Environment:
Franciscans International advocates for the integrity of the environment to take high priority. Countries have a responsibility to uphold the environmental treaties and conventions (such as the Kyoto Protocol) they have signed.
Without a healthy environment, the earth will not be able to sustain future societies and economies. Uncontrolled use of natural resources such as forests, land, water and fisheries have caused distressing changes and unnecessary pressure on the global ecosystem. Unfortunately, this profound impact on natural resources is primarily due to over-consumption and over-production by a powerful minority.
Dwindling supplies of fresh water, pollution, ozone depletion, deforestation, global warming, degradation of agricultural land, the impact of militarization on the environment - all are the result of unsustainable overuse or abuse of resources. Moreover, though these environmental changes are a result of overuse by rich countries, they often have a stronger and more severe effect on poorer developing countries.
 | | photo credited to IRIN |
Current consumption and production patterns are deteriorating the earth's ecosystems, depleting the earth's resources, proliferating inequality, poverty and conflict.
Current economic trends and social exclusion continue to perpetuate economic disparities between and within nations.
Sustainable development would ensure that resources were used in a manner that addresses the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs - reinforcing the indivisibility of human dignity and the collective responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life and to future generations.
Economic development, social development and environmental protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development. Poverty eradication, changing consumption and production patterns and protecting and managing the natural resource base for economic and social development are overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development.
Increasing the productive capacity of poor people increases both their well-being and that of their communities and societies, facilitates their participation in resource conservation and environmental protection, and facilitates a partnership of all humanity.
 | | photo credited to IRIN |
This would include improving access to sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurial opportunities and productive resources, including land, water, credit, technical and administrative training, and appropriate technology; strengthening efforts to broaden the human capital of societies through universal access to basic social services including education, health care, nutrition, clean water and sanitation.
Increasing the productive capacity of poor people and the eradication of poverty depend on the full integration of people living in poverty into economic, social and political life, with particular emphasis on the empowerment of women. Integration of environmental and developmental concerns will lead to the fulfilment of basic needs. Fulfilment of basic needs is a prerequisite of improved standards of living, better protected and managed ecosystems and a safer, more prosperous future for all.
Franciscans in action on the environment
Franciscans International joined the Council of Franciscan Communities in Croatia and Bosnia & Hercegovina in condemning a proposed pipeline that risked severely damaging the Adriatic coastline, as well as the pipeline route.
The Council of the Franciscan Communities in Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina sent an open letter to the Croatian Government and Parliament against the Russian-Croatian project ("Druzba Adria") to transport oil from Russia through Croatia and on to other countries by an oil tanker.
The project places the Adriatic Sea region in enormous danger of massive environmental catastrophe. There is a constant threat of an accident that could lead to poisoned water and soil. Moreover, if the pipeline project is completed, there will be a great deal of pollution by ballast waters (i.e., waters brought in from foreign seas) that would endanger the indigenous flora and fauna of the Adriatic Sea region.
The Croatian Parliament is currently reconsidering the project and is expected to hand down a decision some time in 2006. Read the news story
Resources
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- UNEP Division of Technology, Industry, and Economics
- United Nations Environment Programme Production and Consumption Branch's mission is to develop and disseminate practical tools for evaluating the opportunities, risks, and trade-offs associated with products and services over their entire life cycle to achieve sustainable development.
- Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on Adverse effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights
- Agenda 21 is the process of building partnerships between local authorities and others sectors to develop and implement local policies for sustainable development. Local Agenda 21s and other local sustainable development programs, including youth activities, should also be actively encouraged.
- Eco-Design toolkit - An international concept, developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) at the Rio summit, Eco-Design is the culmination of a holistic, conscious and proactive approach. It consists in designing a product - or service - so as to minimize its impacts on the environment. Eco-design applies at every stage in a product's life : raw material extraction, production, packaging, distribution, use, recovery, incineration, etc.
- International Institute for Sustainable Development
- The Rio Declaration
How can I help?
Adopt an environmental mission statement in your home, school, church and community. It could include some of these ideas:
- Plant at least one tree per year as a goal or raise money to plant trees in another part of the world;
- Keep food, water, energy, resources, wood etc. waste to a minimum;
- Meet, learn from and work with a local indigenous group;
- Use environmentally friendly fertilizers;
- Grow a garden,
- Switch to a renewable energy source;
- Raise people's awareness through education and community campaigns;
- Promote environmental education in schools;
- Buy locally produced agricultural products;
- Commit to walking or taking public transportation (rather than driving) to places nearby;
- Promote a better public transportation system in your city or town;
- Carpool to work;
- Promote waste prevention and minimization through source reduction, producer responsibility and public awareness;
- Promote environmentally sustainable methods of waste disposal such as recycling;
- Promote a sustainable holiday season
- Learn more about what you can do to make less impact on the world's resources.
Advocate for:
- Taxation on industries which do not implement environmentally clean technologies and production methods;
- Passing laws that protect endangered areas;
- Increased measures for education for sustainable development;
- Identification of and responsibility for environmental health hazards as well as steps to reduce them;
- Banning legal and illegal export of hazardous wastes to countries not equipped to deal with them;
- Minimize creation of radioactive wastes;
- End of the devastation of land by mining;
- Environmentally-friendly fertilizers and other products;
- Introduction of environmental accounting: governments and businesses must stop thinking of natural resources as free sources of profit. For example, they must include the cost of regrowing a forest in the "cost" side of their accounts;
- Awareness of environmental impact of products (mandatory labelling).
- Celebrate the Water for Life Decade, which was launched on 22 March 2005, on World Water Day. The decade aims to promote efforts to fulfill international commitments made on water and water-related issues by 2015, placing special emphasis on the involvement and participation of women in these efforts.
- Celebrate World Environment Day
- Celebrate the World Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
- Celebrate the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development The Decade site provides resources and sets standards for improving the quality of Sustainable Development Education.
FI Publications
Sister Water Prayer Witness : Care for Creation
 FI
Statements, at the United Nations, on the Environment
Franciscans International, as an NGO with General Consultative
Status with the Economic and Social Council, delivers
official written and oral interventions before United
Nations forums in New York, USA and Geneva, Switzerland.
Listed below are Franciscans International statements
on the Environment:
2005
"Summary Report." A written statement presented at the
Commission on Human Rights (61st Session) 2005. (2005-04-22)
"On Water, Sanitation and Human Settlements." An oral statement presented at the
13th Session of the Commission for Sustainable Development, On Water, Sanitation and Human Settlements.. (2005-04-12)
"Agenda Item 10: Impact of Toxic Wastes in Vieques, Puerto Rico
(written statement)." A written statement presented at the
Commission on Human Rights (61st Session) 2005. (2005-02-21)
"Franciscans International's Position Paper on the 61st Session of the Comission on Human Rights. ." A written statement presented at the
same meeting. (2005-02-19)
2004
"Impact of Toxic Waste in Vieques, Puerto Rico and in the Philippines (oral statement)." An oral statement presented at the
United Nations,
Commission on Human Rights,
60th Session, UN Geneva,
15 March – 23 April 2004, . (2004-04-06)
"Indigenous Communities Living in Extreme Poverty in Honduras (oral statement)." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2004-04-05)
"Vision for Public Sector Effectiveness." A written statement presented at the
42nd Commission for Social Development. (2004-02-17)
"Youth Perspective on Water." A written statement presented at the
same meeting. (2004-02-17)
2003
"Item 2: Question of violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all countries - VIEQUES." An oral statement presented at the
UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion
and Protection of Human Rights. (2003-08-10)
"Item 4: Economic, social, and cultural rights - IRAQ." An oral statement presented at the
same meeting. (2003-08-08)
"High Level Segment
30 June- 2 July 2003
“Promoting an integrated approach to rural development in developing countries
for poverty eradication and sustainable development”." A written statement presented at the
The Economic and Social Council. (2003-07-21)
"Partnership for Sustainable Development
April 28 - May 9, 2003
11th Session
." A written statement presented at the
Commission on Sustainable Development. (2003-04-25)
2002
"World Summit on Sustainable Development." A written statement presented at the
World Summit on Sustainable Development. (2002-08-26)
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