ABSTRACT

In the face of the disastrous trends that are currently sweeping the planet the Earth Charter retains the promise of inspiring an international movement for justice, sustainability and peace among the peoples of the world. The success of this movement depends upon our recognition that the Charter is a statement of the principles of the faith of Earth Democracy defined as our faithfulness to the evolutionary life of the planet and the historical struggle to live with one another in freedom, equality and solidarity. If the Earth Charter movement is to be renewed as a community of people who pledge their accountability to one another in shared commitment to the ultimate cause of Earth’s salvation four fundamental actions must be taken by the movement participants: (1) renewed leadership for the global ethics dialogue that conceived the Charter; (2) strong arguments on behalf of the truth as well as legitimacy of the Charter’s vision and principles; (3) clear well-reasoned ethical positions on the great geopolitical and environmental issues of our age; (4) the reconstitution of the Earth Charter Initiative as a self-governing membership organization in which citizens of the world can participate as equal members with specified rights and duties.