Earth Dialogues Forum
Lyon, February 21-23, 2002
Globalization and Sustainable Development:
Is Ethics the Missing Link?
Synthesis Report
prepared by Green Cross International
Download
word format - pdf
format
FOREWORD
The Earth Dialogues were inspired by our belief in the need to generate
new energy and impetus to drive the movement to place ethics and human
values at the heart of the struggle to harmonize the globalization process
with sustainable development. The discovery that this belief is shared
by so many experienced and influential representatives of governments,
civil society, religion, business and international organizations, and
that a growing body of people are ready to take and support action to
promote common goals, is the most significant outcome of the first Earth
Dialogues. All participants expressed the feeling of emergency; the Earth
is in danger, and sustainable solutions must be rapidly found to reduce
the world’s soaring poverty rates, address the growing gap between
North and South, confront the grossly unequal access to education and
medical treatment, and combat global insecurity.
The Earth Dialogues achieved the goal of providing an open and neutral
forum where all parties to the globalization and sustainable development
debates could share their views and visions and develop solutions together.
Five key areas of consensus emerged:
Ethics – There is an urgent need to change our priorities, to correct
the forces that promote material wealth over global welfare and justice,
and to reinforce the fundamental values that form the basis of human civilization
all over the planet – compassion and respect for each other and the
natural environment, tolerance and solidarity, and the pursuit of peace.
The Earth Charter was welcomed as a peoples’ document providing an
ethical framework equally applicable to guiding the choices of individuals,
companies and states.
The Rule of Law – These universal values must be translated into
appropriate and enforceable legal instruments dedicated to sustainable
development. Essential principles, such as the polluter-pays and precautionary
principles, should be fully recognized by international and national laws
and regulate the activities of all sectors.
Sovereignty – The changing nature of the state, and the increase
in influence of the private sector and civil society, is one of the major
shifts of recent decades. The political landscape is more complex, with
multiple, and often conflicting, power bases which need to be integrated
and cooperative. Many of the most serious problems faced today, such as
climate change, epidemics and terrorism, have no respect for national
borders and their solutions must also be found in the international arena.
Sovereignty over our common resources rests with individuals; the decisions
they make and the resources they use, and those made and used on their
behalf by governments, must take the rest of the world, as well as future
generations, into account. The concept of being a Citizen of the World
has become a reality, and every person must be aware of their global responsibilities.
Security – There will never be genuine, lasting security in the world
while inequality and injustice are so universally evident. The goals of
poverty eradication and protecting our environment must be intrinsically
linked with the promotion of peace and security. The tragedy of September
11 demonstrated that every individual’s personal security is at risk,
and that no one can afford to ignore the suffering and frustration of
others; this realization should fortify our resolve to achieve sustainable
development not distract us from it.
Action – We do not have the luxury of time. Action is urgently needed,
and to make it possible will require: a strong ethical framework; political
courage on the part of world leaders; reform of the current systems of
global governance and financial regulation; increased and better targeted
official development assistance; and heightened individual awareness and
commitment worldwide.
It is our great privilege to herewith present the main challenges and
proposals identified during the first Earth Dialogues to the wider international
community in this significant year of reflection and preparation for the
World Summit on Sustainable Development. This Summit is offering the world
an opportunity to make solid commitments to action and reform which it
cannot afford to miss.
Finally, we would like to pay tribute and express our warm appreciation
to our hosts, Lionel Jospin, Prime Minister of France, Gérard Collomb,
Mayor of Lyon and the Citizens of the wonderful city of Lyon, who honoured
us with their presence and without whom the Earth Dialogues would not
have been possible.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Maurice Strong
Green Cross International
Earth Council Institute
INTRODUCTION
The Earth Dialogues is a public forum initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev and
Maurice Strong, which aims to mobilise global public interest and action
to promote three important objectives essential to the future of humanity:
averting the ecological disasters which threaten our planet; fighting
the plague of poverty; and acting to ensure truly sustainable development.
In the presence of Mr. Lionel Jospin, Prime Minister of France, and Gérard
Collomb, Mayor of Lyon, 1,300 people attended the first Earth Dialogues
Forum in Lyon, France from 21-23 February 2002. 170 speakers participated
from around the world: representatives of civil society, government, international
organizations, finance, business, religion, media and academia convened
to exchange their views on how to reinvigorate the ethics debate within
the sustainable development and globalization agendas. Speakers and participants
were challenged to identify new ways for humanity to overcome the economic,
social and environmental impasse in which it currently finds itself trapped.
The Earth Dialogues addressed, from an ethical perspective, the key questions
that will be raised at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)
in Johannesburg and beyond. It is hoped that proposals arising from these
discussions in Lyon will be taken into account by governments, civil society
and international organizations in their preparations for the WSSD
The Earth Dialogues Forum was divided into plenary sessions, roundtables
and open debates. There was one roundtable dedicated to each of the following
sectors: International Economic Institutions, Business and Industry, Media
and Communication, Parliamentarians and Government Representatives, International
Institutions and Organizations, Religious and Spiritual Leaders, and Non-Governmental
Organizations. In addition, a special session of the World Council of
Former Foreign Ministers addressed the themes of the Earth Dialogues,
with a particular focus on global political and security issues.
Each roundtable consisted of thirteen to sixteen speakers, half of whom
were from the sector in question and the other half from the other six
sectors, including Civil Society, Trade Unions and Academics. The representatives
of the sector under debate were challenged by the other members of the
roundtable, in order to ensure that the opinions and views of all members
of society were taken into account in the discussions. All Earth Dialogues
audience members also had the opportunity to exchange their views and
to raise questions with the speakers.
To complement these open, participatory debates, a host of eminent plenary
speakers brought inspiration and wisdom to the proceedings: Lionel Jospin,
Prime Minister of France; Gérard Collomb, Senator-Mayor of Lyon,
President of the Urban Community of Lyon; Raymond Barre, Former Prime
Minister of France, Former Mayor of Lyon; Anne-Marie Comparini, President
of Regional Council of Rhône-Alpes; Alexander A Bessmertnykh, Chairman,
Foreign Policy Association, Former Foreign Minister; Yolanda Kakabadse
Navarro, President of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), Earth Charter
Commissioner; Walter Erdelen, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences,
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO);
Gérard Mestrallet, Chairman and CEO, Suez; Maurice F. Strong, Founding
Chairperson of the Earth Council, Chairman, Earth Council Foundation;
Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP); Marie-Noëlle Lienemann, State Secretary for Housing; Mikhail
Gorbachev, President and Founder of Green Cross International; Kamla Chowdhry,
Member of the World Bank's Advisory Committee on Environment and Sustainable
Development, Earth Charter Commissioner; Rita Levi Montalcini, Medicine
Nobel Prize Laureate; Ruud F. M. Lubbers, United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees; VladimirPetrovsky, Director General, United Nations Office
at Geneva.
This report outlines the important challenges and proposals identified
at the first Earth Dialogues.
Additional and more detailed reports are available at www.earthdialogues.org.
This synthesis document will be complemented by future work on the Earth
Dialogues, including a White Book with deeper coverage of the Roundtable
Discussions. For more information on this document contact Green Cross
International, Geneva, Switzerland at +41 22 789.16.62.
Ethical Challenges in Promoting Sustainable Development
1. THE KEY STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES:
Operationalizing ethics:
Ethics and values - such as justice, equality, solidarity, protection
of the environment and respect for human rights - are already enshrined
in many existing national constitutions, international agreements, and
soft law documents (such as the Universal Declaration on Human Rights
and the Earth Charter). The real challenge is how to implement these ethics
and values, and adapt them to the changing and emerging threats and injustices
which we urgently need to address in the new millennium. The gap between
concept and action is enormous and resolving it is of critical importance.
The question is how best to raise awareness of the crucial role of value
systems in the struggle to achieve sustainable development, and to operationalize
existing and evolving ethical principles to ensure that they are fully
integrated into and guide public policy, international relations, economic
systems and individual behaviour.
An effective global framework:
Does the international community lack a global framework capable of articulating
global environmental and social rights and responsibilities? or, does
the international community already have such global frameworks, albeit
in flawed forms? The Security Council of the United Nations and the World
Trade Organization are global governance regimes empowered with legally
binding dispute settlement mechanisms and the authority to impose sanctions,
yet they are perceived by many to be: dominated by strong national interests,
undemocratic and inadequate for the role of defending sustainable development
objectives. A genuinely democratic and just global framework is needed
to translate ethical principles into meaningful law and policy, supported
by effective regulatory and enforcement mechanisms.
Integration and partnership:
In an increasingly complex world of multiple power bases and changing
roles of state and non-state actors, innovative partnerships, dialogue
and coalitions are required. Integrated solutions are essential to bringing
together seemingly incompatible groups and forces – including sustainable
development and globalization. The underlying rationale and ethical base
of the sustainable development model is strikingly different from that
of globalization. Sustainability requires regulation and cooperation,
while globalization encourages deregulation and competition.
2. THE KEY CHALLENGES TO THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER:
An ethics-free approach to the exploitation of natural resources and distribution
of wealth:
Today’s international economic order is based on an ethics-free market
mechanism. The invisible hand was expected to promote the greater good
by enabling individuals to participate in the global economy as consumers
via a monetary-based voting system. However, what has materialized is
a system that facilitates grossly unbalanced distributions of wealth and
the domination of profit over ethics. This inadequate and undemocratic
regulation of the international economy has generated globalization-related
forces and phenomena which exhaust the environment for short-term gains
and unduly impact the world’s poor, while allowing large private
enterprises to wield their ever-increasing power largely unchecked. Today
there are no mechanisms which can effectively redistribute wealth at the
international level, nor are there the means to mitigate the ecological
and social costs of globalization, which fall largely on those who do
not enjoy its benefits.
Inadequate economic indicators:
Today’s economic indicators do not adequately reflect the real nature
of wealth or poverty in society. Major international economic institutions
often base their decisions solely on financial considerations, which do
not take into account important data about the health of citizens, access
to education, environmental degradation, urban conditions, etc. Without
a holistic accounting of these factors, responsible decisions cannot be
made about a country’s development status or its ability to fulfil
international obligations.
Trade rights versus human rights:
The promotion of a free trade agenda over a fair trade agenda is generating
deep concern. The power of the WTO raises questions about the dominance
of commercial and trade rights over basic human rights. In addition, the
hierarchy of rights and obligations at the international level is opaque,
leaving too great a margin for the potential subjugation of basic human
needs to special interests.
In addition, the WTO has not yet proven itself effective in promoting
international trade rules supportive of sustainable development, as seen
in the continuing debates on perverse subsidies, insufficient market access
for developing country products, food security issues, etc. These trade
issues directly hinder sustainable development, harm the environment,
aggravate, and in some cases, augment poverty.
Inconsistency between the global trade regime and labour policy:
The international economy is based on global trade law, but not a global
labour market. The model of the free market, as reflected by the unrestricted
movement of labour and goods has generated a number of inconsistencies.
While trade barriers against the free trade of goods and services are
increasingly dismantled, developed nations are constructing higher and
higher walls to prevent the free flow of labour from developing countries.
3. THE KEY CHALLENGES FOR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY:
Ethical codes to guide sustainable business practices:
Employees and employers struggle with the challenge of reconciling the
personal ethical codes of individuals as employees with the corporate
ethical codes (or lack thereof) of the employer. The competition model
often encourages businesses to maximize their profits by cutting costs
as much as possible, leading to unethical and unsustainable business practices
such as the exploitation of the labour force, pollution and manipulation
of local government. This problem is aggravated by the corporation’s
primary obligation to generate profit for the shareholders over and above
the responsibility to conduct business operations in an environmentally
and socially responsible manner.
Voluntary corporate initiatives:
The growing loss of trust between the public and corporations is having
a negative impact on profits. The lack of corporate transparency is leading
to negative public images and deteriorating public relations. While voluntary
corporate initiatives towards sustainable business practices are a step
in the right direction, too often public and employee trust are betrayed
by non-compliance with voluntary initiatives, suspicions of ‘greenwashing’,
corruption, and outright violation of national and international laws.
Accountability for trans-national corporations:
Trans-national corporations, due to their recognized power, are under
particular scrutiny for both real and perceived deficiencies in accountability,
transparency and regulation, as well as violation of human rights and
inordinate influence over national governments and, by extension, international
agreements. Given their enormous size and influence, trans-national corporations
are facing strong pressure to adhere to ethical norms in support of sustainable
development.
Promotion of unsustainable consumption:
The promotion of unsustainable consumption patterns has been partially
blamed on advertising by businesses which adhere to a system in which
profit is valued above all else. Pursuit of sales is encouraging businesses
to promote a culture that desires material goods as a way to reach personal
fulfilment.
4. THE KEY MEDIA CHALLENGES:
Relationship with corporate entities:
Consumers harbour suspicion about the media and how it might be influenced
and controlled by advertisers and corporate entities. Whether or not this
mistrust is justified, there are many who critique the negative role that
the advertising industry plays in promoting a culture of conspicuous consumption.
While advertising plays a very important role in enabling consumers to
make informed choices, the ethical challenge is to determine at what level
the media is responsible for its role in shaping consumer attitudes towards
sustainability.
Responsibility versus profitability:
The media faces the daily business challenge of selling its information
under competitive circumstances. It not only confronts the predicament
of choosing which information will sell, but also raises the ethical question
of what information the media should provide versus what it is most profitable
to provide. The media has been accused of contributing to the passivity
of the electorate by “dumbing-down” information and providing
only low quality entertainment, which has led to two questions: 1) Is
the media fulfilling its responsibility to promote transparency in decision-making
processes and to facilitate public understanding of the complexities of
the sustainability agenda?; and 2) Does the media shape consumer choice
or does consumer choice shape the media?
Reaching the people:
There is a demand for news and information about sustainable development,
but it must be presented in a way that captures the interest, emotions
and imagination of the public. At the moment there is little signposting
to help people find ways to translate concern into action. People need
to be made more aware of the ways in which they are directly affected,
and how they can use their power positively as members of their community,
as consumers and as voters.
Ability to function effectively:
Journalists need four conditions in which to operate effectively: freedom
of access to information; freedom of expression; personal professional
ethics; and independence. Without these, the provision of information
based on ethical norms has little meaning.
5. THE KEY POLITICAL CHALLENGES:
National interests versus global welfare:
Countries which do have the power to help improve the global situation
are often the ones which do not engage in the global dialogue about sustainable
development and which exercise double standards. The pursuit of national
interests often leads to the selective application of ethical principles
depending on the priorities of powerful nations.
Electoral pressures
It is difficult for politicians to reconcile their accountability to the
local electorate and to the wider community. They must balance the local
and immediate interests of the electorate with the interests of contributing
to wider sustainable development goals. These issues are often further
compounded by a lack of awareness among politicians and/or the electorate
about sustainable development issues.
Erosion
of Sovereignty
The new generation of global survival problems has revealed the fundamental
limitations of the Nation-State as well as the weakening of national sovereignty.
This in turn has generated a need for stronger forms of multilateral cooperation
and solutions due to the inevitably limited success of unilateral approaches
to transborder threats such as disease, terrorism, immigration, environmental
destruction, etc. Sovereignty has been further diminished by the economic
dependence and interdependence of States, the creation of power vacuums
and the development of multiple power centres above, below and across
the national level.
Corrupt and despotic regimes
The transition to sustainable development will be impossible where power
and wealth are concentrated in the hands of a small number of elites who
exploit their people and who have little interest in abiding by international
norms and standards.
6. THE KEY CHALLENGES FOR INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:
Good Governance
Good governance must become the institutional norm at the local, national
and international levels in order to reflect the ethics, values and priorities
of civil society. It must incorporate a more democratic formula that reflects
the principles of transparency, participation, coherence, accountability,
justice and efficiency.
The United Nations Security Council is being increasingly bypassed by
those states seeking to manage international security issues. Its anachronistic
design must be re-evaluated and reformed in the light of the new international
order in order to regain legitimacy in the eyes of the public.
Self interests versus global welfare:
International organizations that were created to promote global public
welfare have often ended up in the control of those who want to shape
the world according to their own vision. There is a need for honest appraisal
and restructuring to combat the often fatal conflict between the influence
of self-interest and the ideals that public-interest institutions pursue.
International institutions have been unable to fulfil their mandates when
confronted by budgetary restrictions, inefficiency, political pressure,
factionism, etc. Is it possible to promote ethical behaviour that might
limit certain national goals, but which will ultimately promote the greater
good for all?
Enforcement capacity:
A major obstacle for international institutions is that most global governance
bodies have little enforcement capacity, which remains primarily within
the sphere of national governments. While a few international regimes
have robust enforcement mechanisms, such as those found in the realms
of trade and international war crimes, or within the Kyoto Protocol, most
international institutions lack the teeth to ensure compliance.
Listening to civil society
Local, national and international actors must better support the role
of ethics at every level by ensuring that mandates and activities become
mutually supportive. The paradigm shift currently taking place, witnessed
by the emergence of Porto Alegre, testifies that civil society is insisting
that its many voices be heard. International institutions have the responsibility
to take these voices into consideration and to transmit this information
back to national governments and the public to inform and educate while
setting the tone for future work programmes.
7. THE KEY CHALLENGES FOR WORLD RELIGIONS:
Engaging in a sustainable future:
The world’s religions have not been sufficiently engaged in the sustainable
development debate and have not focused adequately on critical global
survival issues. Religions have institutional strengths and the potential
to take a leadership role, while at the same time providing moral authority
and ethical principles. Religious institutions can help articulate core
values for a sustainable future, offer viable alternatives to materialism,
and provide meaning, coherence and direction to the sustainable development
agenda.
Reducing exclusivity:
Religions have historically been overly exclusivist in their relations
with one another and estranged from other institutions. By becoming less
isolated from one another and increasing their involvement with other
institutions, the world's religions can better contribute to the recognition
of universal values and the promotion of an ethically-based sustainable
development model.
Countering negative aspects of religion:
Throughout history, fundamentalist and fanatical forms of religion have
justified terrorism in jihads and crusades against people who hold different
beliefs and against the Earth itself. In their more liberal forms, some
religious institutions have become mere “business-as-usual”
entities, neither affirming the spiritual depths of the wider community
of life nor offering solutions for an evolving and complicated global
scene.
8. THE KEY CHALLENGES FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs)
Countering the dominant influence of developed countries
NGOs must concentrate on countering the overwhelming dominance of developed
countries in today's world. The preponderance of the 'northern' interests
advanced by many trans-national corporations, media, government activities,
NGO projects, etc., has contributed to the acceptance of an unsustainable
and northern-oriented development paradigm.
Corporate influence
The influence of wealthy corporations has had excessive impact on government
policy, especially in poorer countries. NGOs can act as counterweights
at the local, national and international levels to redress the imbalances
of corporate influence, to protect the interests of civil society and
to help develop the instruments that will provide appropriate legal parameters
to protect the common good.
Educational activities
A lack of education and awareness regarding sustainability principles
has led to misguided consumers and decision-makers, and consequently,
insufficient adoption of sustainable development policies. NGOs must support
educational activities that raise consciousness of sustainability issues
and projects among a wider base of civil society.
Lack of coherence and cooperation
Competition among NGOs for funding sometimes leads not only to a lack
of coherence between projects, but also to the outright duplication of
activities. NGOs need to develop cooperative efforts based on recognized
expertise. This can also contribute to clarifying the priorities of different
policies and sectors and to producing a more integrated development approach.
9. THE KEY SECURITY CHALLENGES:
Policy incoherence
A central problem in the last decade has been the disconnection between
the sustainability and security agendas. Although sustainable development
is indeed a security question, and should be the foundation of the peace
policies of the new Millennium, few clear links have been drawn between
sustainable development and other dimensions of the security agenda, such
as issues relating to international threats, arms control, population
movements, etc.
Global instability
The world will never achieve sustainable development in a situation of
severe global instability, as efforts will continue to be undermined and
over-ruled by more conventional security concerns. At the same time, sustainable
development and environmental protection are themselves powerful instruments
for the creation of a safer world, and when they are recognised as such,
international efforts to support sustainability will immediately intensify.
Cooperation to promote common interests
The instability and unpredictability of the post-September 11 world requires
new configurations of global coalitions in which a unified perception
of the threat that current negative environmental and social trends pose
to global security should convince governments of the need for increased
cooperation. There is a pressing need for a new world order, which can
respond to changing circumstances and address the root causes of emerging
threats in order to genuinely promote common interests (such as peace,
human rights, education, health, a safe environment).
The Role of Ethical Norms in Promoting Sustainable Development
1. ETHICS AS THE FOUNDATION
Ethics are the foundation upon which the legal, institutional and other
facets of sustainable development should be built. It is absolutely essential
to reassert basic ethical principles and values if we are to enjoy a sustainable
and equitable world. While certain universal values are already enshrined
in national and international law, it is necessary to ensure that all
universal values enjoy the same recognition and status, and that universal
principles are universally applied.
Neither human rights instruments nor international environmental agreements
fully address the interrelation between the environmental and social dimensions
of the global ethical imperative. An integrated ethical framework is essential
to guide actions towards a greater common good while clarifying and balancing
the rights and responsibilities of all actors. It is essential that this
framework be incorporated into the basic policies and documentation of
schools, organizations, businesses and governments.
2. AN INTEGRATED ETHICAL VISION
A future based on the operationalization of universal values in every
aspect of human activity will require the fundamental acceptance by humans
that the planet and all its inhabitants share a common destiny dependent
on finite resources. The earth’s citizens must forge an integrated
vision in which everyone honours the rights of all others and assumes
the responsibilities of sharing resources equitably. The widening gap
between rich and poor must no longer be tolerated, otherwise the commitments
to universal ethics will be revealed as little more than political rhetoric.
The resounding plea to break free from a preoccupation with economic and
material prosperity, illustrated by patterns of overproduction and overconsumption,
is coupled with the call to centre our interpretation of success on a
holistic calculation of economic, social, political, and spiritual fulfilment.
The Earth Charter has been recommended as a code of responsibility to
guide the relations and behaviour of all State and non-State actors. The
central principles of the Earth Charter are:
- Respect and care for the community of life
- Ecological integrity
- Social and economic justice
- Democracy, non-violence and peace.
3. ENSURING THAT UNIVERSAL NORMS RESPECT DIVERSITY
Ethical values should not be imposed on one group or country by another
- there is no one political, economic or social model that should be applied
worldwide. It is thus critical that those human values identified as 'universal'
express ethical norms that are beyond reproach concerning respect of cultural
diversity.
Ethical values applied as the basis for international policies concerning
natural resources and development must not provide a pretext for States
or trans-national entities to interfere in other regions in pursuit of
purely economic or national interests. Above all, universal ethical norms
cannot be applied or enforced on an arbitrary basis.
While some assert that ethics are subject to interpretation, universal
ethics must be above these machinations. Just as society evolved from
a system ruled by individual self-interest by developing national laws,
universal ethics can provide the basis to develop international laws to
govern a world dominated by national self-interests.
Policy Recommendations and Political Strategies for Advancing Sustainable
Development and the Ethics Agenda
1. REFORM OF THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER
Ø World Trade Organization (WTO)
The WTO can no longer impose a symmetric framework on an asymmetric world.
Laws and policies must be based upon the principle of positive discrimination,
where rules are biased in favour of weaker parties. The WTO’s trade
rules and dispute settlement procedures must be clearly redefined towards
sustainable development in support of its mandate. For the WTO to retain
its status as a democratic and member-driven entity, it must take effective
measures to enable the full participation of all its Members.
Ø Trade law
Trade law must respect ethical approaches such as the ‘precautionary
principle’ and the ‘polluter pays principle’. It is of
primary importance to support policies which increase the level of internalization
of costs into pricing and to eliminate perverse subsidies and protectionist
trade barriers.
Ø The Bretton Woods system
The WTO, the World Bank and the IMF must be brought under the rubric of
the UN system and its rules of international law.
Ø Economic indicators
Economic systems must incorporate holistic means of calculating national
development / economic patterns to accurately reflect country performance.
This should include indicators of economic growth, health, poverty levels,
biological and cultural diversity, and social justice.
Ø Taxation instruments
Implement new international taxation instruments to redistribute wealth,
such as a tax on certain transborder currency transactions and an international
air travel tax.
Ø Public goods
Public goods, such as water resources, should remain in the hands of the
public and should not become the property of private entities. Where it
can be demonstrated to improve access and efficiency, essential public
service provision and management can be delegated to the private sector
within an effective framework of public information and regulation, and
broad stakeholder participation.
2. THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Ø Corporate accountability
Representatives from both civil society and business supported the call
for the development of ethical and legal guidelines for the private sector.
Calls were made for all stakeholders to help establish a regulatory framework
to articulate environmental, social and financial parameters for business
activities. Any new regulatory instruments should complement existing
voluntary initiatives and contain auditing and enforcement mechanisms.
Ø Transparency
Business operations and consumer choice would be facilitated by transparent
labelling and environmental certification systems. Auditing procedures
must be reliable and results readily available and easily understood.
Companies should be required to register with the Dow Jones Sustainable
Development Index, which would lead to automatic reporting by the media
of those companies’ sustainable development ratings and performance
levels.
Ø Eco-efficiency
Corporate initiatives to promote sustainable business practices and production
efficiency should be encouraged and supported by government incentives.
Consumer pressure, both positive and negative, should continue to motivate
businesses to increase sustainable business practices.
Ø Trans-national corporations
An international convention governing the responsibility, accountability
and liability of TNCs should be should be negotiated.
3. GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
Ø Government actors
More dialogue and creative decision-making among key actors is required
to address the changing role of the State, the increasing interconnectedness
between States and sectors, the pressing need to address supra-national
problems more effectively and equitably, and the growing involvement of
civil society.
Ø Sustainable production and consumption
Governments should develop effective “carrot-and-stick” programmes
to support eco-efficient production patterns for industry. This includes
investment into clean energy research, recycling initiatives, and waste
treatment programmes. Governments should also promote responsible consumption
patterns and sustainable lifestyles among their citizens though consciousness
raising efforts and government spending examples.
Ø The role of local municipalities
Local municipalities should be better incorporated into international
sustainable development campaigns given their direct experience in managing
the urban environment, and local elected officials should receive training
in sustainable development issues. State governments and international
institutions are encouraged to foster best practice networks and development
cooperation projects with city governments, which can establish local
authority development projects coordinating on a service-to-service level
with other cities and governments. Decentralised “city-to-city”
cooperation could become a major force in poverty alleviation and the
promotion of north-south solidarity.
Ø Nuclear disarmament
Addressing the unacceptable threats to the planet posed by nuclear weapons
involves the same cooperative legal structures needed to address other
environmental threats - multilateral cooperation, accountability, and
transparency. The dynamic synergy between the pursuit of sustainable development
and fulfillment of the promise of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
should be promoted to fulfill the commitment made by 187 State Parties
to the "unequivocal undertaking" to obtain nuclear disarmament
and greater global security.
4. GLOBAL ACTORS
Ø Clarity and coherence
The relationships between international institutions must be clarified
and supported by a hierarchy of accountability which clearly defines the
roles and responsibilities of all actors. There is also a need to increase
coherence within and between the activities of international institutions
with cross and multi-sectoral discussions, partnerships and programme
planning.
Ø United Nations Commission for
Sustainable Development (CSD)
The CSD has forged new ground with the multi-stakeholder dialogue process,
but it is underfunded and lacks the political authority and influence
vis-a-vis other international programmes and institutions. What is needed
is a flexible, cross-sectoral body, such as a Council, located within
the Secretary General’s office, charged with the responsibility of
integrating sustainable development throughout all sectors of the UN system.
This new body should have the capacity to function as a ‘watchdog’
for all UN bodies, and should be empowered with effective tools for accounting
and reporting, auditing and engaging independent expertise. It should
also be able to arbitrate and have the power to enforce international
decisions.
Ø United Nations Security Council
A more collective mechanism reflective of the international community
should be established to arbitrate and respond to international security
issues. This body should acknowledge and address the institutional links
between the economy, the natural environment and security.
Ø A World Environment Organization
(WEO)
It was questioned whether the transformation of UNEP into a WEO would
generate sufficient power and authority for resolving environmental issues,
including addressing the proposal for the establishment of a World Environment
Court based on an international legal framework of enforceable sustainable
development laws with the jurisdiction and power to impose sanctions.
Ø NGO activities
The voices of all civil society actors, especially the under-represented
South, and international norms ensuring common welfare, must be better
incorporated into the activities of NGOs. NGOs can improve their ability
to support universal ethics within their sphere of expertise by supporting
and facilitating dialogues between key stakeholders, improving inter-NGO
cooperation and project coherence. There should also be more support for
local NGOs operating in developing countries with little access to resources,
and in some cases facing persecution.
5. INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION
Ø Media engagement
The world's media must be more aware and supportive of sustainability
concerns and of initiatives to address them. Media organizations should
add to their existing codes of practice, a specific reference to the importance
of reporting sustainable development issues. Awareness training for journalists
should not be limited to environmental specialists, but should be offered
to journalists across the board so that they can make the connection between
mainstream subjects, especially politics and economics, and sustainable
development.
Ø Marketing
Those who have important sustainable development undertakings to share
should invite media coverage by contacting and informing the media of
their activities and thus improve the marketing of their activities. World
events should be used as opportunities to promote brief sustainable development
messages to increase public awareness.
Ø An international information
agency
Each country should contribute to a collective budget for an international
information agency to focus specifically on sustainable development issues.
Ø Global Engagement Network
Religious communities should join the network preparing for the 2004/2005
Parliament of Religions, which is designed to promote ethical norms of
human behaviour through dialogue and activities and to engage with non-secular
organizations in the drafting of a joint action plan of strategies for
achieving a sustainable, peaceful and just world. Inter-religion communication
should continue to strengthen in order to promote tolerance, understanding,
and to reduce conflicts. In addition, world religions must identify those
elements that contribute to extreme fundamentalism and misdirected zealotry
in order to eradicate them. Education can contribute to tolerance by teaching
about the history of the world's religions, and by fostering the creative
engagement of the world's religions with peace, justice and sustainability
in the modern world.
Ø Bridging the digital divide
New synergies must be explored between the information technology (IT)
revolution and the development agenda, specifically in procuring IT for
poverty alleviation. The promotion of universal access to the internet
can contribute to knowledge sharing, development, and reducing the marginalization
of isolated communities.
Ø Educational approaches
Education, at all levels, must increase citizens' exposure to information
about sustainable development. Through improved and widened multi/interdisciplinary
curricula, students can infuse their studies with greater understanding
about the complexities of social and environmental problems at the local,
national and international levels. The Earth Charter should be used as
an educational tool at all levels.
Ø More stakeholder dialogues
The evolving roles of both State and non-State actors, as well as the
exponential increases in information, require that more dialogue and creative
decision-making take place at all levels of society. Awareness raising
campaigns and strategy discussions can improve the ability of all actors
to make informed, responsible and responsive decisions promoting a pro-active
approach to sustainable development. The increased engagement of the scientific
and technological sectors in these dialogues is essential.
6. FINANCING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Ø Financing for development
The financing for development agenda should be grounded in the moral imperative
to assist countries to eradicate poverty and promote economic and social
development and stability. Specific recommendations regarding financial
instruments include the promotion of:
– increased overseas development assistance (ODA)
– more effective and humane approaches to debt reduction
– recognition of the ecological debt of the North
– support for global public goods
– United Nations Fund for Sustainable Development
Contrary to the promises made in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio, governments
are far from reaching the goal of 0.7% of GNP for ODA. Civil society must
become further engaged in these issues, bringing renewed pressure to bear
upon governments.
Ø The Global Deal
A new Global Deal to redress environmental injustices, combat poverty
and improve the implementation of sustainable development policies would
be an important positive outcome of the WSSD. Such a Deal should be developed
jointly by State and non-State actors from the North and South, and based
on mutually agreed responsibilities for co-financing, possibly through
global financing and taxation, and raising environmental and social standards
everywhere. The Global Deal should be founded on universal ethical principles
and dedicated to ensuring equitable and sustainable development.
Ø Transfer of technology
There is a need to facilitate the transfer of environmentally sound technologies
(EST), especially pertaining to energy, transportation, waste management,
and water. An institution like the Global Environment Facility is needed
to promote EST cooperation. Technology transfers should also be considered
as a means towards poverty alleviation through the provision of equipment,
materials and knowledge necessary to promote development.
7. WE, THE PEOPLE
Ø Leading by example
All individuals must assume responsibility for sustainable development
in their own lives, by not only asking what others should be doing to
advance the cause of sustainable development and the common good, but
also by asking what they can do themselves to advance the cause every
day. A long term approach to sustainable living must replace the short-term
attitude which currently dominates many lifestyles.
Ø A people's petition
The Earth Charter provides the ethical basis necessary to support a sustainable
development agenda and must be promoted as a guide for negotiations at
the WSSD and beyond.
The Earth Dialogues
Under the High Patronage of Lionel Jospin, Prime Minister of France
and
The City of Lyon
The Urban Community of Lyon
Organised by:
Green Cross International
The Earth Council
The World Council of Former Foreign Ministers
In Collaboration with:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
The Earth Charter Secretariat
The Centre for Respect of Life and Environment (CRLE)
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
The Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE)
The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
The Bellagio Forum
Several French NGOs
With the Support of:
The Regional Council of Rhône-Alpes
The General Council of the Rhône
Contributions from:
Vivendi Environnement
Papeteries Matussiere & Forest
Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Energie (ADEME)
AVENTIS
The Bellagio Forum
Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR)
Reed Exhibitions
SUEZ
TREDI
Air France
------------------------------------------------------------------------