From the minutes
of New England Yearly Meeting 2002
2002–28. [The] Clerk of Northwest Quarterly Meeting
presented a minute forwarded from the Quarter endorsing the Earth Charter.
Friends began discussion, but were unable to find unity, and agreed to continue
consideration of this minute later in Sessions.
2002–59. [Another Friend] reviewed the purpose and history
of the Earth Charter, which was written over the past decade by people from
around the world in an open and participatory process. The Earth Charter
office is in Costa Rica. [This Friend] stated that endorsement of the Earth
Charter indicates commitment to the aims and spirit of the Charter. Endorsement
demonstrates a commitment to its values and willingness to work locally and
regionally as we feel led.
We returned to a
consideration of the minute forwarded by Northwest Quarter endorsing the Earth
Charter. The clerks reintroduced the minute summarizing our sense of where we
were, as a body at the end of our discussion Monday morning.
Friends felt
broad agreement with the minute and the principles of the Earth Charter, but
were uncomfortable endorsing the Northwest QM minute. We recommend weighty
consideration of the substance of the Charter, and of the urgent call for
sustainable development. However, Friends felt that endorsement was premature
without first making a commitment to examine the contradictions between these
principles and our comfortable assumptions in our individual and corporate
lives.
Friends approved
inserting this minute.
Friends were
reluctant to endorse words without a commitment to action. Our clerk spoke of
how powerfully our action endorsing minutes at Sessions is, and how it allows
her to speak more strongly when asked What are the Quakers doing?
Friends were
clear on the following three points:
1.
Friends did not approve the Northwest Quarter minute.
2.
Friends did approve endorsing the Earth Charter with gratitude to Northwest
Quarter for bringing it forward, and to the many people around the world who
have worked to develop the Charter.
3.
We committed ourselves to take the Charter back to our meetings, to work with
it, to see how our testimonies respond to it, and to see how we are led further.
We,
the peoples of Earth, join together in a global partnership and pledge to:
1.
Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
2.
Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.
3.
Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and
peaceful.
4.
Secure Earth’s bounty and beauty for present and future generations.
For
over a decade diverse groups throughout the world have endeavored to create an
Earth Charter that sets forth fundamental ethical principles for a sustainable
way of life. Hundreds of groups and thousands of individuals have been involved
in the process.
The
Earth Charter is a declaration of interdependence and responsibility and an urgent
call to build a global partnership for sustainable development.
The
principles of the Earth Charter are closely interrelated. Together they provide
a conception of sustainable development and set forth fundamental guidelines
for achieving it. These principles are drawn from international law, science,
philosophy, religion, recent UN Summit meetings, and the international Earth
Charter Conversation on global ethics.
The
goal of sustainable development is full human development and ecological protection.
The Earth Charter recognizes that humanity’s environmental, economic, social,
cultural, ethical, and 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.
I Respect and
care for the community of life
1. Respect Earth and life in all its
diversity.
2. Care for the community of life with
understanding, compassion, and love.
3. Build democratic societies that are just,
participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.
4. Secure Earth’s bounty and beauty for
present and future generations.
In order to
fulfill these four broad commitments, it is necessary to:
II. Ecological
integrity
5. Protect and restore the integrity of
Earth’s ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and
the natural processes that sustain life.
6. Prevent harm as the best method of
environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a precautionary
approach.
7. Adopt patterns of production,
consumption, and reproduction that safeguard Earth’s regenerative capacities,
human rights, and community wellbeing.
8. Advance the study of ecological
sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of knowledge
acquired.
III. Social and
economic justice
9. Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social,
and environmental imperative.
10. Ensure that economic activities and
institutions at all levels promote human development in an equitable and
sustainable manner.
11. Affirm gender equity as prerequisites to sustainable
development and ensure universal access to education, health care, and economic
opportunity.
12. 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.
IV. Democracy,
nonviolence, and peace
13. Strengthen democratic institutions at all
levels, and provide transparency and accountability in governance, inclusive
participation in decision making, and access to justice.
14. Integrate into formal education and life-long
learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life.
15. Treat all living beings with respect and
consideration.
16. Promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence,
and peace.