Dear CPNN readers and reporters,
The events surrounding the Rio + 20 summit of States from around the world have exposed a turning point in history. The states have been unable to advance in the face of the world's environmental crisis. Instead, it is the civil society, including cities, youth and indigenous peoples who have taken the leadership in preparing for the next stage of human history.
We have arrived at the point of a crisis of governance. As stated by Candido Gryzbowski of the World Social Forum movement, "We say loud and clear that the multifaceted crisis (climate and environmental, financial, food, values...), which engulfs the whole world, also has another component: the crisis of governance."
The agenda of history is now in the hands of civil society. According to Darci Frigo, a spokesman for the Peoples Summit of the Civil Society at Rio, "The official summit was a « failure ». In order to tackle the real problems faced by human kind, the food, environmental and social crises, he believes it is necessary « to mobilize, to pressure governments and the UN system » in order to further promote the « agenda built by the civil society».
The new generation is taking a leading role in this new civil society leadership. The message to the Heads of State from the World Youth Congress meeting at the same time in Brazil was “You can work with us or be dragged along by us.”
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As was the case also in 1992 at the original Rio conference (see their 1992 declaration), it was the gathering of indigenous peoples at Rio who expressed the situation most eloquently: "We reaffirm our responsibility to speak for the protection and enhancement of the well-being of Mother Earth, nature and future generations of our Indigenous Peoples and all humanity and life."
Perhaps the most significant development for future history is the growing mobilization of cities, as seen in the World Conference of Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) which met immediately prior to the Rio+20 conference of states. In their evaluation of Rio+20, they posed the question "Do cities have to step in where governments are failing to take effective action?" and responded "Cities are cooperating internationally without borders, without customs, without military forces. They can address the issues of the future without the global power play that we see going on at intergovernmental level."
Please continue to send us your articles and help us document and assist in this historical turning point!
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