PROVISIONAL SYNTHESIS FORUM FOR THE CROSS-EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS FOR A RESPONSIBLE, UNITED AND PLURAL WORLD

SYNTHESIS OF THE FOUR POLES

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PROVISIONAL SYNTHESIS OF THE PROPOSALS OF 35 TEXTS

1. CROSS-SYNTHESIS OF THE HUMANITY AND BIOSPHERE POLE (HBP)

1.1 INTRODUCTION :

This synthesis has been produced with the evaluations made of 7 of the texts of the Humanity and Biosphere Pole out of a total of 11.
The proposals evaluated and included in this synthesis are of the following texts:
“07. Privatisation of Life”
“15. Water Supply Governance”
“17. Saving our Soils to Protect our Societies”
“18. Food, Nutrition and Public Policies”
“20. Food Safety and Sovereignty and Sustainable Agriculture” (that synthesised the papers “Food Safety”, “Sustainable Agriculture” and “WTO and Agriculture”),
“22. GMO and Agriculture”
“23. Industrial Ecology”

The 30 most favourably evaluated articles of these texts have been selected, to which 4 articles suggested by the forum participants have been added.

The texts of the Humanity and Biosphere Pole on “Energy”, “Time and Sustainable Development”, “Land Reform” and “Forests” have not yet been submitted for evaluation.

1.2 MOST FAVOURABLY EVALUATED PROPOSALS

HBP. I. On the Natural Resources that Sustain Life

HBP.01. Water is an indefeasible right for every human being. Water is an asset common to man. Water is also a social and economic asset. Any governance of the water supply must contain a social section as nobody should be deprived of water due to their inability to pay for it. (15.01.)

HBP.02. All levels of water supply management are necessary and independent. Transparency and democratic and effective participation -notably of women and minority groups- must be part of any water supply management. Ethics must govern all management of the resource and anything which comes into contact with water. (15.02.)

HBP.03. The management of a shared water supply, common water zones and water catchment areas must be reinforced by regional co-operation and by an appropriate, fair and equitable legal structure.
The integrated approach to the catchment areas must take into account the needs of irrigation and those of towns, jointly and not separately as is often seen to be the case. Equipment must be sought to bring about an economy of water and to increase its efficiency in irrigation systems and industrial processes. (15.03.)

HBP.04. Water is vital for the practice of active subsidiarity, in the fundamental decision making and in granting those without the right to speak.
Its governance starts an inverse globalization being based on unity.
The traditional knowledge of the communities concerning water should be restored and taken into consideration on the occasion of any project and any new implementation. (15.04.)

HBP.05. The governance of a water supply must be guided by the principles of sustainable development. It must respect the requirements of all living creatures on earth just as it must preserve the interests of future generations. Science and technology must be used to meet the requirements of the communities both in the fields of drinking water supplies and sanitation facilities. Science and technology must be applied whilst respecting and restoring local knowledge. (15.06.)

HBP.06. Western countries with a mild climate and adequate water supply buy oil from desert countries in exchange for money which returns to the banks of the western countries. In these cases, it should be agreed that at least a part of this oil is exchanged for water. (Article suggested by a participant for proposal 15.)

HBP.07. All governance of a water supply must promote a society economical with water. It must watch over the harmonization of the values relative to water for a better co-operation between nations and organize the various levels of governance with a view to best assure compatibility between unity and diversity. It must promote education in connection with water, and make the general public more widely aware of water economy and resource conservation. (15.07.)

HBP.08. The large ecosystems which produce water, especially mountains and forests, must be environmentally protected and considered areas of important interest for humanity, including their indigenous peoples. Policies of economic support must be established for the countries owning these areas, which should be considered financial assets so that they can be appropriately protected without involving any kind of loss of sovereignty or debt. (Article suggested by a participant for proposal 15.)

HBP.09. THE REHABILITATION OF SOIL IN POPULAR CULTURE. In the domain of conventional education, to set up teaching systems that ensure an adequate knowledge of soil, indispensable for all citizens of the planet. This teaching should be built on the fact that soil is a natural body and cultural heritage fulfilling basic functions. (17.01.)

HBP.10. In the domain of popularization and public awareness, to set up and monitor innovative educational practices based on the concept of diversity: drawing from the range of knowledge, taking account of the multifarious of teaching, information and communication resources, and continuously adapting the process to changing situations. (17.03.)

HBP.11. To introduce incentives and enforce regulations and laws based on a broad participatory process involving all stakeholders, including the policy makers and authorities, as well as producers and land users themselves, the scientific community and civil society.
Regulations are nearly always implemented by administrative units but considerations should as far as possible be based on geographical units such as watersheds or landforms. (17.06)

HBP.12. To establish a set of binding rules, such as an international convention on the sustainable use of soil and on land management. The ratification by all states of such an instrument is not only desirable, but also urgent. (17.10.)

HBP.13. To relate soil and international trade: to mention soil and impact on soil in all regional and global negotiations on trade and to introduce the topic of soil into the processes that lead to making regional and international trade agreements. (17.11.)

HBP.14. To relate soil and human poverty: to encourage all initiatives aiming at poverty alleviation world-wide. Priority in financial support should be given to projects that target smallholders. (17.12)

HBP.15. HUMAN SOLIDARITY TO SAVE A WORLDWIDE HERITAGE
With regard to global cooperation to protect soil against degradation: to establish soil information networks. (17.14.)

HBP.16. To mobilise funds for soil conservation, restoration, improvement and where practicable creation. One can imagine the initiation of a World Soil Fund from which volunteers and financial donors would support activities leading to the improvement of the soil situation world-wide. (17.15.)

HBP.17. To raise awareness of environmental NGOs to the fact that soil is a key component of the environment. It should be one of the major items that they address in their fieldwork. (17.16.)

HBP.18. Support must be given to the beliefs of communities and countries that have demonstrated a solid ethical position against patents on living material and natural processes, such as the WTO’s African group, and countries that are trying to impose compulsory licenses, such as in the field of medicine (i.e. South Africa). (07.05.)

HBP.19. The regulation of access to biological resources must be promoted, as well as the means for a country to choose a national “sui generis” law that protects the innovations of local communities and is consistent with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the FAO’s International Engagement. This legislation authorises traditional agricultural practises, and includes the right for farmers to sow their seeds and commercialise former varieties. The model legislation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) can be taken as example. (07.09.)