The Earth Charter

The Earth Charter is an international declaration of fundamental values and principles aimed at building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It consists of sixteen principles organized under four main pillars:

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• Respect and Care for the Community of Life

• Ecological Integrity

• Social and Economic Justice

• Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace

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The Charter seeks to inspire a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the human family, the broader community of life, and future generations. It is both a vision of hope and a call to action to guide the transition to sustainable ways of living and sustainable human development, recognizing that environmental protection, human rights, equitable development, and peace are interdependent and indivisible.

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The Earth Charter originated from a United Nations initiative in 1987, following the Brundtland Commission's call for a new charter to guide sustainable development. It was developed through a decade-long global, cross-cultural consultation process involving over 100,000 people from 47 countries. The final text was agreed upon in 2000 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris and launched at the Peace Palace in The Hague. The Charter is supported by a global movement of individuals and organizations that use its principles to promote sustainability, justice, and peace worldwide