Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But not much of one. Earth Summit 2012, also known as the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20 in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is officially underway. One of the main goals of Earth Summit 2012 is to solidify support from governments around the world for its designs on sustainable development, which have been set forth in a 300-page document known as Agenda 21. The key strategy for advancing Agenda 21, global implementation at the local level, is being driven by an organization called the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).
At first glance, Agenda 21 appears to be about saving the world’s resources (a respectable enough goal) and preventing climate change (a questionably achievable one at best). But at second glace, one can see it goes far beyond that. If you read the U.N. literature you will find repeated mention of “global governance.” You will read of a plan for an “institutional framework” to be “erected” to “mandate compliance” with sustainable development initiatives.
If you think sustainable development means recycling and employing other methods of using resources conservatively, I recommend a brief perusal of the 158-page Pocket Guide to Sustainable Development. The titles of the four sections are as follows:
1. Global Institutions for Sustainable Development Governance
2. Concepts for Sustainable Development Governance
3. Reform Proposals for Sustainable Development Governance
4. Processes for Sustainable Development Governance
Effective execution of Agenda 21 will require a profound reorientation of all human society, unlike anything the world has ever experienced—a major shift in the priorities of both governments and individuals and an unprecedented redeployment of human and financial resources. This shift will demand that a concern for the environmental consequences of every human action be integrated into individual and collective decision-making at every level.
That way we can continue to enjoy our coffee and conserve our resources as we see fit. And the global busybodies can mind their own business.
Click here to find out if ICLEI has a member chapter in your area.
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