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”The Earth Charter is an unusual document since it reflects a new, universally-shared level of understanding of the interdependence between humans and nature. It also corresponds to the stage of globalization at which we find ourselves.” Mikhail Gorbachev in "Earth Charter in Action"

Earth Charter in brief

The Earth Charter process started during and shortly after Rio 92 (the World summit meeting in Rio de Janeiro 1992). World leaders could not agree on the document on sustainable ecology as prepared. Maurice Strong, the chairman of Rio 92, thus initiated a process to develop the "Declaration of Human Resposnibilities", the global set of values for ecological sustainable development, for social and economical justice and democracy and non-violence. After 8 years with participation of thousands of individuals and NGOs from more than 40 countries, the Earth Charter was launched at the Peace Palace in The Hague March 2000.

Very early it was evident that sustainable development cannot be achieved unless there is peace and democracy, which in turn depend on societies that are socially and economically just.

One sentence of the Earth Charter reads: "We must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility,
identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at
once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked." The figure below shows this new World Citizen.

Read the Earth Charter

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