, while emphasizing the
  students' role as active global citizens.
• With the aid of modern technology the adventures
  of the Brink Expedition is shared with Australian
  schools through LIVE satellite link ups and
  regular on-line journals, complementing a
  professionally developed web-based curriculum
  that has been tailored specially for this global
  traverse.
• Module 1 The Brink Expedition and The Earth
  Charter
• Module 2 Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
• Module 3 Ocean Care
• Module 4 Global Warming
• Module 5 Understanding Cultures
• Module 6 Fairer Trade
• Module 7 Endangered Species
• Module 8 Disappearing Forests
• Module 9 Indigenous Australians

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The Earth Charter and Education

• The Classic Live for the United Nations (Japan)
• http//www.classiclive-un.org/mori/
• History of the Project Since 2004, they have
  performed environmental musicals around Japan
  based on the philosophy and principles of the
  Earth Charter.
• Aim To appeal to people of all ages to rethink
  their lifestyle in favor of a sustainable world
  community.
• Musashino, Tokyo 2000 Our Forest is Alive Part
  1
• Urayasu, Tokyo 2001 Our Forest is Alive Part 1
• Kawaguchi, Saitama 2002 Our Forest is Alive
  Part 1
• Naha, Okinawa 2004 Our Forest is Alive Part 2
  Our Earth Charter
• Kanazawa, Ishikawa 2005 Our Forest is Alive
  Part 3 Our Earth Charter
• New York 2005 Our Forest is Alive Part 3 Our
  Earth Charter
• Tochigi 2006 Our Forest is Alive Part 3 Our
  Earth Charter
• Ibaraki 2006 Our Forest is Alive Part 3 Our
  Earth Charter
• Kawasaki 2006 Our Forest is Alive Part 3 Our
  Earth Charter
• Yokosuka Marine Base 2006 Our Forest is Alive
  Part 3 Our Earth Charter

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The Earth Charterand the Business Sector
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Earth Charter Business InitiativeHistory in Brief

• Business was only minorly involved in the
  drafting of the Earth Charter. During that
  period -- from 1992-2000 -- there was less
  communication between Civil Society and
  Business sectors in sustainable development
  work. The concept of stakeholder engagement was
  still in its infancy.
• The inclusion of the precautionary principle in
  the Earth Charter caused the withdrawal of at
  least one major business group from the
  consultation process in 1997.
• However, a number of leaders in the Earth Charter
  Initiative were also business leaders, e.g.
  Maurice Strong (former CEO, Quebec Hydro) and
  Ruud Lubbers (family-owned company in the
  Netherlands).
• The Earth Charter received hundreds of
  endorsements from small and medium-sized
  businesses, and from some business associations,
  most of them socially responsible businesses
• To this day, however, no major multi-national
  corporations have endorsed the Earth Charter.
  Nor has ECI sought such endorsement.

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Earth Charter Business InitiativeHistory in
Brief (2)

• In March 2006, ECI began a serious of seminars
  and consultation processes. (London Imperial
  College, GRI Congress, etc)
• ECI plans to launch its Business Initiative in
  early 2007 based on the results of these
  consultations.
• ECI expects to focus on
• Encouraging global participation in the UN Global
  Compact and GRI
• Developing collaboration with the GRI for those
  wishing to use the Earth Charter in their
  reporting processes
• Creating tools and processes for inspiration and
  training, especially for young leaders in
  business and management
• Outreach to those parts of the world, and those
  business sectors, that have not yet embraced SD
  and CSR

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The Earth Charter, GRI, andThe Global
CompactThey share similarities in origin and
purpose. All are

• Sustainability-oriented All seek to give
  guidance on and to balance economic, social,
  environmental considerations
• Derived from international norms and principles
  developed and agreed by governments (e.g. the
  Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
• Globally relevant All intended for use by all
  organisations, in both developed and developing
  countries, whether large or small
• Partnership-based All seek to engage all sectors
  business, civil society, and public sector
  from all corners of the globe
• Voluntary To enable greatest flexibility of use
  and experimentation, the instruments developed by
  each are intended for voluntary use

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A Proposition Regarding How to UseThe Earth
Charter, GRI, and Global Compact

• Use the Earth Charter
• to provide a motivating vision, a comprehensive
  ethical foundation, and a comprehensive view of
  global challenges
• Support the Global Compact
• and make the companys or organizations
  commitment to global citizenship and to the
  international communitys common goals, such as
  the Millennium Development Goals clear and
  visible
• Do GRI-Based Reporting
• to ensure accountability both to stakeholders
  and the world generally, and harmonize your
  report to include UN-based and Earth Charter
  (civil society) commitments

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4 Specific Ways the Earth Charter Can Be Used in
Business

• As a simplifying and unifying platform for the
  complex array of activities now expected of
  companies, under banners ranging from CSR to EMS
• As a convening reference point for dialogue with
  multi-stakeholder groups about critical global
  issues
• As a tool for inspiration and education that
  explains the ethical foundations and motivates
  change efforts within companies, or supports the
  convening of external stakeholders
• As a stimulus for innovation for the
  design/redesign of products, services, and
  business models - What would this look like if
  it met all the conditions for a just, peaceful,
  and sustainable world?

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The Earth Charter andCommunities

• Ethics-Based Inspiration, Planning, and
  Assessment for Long-Term Sustainable Development

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The Earth Charter andCommunities

• Over 400 cities and towns have endorsed the Earth
  Charter and more are added constantly.
• The Earth Charter is both endorsed by ICLEI, and
  referenced as part of ICLEIs Constitution.
• The Earth Charter was endorsed by the US
  Conference of Mayors.
• However, endorsement is only now becoming
  something more concrete and action-oriented.

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The Earth Charter as anEducational Tool for
Communities

• Defines sustainability
• Covers all aspects
• Builds legitimacy
• Inspires and informs
• Links local to global
• Reaches from classroom to council
• Provides a common platform for action
• Sets the bar for performance very high

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EarthCATEarth Charter Community Action Tool -
ComprehensivePlanning Support Tool, Available
Free On-Line

• Integrated goal-setting and planning process
• Tied to the principles of the Earth Charter
• Supports systems analysis, indicator development,
  implementation strategy
• Workbook and website

Developed as a partnership between Earth Charter
Initiative, World Resources Institute, and Global
Community Initiatives (Lead Partner on
Application)
www.earthcat.net
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EarthCAT is being used in two North American
Cities Calgary, Canada (Imagine Calgary
100-Year Planning Process) and Newburgh, USA
(Master Plan).
Newburgh, New York
Poster from Calgary planning process
It is also the basis for a training program for
South African local government officials
Training photo, SA Local Government Assn, by ECI
partner Global Community Initiatives
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The EarthCAT Website

• Online workbook and planning process, keyed to
  the 16 core principles of the Earth Charter
• Online database can be used by any community,
  free of charge, to record citizen input on
  visions, goals, and indicators of progress

http//www.EarthCAT.net
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The Earth Charter and Communities

• Questions for Discussion
• What is the current status of sustainable
  development engagement in your community?
• Is the Earth Charter being used in that context?
  If yes, how? If not, could it be?
• Should ECI focus additional effort on developing
  tools for the community sector? Why or why not?

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In Closing, What ECI Asks All Endorsers to Do

• Endorsement signing a statement of support for
  the Earth Charter is open to all without
  restriction at our website. However, ECI now
  encourages the practice of Engagement
  Endorsement, which invites endorsers to
• Strive to implement the principles of the Charter
  in everyday operations and activities, and
  regularly review progress
• Promote the Earth Charter, through contacts with
  third parties
• Contribute to the mission of the Earth Charter
  Initiative -- somewhere, somehow -- whether with
  their time, money or in-kind donations

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Thank you www.EarthCharter.org
www.EarthCharterinAction.orgwww.EarthCharter.jp