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Charting a New Course
An Interview with Steven Rockefeller

—This interview was printed in Abroad View magazine fall 2001

The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, in 1987, called for the creation of an Earth Charter that would set forth fundamental principles for sustainable development. The drafting of such a charter was on the agenda at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, though it remained part of the unfinished business. Maurice Strong, secretary general of the Earth Summit and chairman of the Earth Council, and Mikhail Gorbachev, president of Green Cross International, launced a new Earth Charter initiative in 1994, with support from the Dutch government. A commission was then formed in 1997 to oversee the project. Steven Rockefeller, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Middlebury College, chaired the Earth Charter international drafting committee. He is also a member of the Earth Charter Commission and Steering Committee, and it was in this capacity that he talked with Sherry Schwarz in June 2001.

Sherry Schwarz: How did your background and training in the history and philosophy of religion lead to the development of your environmental consciousness?

Steven Rockefeller: My environmental consciousness was formed initially by experiences with nature as a boy in the Rocky Mountains and on the coast of Maine. The most powerful spiritual experiences I had in my early life were encounters with the nouminous dimension of the natural world. The study of religion enabled me to deepen my understanding of the sacred, and I was particularly interested in what the different religions had to say about the immanence of the divine in nature.
I also became much interested in the relation of the religious life to social justice, human rights and democracy. As my thinking evolved, I explored the idea of spiritual democracy, which is concerned with the quality of relations among people in all aspects of life. In order to sustain a healthy political democracy, you need a culture that promotes certain moral and spiritual values, including respect for the dignity and human rights of all people.

My study of the interrelation of religious faith, nature and democracy led me to be especially interested in the spiritual dimension of encounters with nature and people. The relationship between ecology, democracy and spirituality became the theme of a course that I taught at Middlebury College called "Faith, Freedom, and Ecology."

SS: What are some of the texts and influences that went into the course "Faith, Freedom, and Ecology," and how did your students react to the teachings?

SR: Among the authors read in the course were Fyodor Dostoevsky, Martin Buber, John Dewey, Viktor Frankl, Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Rosemary Radford Ruethe, and Gary Snyder. I used a book that John Elder and I had edited, Spirit and Nature (1992), which contains essays from a conference on this theme held at Middlebury in 1990, and the documentary film on the conference prepared by Bill Moyers for P.B.S. The readings also included sacred texts from a number of the world religions.

There was, in general, a very positive response among students to the course. It was initially designed as an introductory course. However, every year many juniors and seniors signed up for it, because they found the course helpful to them in interrelating and synthesizing material from many different disciplines, including economics, politics, history, science, art, philosophy and religion. The course was, in fact, an exploration of a new worldview that is beginning to take form, and it was centrally concerned with the quest for personal meaning and fulfillment as well as ecological integrity and social justice. We considered questions such as the relation between science and religion, the relation between freedom and responsibility, the meaning of cultural democracy, the struggle for human rights and socio-economic equity, the new field of environmental ethics, the challenge of sustainable development, the progress of interfaith dialogue, and the possibilities for a new global ethics.

SS: How did you become involved with the Earth Charter?

SR: Much of the academic work that I had done in the fields of religion, philosophy, and social and environmental ethics prepared me for my involvement with the Earth Charter. During the 1990s I had also been doing work in the field of ethics and international law. All law is based on ethical principles, and I became much interested in how to articulate the ethical principles underlying international declarations and treaties dealing with the environment, human rights and equity. When I was asked to join the Earth Charter Initiative in 1995, I saw the challenge of drafting the Earth Charter as an extension of much of the work that I had been doing in my teaching and writing.

SS: What principle of the Earth Charter is most important to you?

SR: At the heart of the Earth Charter is an ethic of respect and care for the community of life. The general idea of this ethic is set forth in the first two principles: "Respect Earth and life in all its diversity" and "Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love." All the other principles in the Earth Charter flow from these two. The reference to "understanding, compassion, and love" emphasizes the need for the integration of the head and the heart.

Principle six is also especially important if one is interested in protecting the environment. It combines the principle of prevention and the precautionary principle: "Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a precautionary approach." The principle of prevention asserts that avoiding harm is much better than trying to clean up and catch up. Prevention is best achieved by adopting a precautionary approach. This involves taking action to avoid the possibility of serious or irreversible environmental harm, even when scientific knowledge is incomplete or inconclusive. For example, if there is the possibility that a new technology may cause serious environmental harm and the relevant science is incomplete on this question, then a precautionary approach would require that the new technology not be used. The most fundamental issue, for example, surrounding the debate over biotechnology concerns application of the precautionary principle. The problem is that the biotech industry does not adhere to the precautionary principle. The Earth Charter links the principle of prevention and the precautionary principle to what is known as the "polluter pays" principle, which asserts that if you cause environmental and social harm, you will be held responsible.

SS: What will define success for the Earth Charter?

SR: The Earth Charter Initiative has already been very successful in using the challenge of drafting an Earth Charter as a catalyst for a very productive, decade-long, world wide, cross-cultural dialogue on common goals and shared values. The text of the Earth Charter has now been finalized, and the document is already being used effectively as a teaching tool in schools, colleges, universities, and other institutions around the world. It is being used in many institutions to generate internal reflection on the ethical values that should govern behavior. In addition, the document has been endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and an international organization representing over 350 municipalities around the world. As a result, it is beginning to be used by local governments as a tool for planning and assessing progress towards achieving sustainable development. We also hope that the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002 will endorse the Earth Charter. The future success of the Earth Charter Initiative will depend on expanding use of the document and implementation of its principles by government, business and civil society.

SS: As part of the international consultation process, a two-week internet conference was held in the spring of 1998. Participants from 78 countries and 300 universities shared their input. Was this on-line conference effective, and how does it reflect the nature and objectives of the Earth Charter?

SR: A number of on-line conferences have been conducted by the Earth Charter Secretariat, which is based in Costa Rica, and these conferences have been very effective in promoting the global dialogue on shared values and the principles of the Earth Charter. The Earth Charter emphasizes the importance of participatory democracy and of the right of all individuals and groups to participate in decision making that affects them. It was especially important, therefore, that the Earth Charter consultation process involve as many diverse groups as possible. The worldwide web has provided a powerful tool for promoting cross-cultural exchange.
The 1998 on-line conference to which you refer enabled people from many different cultures to come together and exchange ideas. There were lectures and forums for discussion on-line following each lecture. Although the Earth Charter Initiative has conducted many conferences involving face to face negotiations, the internet, e-mail and fax machine proved to be very valuable tools for facilitating international dialogue. This technology has been a critical factor in the emergence of a new, powerful global civil society.

SS: If the U.N. endorses the Earth Charter in 2002, what type of impact do you expect and hope will result from the endorsement? How might this Charter revolutionize the world and the path on which we currently find ourselves?

SR: U.N. endorsement of the Earth Charter would generate further support for the global ethics set forth in the document. It would also enhance the influence of the Earth Charter ethic on the future development of international law in the fields of environment and sustainable development.
The Earth Charter does focus attention on the major challenges and critical choices facing humanity. It sets forth principles and strategies that, if implemented by government, business and civil society, will lead to a major transformation in how human beings live, interact with the natural world and work together. Fundamental changes are urgently needed in our values, ways of thinking and institutions. Implementation of the vision in the Earth Charter will bring about such change.

SS: How do college campuses in the U.S. and overseas fit into the vision of the Earth Charter? What can students and faculty do to further the objectives of the Charter and integrate into their academics and college life some of the principles?

SR: Colleges and universities have a major responsibility to teach and practice the art of living sustainably. The most effective form of education often comes from good examples. College and university presidents should ensure that their institutions are operating in accordance with the principles of environmental protection and sustainable development. It is critical that presidents and boards of trustees adopt clear, strong sustainability policies for their institutions and that every administrative office share responsibility for implementing these policies. It is especially important when renovating old buildings and constructing new facilities that environmentally sound design principles be employed. A well-designed building that takes full advantage of all the new environmental technology can provide a very valuable learning experience for students. A good example is the new environmental studies building at Oberlin College, built under the leadership of Professor David Orr.

In addition, the faculty have a responsibility to integrate appropriate material on the environment and sustainable development into their teaching. Students can put pressure on college administrations and faculty to address these urgent issues.

SS: What lasting impressions will you take away from your work with the Earth Charter Initiative?

SR: My experience with the Earth Charter Initiative deepened my understanding of the seriousness of the environmental and social problems facing the world. It also inspired in me new hope because I met so many extraordinary women and men around the world who are deeply committed and making a real difference. I have also been struck by how widespread is the search for common ground and a new ethical vision. The Earth Charter consultation and drafting process has convinced me that a new global ethics is taking form and is supported by an ever-growing number of people.

SS: Young people are going to be the stewards of the environment and ultimately the keepers of this new Charter. What advice would you pass on to them?

SR: First of all, building a sense of global community in the midst of great cultural diversity is essential to the survival of the human species at this point in history. In this regard, I emphasize the importance of travel and of encountering cultures other than your own. Encountering other cultures and traditions can profoundly expand our own horizons and understanding. While searching for common values across cultural borders, we must also learn to respect difference and to appreciate the intrinsic value of all cultures.
It is very easy to become discouraged by the scale and complexity of the problems that the world faces today. However, I urge all young people not to give up hope. Throughout the world, there are creative, committed people working to restore the environment, heal damaged communities, and build just, sustainable and peaceful societies. We all have a choice. We can allow ourselves to be paralyzed by despair over the negative trends or we can join the many courageous people of good will who are trying to build a better world. Those who join them will find meaning and much to celebrate in the midst of the struggle.

To learn more about the Earth Charter, visit www.earthcharter.org. You can read Professor Rockefeller's article, "The Earth Charter: An Ethical Foundation," as prepared for "Resurgence Magazine."