From the Earth System Science Partnership
International scientific community issues first “State of the Planet Declaration”
Scientists issued the first “State of the Planet” declaration at a major gathering of experts on global environmental and social issues in advance of the major UN Summit Rio+20 in June.
The declaration opens: “Research now demonstrates that the continued functioning of the Earth system as it has supported the well-being of human civilization in recent centuries is at risk.” It states that consensus is growing that we have driven the planet into a new epoch, the Anthropocene, where many planetary-scale processes are dominated by human activities. It concludes society must not delay taking urgent and large-scale action.
“This is a declaration to our globally interconnected society,” said Dr Lidia Brito, director of science policy, natural sciences, UNESCO, and conference co-chair.
“Time is the natural resource in shortest supply. We need to change course in some fundamental way this decade,” she added.
Over 3,000 experts in climate change, environmental geo-engineering, international governance, the future of the oceans and biodiversity, global trade, development, poverty alleviation, food security and more discussed the intricate connections between all the different systems and cycles governing our ocean, air, land and the human and animal life dependent on those environments.
Dr Mark Stafford Smith, Planet Under Pressure conference co-chair, said, “In the last decade we have become a highly interconnected society. We are beginning to realise this new state of humanity can be harnessed for rapid innovation.”
“But we need to provide more open access to knowledge, we need to move away from GDP as the only measure of progress, and we need a new way of working internationally that is fit for the 21st century,” he added. “This conference has provided new ideas and practical solutions for the way forward.”
The declaration concludes that, “a highly interconnected global society has the potential to innovate rapidly. The Planet Under Pressure conference has taken advantage of this potential to explore new pathways.”
But, say Brito and Stafford Smith, effective planetary stewardship also requires: “More ways of participation at all levels, stronger leadership in all sectors of society; greater connectivity between those generating new knowledge and the rest of society; and rethinking the roles of science, policy, industry and civil society.”
The conference presented new initiatives as recommendations for the Rio+20 Summit:
- Going beyond GDP by taking into account the value of natural capital when measuring progress.
- A new framework for developing a set of goals for global sustainability for all nations.
- Creating a UN Sustainable Development Council to integrate social, economic and environmental policy at the global level.
- Launching a new international research programme, Future Earth, that will focus on solutions.
- Initiating regular global sustainability analyses.
The conference also previewed the first Inclusive Wealth Report, developed by UN University’s International Human Dimensions Programme (UNU-IHDP) and the UN Environment Programme.
Based on a new economic indicator that measures natural, human and produced capital, the tool goes beyond GDP and can provide guidance for economic development towards sustainability.
Says Professor Anantha Duraiappah, Executive Director of UNU-IHDP: “Until the yardsticks which society uses to evaluate progress are changed to capture elements of long-term sustainability, the planet and its people will continue to suffer under the weight of short-term growth policies.”
The report, scheduled to be published at Rio+20, will describe the capital base of 20 nations: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Norway, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, USA, United Kingdom and Venezuela.
Off the back of the declaration and recognizing the interconnectedness of the current challenges, the four major international research programmes under ICSU that direct global environmental change science (the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme; DIVERSITAS; the International Human Dimensions Programme; and the World Climate Research Programme) aim to rapidly reorganize to focus on global sustainability solutions.
Additionally, the programmes are proposing to develop platforms that facilitate cooperation with all sectors of society to develop a new strategy for creating and rapidly translating knowledge into action. “Such interactions should be designed to bring societal relevance and trust to science-policy interfaces, and more effectively inform decision-making to keep pace with rapid global change,” reads the declaration. This strategy will form part of “a new contract between science and society” and includes the launch of a new international research programme, Future Earth.
The Planet Under Pressure conference marked the beginning of this new shift in direction, according to the conference co-chairs.
Delegates in London were joined by almost 8,000 people online worldwide and reached more than a million people through social media in the first three conference days.
Dr Brito said, “We have a positive message: strong leadership from all sectors and harnessing the increased connectivity offers some hope that the risk of long-term environmental crises can be minimized.”
“This new connectivity is the beginning of how the scientific community needs to operate. We need a powerful network of innovation, North and South. This approach needs to be part of our DNA from now on,” she added.
In recorded remarks, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said today that “climate change, the financial crisis and food, water and energy insecurity threaten human wellbeing and civilization as we know it.”
“My High-level Panel on Global Sustainability has just recommended that I consider naming a chief scientific advisor or establishing a scientific board to advise me and other organs of the United Nations.
“I also intend to engage the scientific community on other projects, such as the Global Sustainable Development Outlook report,” he added, “I am also ready to work with the scientific community on the launch of a large-scale scientific initiative.”
UN Rio+20 Executive coordinator, Elizabeth Thompson, said, “politician or public servant, scientist or citizen, community or company, we are the shareholders of Earth Incorporated and have a joint responsibility to protect our common patrimony.”
“The scientific community can help us make sense of these complex and interconnected challenges.”
Conference delegates also heard how research advances in the previous decade have shown humanity’s impact on Earth’s life support system has become comparable to planetary scale geological processes such as ice ages. “Consensus is growing we have driven the planet into a new epoch, the Anthropocene, in which many Earth system processes are now dominated by human activities,” the declaration states.
This new force risks pushing parts of the Earth system – the sum of our planet’s interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes including life and society – past so-called tipping points.
Tipping points include the disappearance of summer sea ice in the Arctic, permafrost in Arctic regions releasing large quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and the drying out of the Amazon rainforest. If these tipping points are crossed they can increase the likelihood of going beyond other thresholds generating unacceptable and often irreversible environmental change on global and regional scales with serious consequences for human and all forms of life on the planet.
The declaration stated that existing international arrangements are failing to deal with long-term development challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss in an interconnected way indicating that it would be a mistake to rely on single international agreements. Research indicated that comprehensive sustainability policies at local, sub-national, national, and regional levels should be encouraged to provide “essential safety nets should singular global policies fail.”
* The State of the Planet Declaration is by the Co-Chairs of the Planet Under Pressure conference, Dr Lidia Brito and Dr Mark Stafford Smith, supported by the conference Scientific Organizing Committee.
The statement in full is available online athttp://www.planetunderpressure2012.net/
The research discussed in the press releases, the conclusions drawn and the opinions offered are those of individual speakers or research teams at the Planet Under Pressure conference.
More information about Planet under Pressure Conference
The international science conference will be the biggest gathering of global environmental change specialists in advance of the United Nations Rio+20 Summit: 3,000 scientists, policymakers, industry and media representatives will meet to hear the latest research findings on the state of the planet and discuss concepts for planetary stewardship and societal and economic transformation towards global sustainability.
More information on the web: www.planetunderpressure2012.net/
This reminds me of Captain Edmund Blackadder’s explanation for the cause of World War One:
“Edmund: You see, Baldrick, in order to prevent war in Europe, two superblocs developed: us, the French and the Russians on one side, and the Germans and Austro-Hungary on the other. The idea was to have two vast opposing armies, each acting as the other’s deterrent. That way there could never be a war.
Baldrick: But this is a sort of a war, isn’t it, sir?
Edmund: Yes, that’s right. You see, there was a tiny flaw in the plan.
George: What was that, sir?
Edmund: It was bollocks.”
“Such interactions should be designed to bring societal relevance and trust to science-policy interfaces,.
First act of business. Disband and the IPCC and no that does not mean transfer the funds to the new sustainability cabal.
I see a time coming when the privileged few get to traipse around rainforests and unspoilt beaches at will, while the rest of us become more and more restricted in what we can do and where we can go, and get put into smaller and smaller boxes and walled in areas, our only role being to man the factories and keep the whole infernal machine going.
We should not laugh at Professor Kari Norgaard labelling any dissent as suffering from a mental disease, this sounds like the first step in making it a crime (McCarthy style witch hunts).
I’m glimpsing a world somewhat like North Korea, where people of privilege and power will do anything to make sure they stay within the ‘elite’ and can live what we now see as a normal life.
I marvel at the pointlessness of the EPA shutting down cheap coal fired power stations, against all logic, and with certain negative economic effects, and I wonder if we are reverting to the old method of rule by fear and orchestrated crises. Once, these crises were always wars or a threatening enemy, but now, it seems economic disruption and hardship may be easier to manage:
…especially if you can simply make energy a lot more expensive.
Odd. It doesn’t seem to matter what the scare is: Global cooling, global warming, overpopulation, etc… the proposed answer is always the same. Global governance. Always the Neo-Malthusians recommend a dictatorial global government. Odd that.
Oh wait on second thought, the entire UN is a waste of money. Its only successes are at building the UN. Talk about sustainability.
[snip . . please don’t shout so Max. The locals don’t like it much so try a repost without the caps . . kbmod]
I’m sure izen and fredb are busy consuming petroleum products and fossil fuel-based energy while telling the rest of us to deal with problems that have nothing to do with “climate” (e.g. “extreme” weather).
Ditto for everyone else at this useless conference…
I would, however, welcome izen and fredb suggestions on how we can avoid sponsoring these tax money-wasting conferences in the future.
Associate Professor Kari Norgard on her University of Oregon blurb-
“Over the past ten years I have published and taught in the areas of environmental sociology, gender and environment, race and environment, climate change, sociology of culture, social movements and sociology of emotions.”
Yeah, yeah Kari we know the type well-
http://www.news.com.au/national/academic-toilet-paper-opens-doors-on-dunny-business/story-e6frfkvr-1226266176545
Normal people call them toilets and don’t go there to hang about but not this new mutant strain of graduazzi that infects our sandstones and grows like necrotising fasciitis on the healthy body of science.
fredb says:
April 2, 2012 at 5:55 am
………… Where’s the WUWT famous “we debate the science”?
=========================
Debating social science is as fruitful as debating theology.
Dr Mark Stafford Smith, Planet Under Pressure conference co-chair, said, “In the last decade we have become a highly interconnected society. We are beginning to realise this new state of humanity can be harnessed for rapid innovation.”
Where has this guy been the last 70 years? The interconnectedness of our global civilization was acknowledged as the major impetus behind the organization of the allies for WWII in their fight against totalitarianism.
At the end of the day, most of these problems can be reduced down to energy and its cost. Yet I see nothing in any of their proposals that actually address how to increase our energy supply in order that our coming planetary population of 9 + billion can live in comfort and prosperity.
“This is a declaration to our globally interconnected society,” said Dr Lidia Brito, director of science policy, natural sciences, UNESCO, and conference co-chair.
“Time is the natural resource in shortest supply. We need to change course in some fundamental way this decade,” she added.
Yes, yes, of course, let us slow down the earth’s rotation rate so the days are longer, and move to a larger orbit about the sun to slow the years down. That’s the ticket to extent our natural resource in the shortest supply! That should also solve any global warming problems too! Needless to say; /sarc
Phrase: “to be sold a pup”
Definition: To be tricked into buying something that is not worth anything
What is the collective noun for a group of mental masturbators? Something like a wunch of bankers? This lot surely qualify and more.
“We need to change course in some fundamental way this decade,” she added.
That sounds familiar!
U.N. Warning of 10-Year ‘Climate Tipping Point’ Began in 1989
According to July 5, 1989, article in the Miami Herald, the then-director of the New York office of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Noel Brown, warned of a “10-year window of opportunity to solve” global warming. According to the 1989 article, “A senior U.N. environmental official says entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth by rising sea levels if the global warming trend is not reversed by the year 2000. Coastal flooding and crop failures would create an exodus of ‘eco-refugees,’ threatening political chaos.”
http://tomnelson.blogspot.com/2009/12/you-say-years-i-say-let-call-whole.html
I wonder how much Climate Justice those Detroit City residents are demanding.
I have now read the whole Declaration and can summarise it in four words: ‘Give us more money!’
@ur momisugly Dennis Wingo (@ur momisuglywingod) says:
April 2, 2012 at 8:40 am
At the end of the day, most of these problems can be reduced down to energy and its cost. Yet I see nothing in any of their proposals that actually address how to increase our energy supply in order that our coming planetary population of 9 + billion can live in comfort and prosperity.
**********************************************************************************************************
Why do you think that 9+billion will all live in comfort and prosperity? It’s never happened in the past, and is very unlikely to happen in the future, regardless of energy/food, etc. availability. There will always be a minority that is better off than the majority. The trick is to be one of the minority without getting your head lopped off.
“In recorded remarks, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said today that “climate change, the financial crisis and food, water and energy insecurity threaten human wellbeing and civilization as we know it.”
“My High-level Panel on Global Sustainability has just recommended that I consider naming a chief scientific advisor or establishing a scientific board to advise me and other organs of the United Nations.”
They are deliberately muddying the waters by blending their fanatical beliefs and apocalyptic predictions about CAGW and sources of energy running out with real problems like the financial crisis, famine and providing clean drinking water. The climate scientists, not content with their nonsensical computer models, want a seat at the political top table where they can get their hands on even more taxpayers money and advise politicians on ‘Earth system governance’. They are using new language to try to manipulate gullible people into accepting a world where people’s every action is regulated. In this context ‘global sustainability’ means a powerful elite and a compliant multitude.
These hippies would be suicidal if you took their iPhones from them.
How does one produce 21st century technology for hippies with no environmental impact?
In my view it can’t be done.
And speaking of sociologists and sociology I like to think of those coal fired power stations as million year old campfires for us to all gather around and enjoy socially-
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/humans-used-fire-earlier-than-thought/story-e6frfku0-1226316917245
When is Nikola Tesla Hour to be held by the way? Midsummer or midwinter?
This is a dictatorial declaration to end national sovereignty, capitalism AKA free enterprise, redistribute wealth and resources as a chosen unaccountable few see fit and to control science through political force. It also proposes to change the way of life of everyone to save the planet from the consequences of a fraud.
One definition “National sovereignty” is a legal expression of the right to self-government by a state or nation. It entails the declaration by a political system to operate independently of foreign rule or control.
Like all frauds the claims don’t match reality but the response to the fraud should.
Take heart. Like all Iron Curtains, it tends to rust over time from neglect and indefensible overreach plus unjustifiable siphoning of resources that become more obvious to generations in decline—see the East German model for comparison.
While the international “Planet Under Pressure” UN idolizing elites cry for “global sustainability”
izen says:
April 2, 2012 at 5:04 am and
fredb says:
April 2, 2012 at 5:55 am .
Thankfully,
higley7 says:
April 2, 2012 at 7:09 am
izen said, “Warning of the dangers worked quite well – eventually – for tobbacco, lead, asbestos acid rain, DDT, CFC’s, mercury…”
What’s really funny is that tobacco, mercury, and acid rain are the only scientifically supported scares here….
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Sure, many important things will always need to be recognized, discovered, scrutinized, analyzed, recorded and related, for whatever reasons and this won’t be done productively by mega-centralization elitists who can’t/won’t tolerate competition to their pet/invested in interests. Self-interested healthy(an appropriate GDP?), competitive nations/peoples will always best be able to help support not so fortunate nations/peoples in a productive fashion.
The UN, socialism, fascism, communism have not succeeded on national/international levels (at least not without being externally supported/protected) and cannot be used to lead a global effort of any significantly constructive importance. Such an effort disallows all of the necessary intangibles of self-interest and competition, let alone the basic search for answers/explanations/rewards – paullm.
johanna says:
April 2, 2012 at 6:01 am
We need to have a more considered response….
Add immunity from annoying national laws – as WUWT has already highlighted – and we have the beginning of the creation of a global caste of unaccountable secular priests.
• Robert E. Phelan says:
April 2, 2012 at 6:40 am
I would also like to direct everyone’s attention to still another conference on Global Governance to be held in Lund, Sweden April 18-20.
http://www.lund2012.earthsystemgovernance.org/html/conference_themes.html
Ha! The “work” day never ends, does it?!
paullm
The 2012 Earth Summit is planning to declare the Amazon Jungle a Heritage of Humanity
with the real purpose of facilitating the Carbon Shares´ business. It is not about any “sustainability” at all, it is about the BIGGEST SCAM EVER CONCEIVED.
This declaration was already tried at the ALCUE SUMMIT in Lima, back in 2008, where the then brazilian president Luis Ignazio Lulla da Silva, had to menace with Brazil leaving the conference if that declaration was not removed.
This business will be better than the previous “invention” of the “credit card”. Here there is NOTHING of INVESTMENT and NOTHING OF PAYMENT, everything is 100% PROFIT.
More like this.
How to tax more.
How to hide the tax.
Who gets the dole from the tax.
How to lie best about the tax.
Tax, Tax, Tax, all about Tax.