Steven C. Rockefeller | Experiences with Nature, the Origins of the Earth Charter, and Reflections about Some Earth Charter Principles

1. Personal Life Stories and Experiences with Nature Quick Overview Professor Steven Rockefeller narrates how the family he grew up in fostered his interest in international affairs, religions, and conservation. He also gives an account of the impactful experiences he had with nature and his special interest in birds. He reflects on how helpful it was for his work with the drafting process of the Earth Charter, the fact that he spent over 30 years studying philosophy and world religion. Over the years, he increasingly realized that the spiritual life involves the quality of one’s relationship with oneself, with other persons, with the larger world of nature, and with the great mystery of the universe. He explains what faith means for him and reflects on his experience during the Earth Charter drafting process, which involved listening intently to people from various cultures and fields of knowledge and trying to understand different perspectives. He shares that he became involved in the Earth Charter Initiative due to his interest in ethics and spiritual values. 2. The Origins of the Earth Charter Quick Overview                                                              Professor Rockefeller talks about the origins of the Earth Charter; the World Charter for Nature and its focus on respect for nature; and the Brundtland Commission Report and its emphasis on the moral responsibility to future generations. He shares how IUCN’s second version of the World Conservation Strategy stands as a pioneer document addressing environmental ethics from an Earth perspective. The Earth Charter, according to Professor Rockefeller, presents an integrated social, economic, environmental, ethical, and spiritual vision concisely formulated for humanity. 3. Reflections on Some Earth Charter Principles Quick Overview Every word in the Earth Charter has been carefully chosen upon extensive consultation and intensive deliberation. Professor Rockefeller shares a few stories behind some Earth Charter ideas and principles, such as “Earth” rather than “the Earth,” “the earth,” or “Nature,” and “equitable distribution of wealth” rather than “redistribution of wealth,” among others. He also relates the argument among different groups over the word “compassion,” and over the concept of “intrinsic value,” and how they eventually reached a consensus, sometimes just because of a flash of inspiration. Exceptionally, the case of reproductive health just demonstrates that the Earth Charter does not have to take a position on every single matter for a greater consensus to be built. He reflects on the concept of reverence for life, emphasized by Albert Schweitzer, and how it is weaved in the Earth Charter. He reflects on why the concepts of peace and nonviolence were part of the Earth Charter. Professor Rockefeller explains why the Earth Charter is really about the right relationships and how principle 16f summarizes it all.

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