YOUTH EARTH CHARTER

Robert Gillespie

At the Earth Summit in Rio, the Youth Forum formulated a document expressing their environmental concerns and their resolve to be active partners in creating a sustainable world. This document still speaks powerfully-and even more urgently-today.

Youth Earth Charter

  1. The youth of today will inherit severe environmental problems associated with overconsumption, overpopulation and militarism.
  2. Youth concerned with a sustainable future will be challenged to place limits on materialism, environmental deterioration, family sizes and military expansion.
  3. Concerned youth will work together towards the common goals of preventing global warming, ozone depletion, limiting solid and toxic waste and protecting the oceans, rivers, forests, wetlands, deserts, biodiversity, ozone, wildlife and all environmental habitats.
  4. The youth will be actively involved in the political, economic and social transitions from overconsumption to sustainable development, from overpopulation to population stabilization, and from militarism to global environmental security.
  5. Current resource allocation and prices of nonrenewable energy do not reflect sustainable long-term development needs.
  6. All individuals, families, communities and nations will undertake an environmental impact assessment, and standards mandated for sustainable lifestyles and development policies.
  7. The youth of today have the right and responsibility to formulate a Global Youth Charter to describe the legal, economic, political and social changes needed to achieve a sustainable future.
  8. The power and resources of the young people toady are needed to convert existing political and economic systems to sustainable development policies, to achieve population stabilization and to liberate the youth from the burden of militarism.

There have been numerous national and international conferences, and numerous documents created to promote sustainable development. The general consensus is that none of these have significantly altered the course of resource depletion and environmental destruction.

There will never be the elimination of poverty, hunger or the desire to live nonsustainable lifestyles. No nation has voluntarily divested ownership of resources for the collective good of the environment or for the well being of other nations.

The future of population and environmental health will be predicated on the individual decisions of families, communities and nations. Humankind will eventually face three major truths:

  • any population size greater than replacement will stabilize by an increase in the death rate;
  • if we destroy our environment, we will destroy ourselves;
  • all resources are finite.
Someday, all political and economic systems will have to adjust to zero gas, oil and coal.

Robert Gillespie is the President of Population Communication, and the author of the Statement on Population Stabilization by World Leaders. Seventy-five heads of governments have signed it.


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