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Youth Leadership, Sustainability and Ethics
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“Divorced from ethics, leadership is reduced to management.”
James MacGregor Burns
Earth Charter International's workshop in Youth Leadership, Sustainability and Ethics is an interactive session with meaningful music, photos and videos combined with eye-opening individual and group activities.
So far the workshop has been facilitated in the 5th Annual International Leadership Training Programme: A Global Intergenerational Forum, organized by the UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights and in the International Youth Conference on the Environment, “TUNZA”, organized by UNEP. In addition it will be conducted as a semester-long, online leadership course, September 2009 - January 2010.
THE GOAL is to support the participants to realize their role as leaders for more sustainable future and to help them to learn what the common, global values are that everyone can share. The aim is that after the session the participants are aware of the principles for sustainability and they will comprehend how those can be used as a tool on individual and organizational level. The session drives for positive change in participants’ everyday lives and creates a sense of global responsibility.
WORKSHOP LENGTH 1.5 – 4 hours
REASONING
At this moment in the history of Earth, humanity is facing a number of shared challenges to our various ways of life. Challenges such as climate change, widespread poverty and the lack of social justice and democracy affect all people directly or indirectly. Given this, the urgent need for leaders who can address these collective challenges and facilitate our transition to sustainability is readily apparent. These new leaders, required by the urgent necessity to promote sustainable lifestyles, are known as sustainability leaders.
Sustainability leaders recognize that sustainable development is essential because it “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development [Brundtland Commission], 1987).
Sustainability leadership values are inherently dedicated to promoting the development of a just, sustainable future. In order to make progressive steps to dealing with our collective problems, it is necessary that we use this style of leadership to help us collectively embrace fundamental changes in our underlying values and ethics that affect our societies, communities and ways of living.
Ethics and moral values greatly influence the development of our relationships and mindsets, but many do not realize that these beliefs are inextricably linked with sustainable development. The interaction of people with their environment and their political and economic affairs are strongly influenced by their diverse moral values, cultural heritage and religious traditions. Therefore, addressing all of these interconnected issues requires a shift in mindset, and this transition requires the inclusion of a new set of ethics. Sustainability leaders realize the integral role played by ethics in motivating people to care for the world around them.
For this reason, the crucial importance of moral leadership in sustainability cannot be understated. Leaders are required to make ethical decisions because of the responsibility that comes with their power. This is also declared in Principle 2.b. of the Earth Charter which asks us to “Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good”.
The need to essentially change our value systems in order to make the essential transition to sustainable lifestyles is addressed by the Earth Charter. It provides an ethical framework described as “a declaration of global interdependence and universal responsibility”. It can effectively advise and support action that addresses the common challenges that are faced by humanity.
The need for accountability in our choices is apparent, and the Earth Charter helps us achieve this goal by providing “a universal code of conduct to guide people and nations toward sustainable development”. The Earth Charter alone, however, is not sufficient in instigating meaningful changes toward sustainability; it needs to be supported by the aforementioned leaders who have a fundamental belief and ethical basis in sustainable living. They are able to work effectively because they can inspire people, build coalitions, think systemically, encourage teamwork and implement innovative solutions to our common problems. This transition needs leaders who utilize the Earth Charter as a tool in their work – leaders that see it as “a vision of hope and a call to action”.
BACKGROUND READING
ECI publication, Rethinking Leadership: The role of the Earth Charter in fostering ethical leaders for the future
CONTACT
youthcoordinator [@] earthcharter.org
“Divorced from ethics, leadership is reduced to management.”
James MacGregor Burns
Earth Charter International's workshop in Youth Leadership, Sustainability and Ethics is an interactive session with meaningful music, photos and videos combined with eye-opening individual and group activities.
So far the workshop has been facilitated in the 5th Annual International Leadership Training Programme: A Global Intergenerational Forum, organized by the UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights and in the International Youth Conference on the Environment, “TUNZA”, organized by UNEP. In addition it will be conducted as a semester-long, online leadership course, September 2009 - January 2010.
THE GOAL is to support the participants to realize their role as leaders for more sustainable future and to help them to learn what the common, global values are that everyone can share. The aim is that after the session the participants are aware of the principles for sustainability and they will comprehend how those can be used as a tool on individual and organizational level. The session drives for positive change in participants’ everyday lives and creates a sense of global responsibility.
WORKSHOP LENGTH 1.5 – 4 hours
REASONING
At this moment in the history of Earth, humanity is facing a number of shared challenges to our various ways of life. Challenges such as climate change, widespread poverty and the lack of social justice and democracy affect all people directly or indirectly. Given this, the urgent need for leaders who can address these collective challenges and facilitate our transition to sustainability is readily apparent. These new leaders, required by the urgent necessity to promote sustainable lifestyles, are known as sustainability leaders.
Sustainability leaders recognize that sustainable development is essential because it “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development [Brundtland Commission], 1987).
Sustainability leadership values are inherently dedicated to promoting the development of a just, sustainable future. In order to make progressive steps to dealing with our collective problems, it is necessary that we use this style of leadership to help us collectively embrace fundamental changes in our underlying values and ethics that affect our societies, communities and ways of living.
Ethics and moral values greatly influence the development of our relationships and mindsets, but many do not realize that these beliefs are inextricably linked with sustainable development. The interaction of people with their environment and their political and economic affairs are strongly influenced by their diverse moral values, cultural heritage and religious traditions. Therefore, addressing all of these interconnected issues requires a shift in mindset, and this transition requires the inclusion of a new set of ethics. Sustainability leaders realize the integral role played by ethics in motivating people to care for the world around them.
For this reason, the crucial importance of moral leadership in sustainability cannot be understated. Leaders are required to make ethical decisions because of the responsibility that comes with their power. This is also declared in Principle 2.b. of the Earth Charter which asks us to “Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good”.
The need to essentially change our value systems in order to make the essential transition to sustainable lifestyles is addressed by the Earth Charter. It provides an ethical framework described as “a declaration of global interdependence and universal responsibility”. It can effectively advise and support action that addresses the common challenges that are faced by humanity.
The need for accountability in our choices is apparent, and the Earth Charter helps us achieve this goal by providing “a universal code of conduct to guide people and nations toward sustainable development”. The Earth Charter alone, however, is not sufficient in instigating meaningful changes toward sustainability; it needs to be supported by the aforementioned leaders who have a fundamental belief and ethical basis in sustainable living. They are able to work effectively because they can inspire people, build coalitions, think systemically, encourage teamwork and implement innovative solutions to our common problems. This transition needs leaders who utilize the Earth Charter as a tool in their work – leaders that see it as “a vision of hope and a call to action”.
BACKGROUND READING
ECI publication, Rethinking Leadership: The role of the Earth Charter in fostering ethical leaders for the future
CONTACT
youthcoordinator [@] earthcharter.org
