This Earth Summit of Woodcraft Folk International Camp 2001 declares that in pursuit of the hopes and desires of this gathering of young people, action must be taken across the world to make our global environment sustainable for the benefit of all people now and for future generations. In this way we seek to pursue our motto: "Span the World with Friendship".

We find there is no limit to the issues that affect a sustainable world. Cutting levels of carbon emissions will slow global warming but will not solve inequalities in the world. It is not sufficient to reduce environmental issues to recycling, for example. Other wider issues have an impact. Environmental sustainability is not just about the action we take on the physical environment but is also about how economic systems, culture, and conflict impact upon the physical environment.

A prime example of how these issues interlink is the current project to build a dry canal in Nicaragua which will destroy livelihoods, rain forests with unique species, and create a cheap labour zone, and let in foreign companies and foreign government interests, with no democratic mandate from the Nicaraguan people.

In particular we seek the inclusion of the following articles in the decisions of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development:
Food production and associated markets should promote reasonably priced organic, non-genetically modified, and locally produced food as a move towards sustainable living, and fair prices for farmers.

People seeking refuge in another country should not face persecution and lengthy administrative processes.
We demand that governments and multi-national companies stop contributions to global warming and other problems by human activity. Renewable energy sources must increasingly be used in place of fossil fuels and nuclear power. Total dependence on renewable sources of energy should be reached in time.

A sustainable world is one where the rights of the child as written in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are universally respected. We demand these rights be implemented.
We call for the end of multinational sponsorship of public institutions (eg. schools and medical services) and demand that governments meet the needs of these institutions.
There should be clean water and equal access to health care worldwide. We call for action to preserve and not pollute clean water supplies. Whilst this need is commonly accepted it has not been achieved. Now do it.
With the aim of establishing global equality we demand that the national debts of the world's poorest countries be immediately cancelled.
Violent conflict between peoples damages environmental and social sustainability. We demand that governments try and use methods for resolving conflicts that do not involve violence, that promote cooperation instead of competition, and that respect the hopes and desires of all young people.
Young people do not have enough opportunity to have their opinions heard by decision-makers. We therefore call on all governments to include young people in a meaningful way in determining their lives.

Adopted 9 August 2001
 

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