Foreword
Maurice F. Strong

Preface
W. H. Linder

Opening Message
Arthur J. Hanson

Preface

The Earth Summit was an unprecedented event. It brought together more heads of government than any meeting in history. It effectively focused the world’s attention on the most critical issues we face as a global community. And it adopted a global plan of action, Agenda 21, to address those issues. For all of these achievements history will, no doubt, accord it an honored place.

In retrospect, however, history may, and I believe should, recognize that its most significant contribution was the process it adopted to achieve its objectives. By attempting, at times more successfully than at others, to bring all sectors of society into its deliberative and decision-making functions, it became the first international experiment in democratizing inter-governmental decision-making.

Given the nature of the problems which now confront us as a community of nations and peoples, we are now more than ever bound together by a common destiny. And solutions to those problems will have to be found both nationally and internationally. That means that international institutions and national governments must become increasingly more accountable and responsive to the views and expectations of the world’s people as a whole. Indeed, it means that as we approach the next century we must move even further in the direction of a global democracy.

In preparing for the Earth Summit, the first tentative steps in this direction were taken. Never before have so many representatives of peoples’ organizations from so many countries directly participated in the formulation of national and international policies. Never before have so many senior representatives of governments met in open debate with citizens from countries other than their own, as they did in the ECO ’92 Public Forums held throughout the world in preparation for the Summit. Never before have so many representatives of civil society gathered together to address their own responsibilities in respect of environment and development issues, as they did at the ’92 Global Forum in Rio.

These epoch-making first attempts at global democracy must be repeated, and they must be strengthened.

But to play a meaningful role in governance, people in all societies need the information necessary to prepare them for responsible participation. By making Agenda 21 and the other Rio Agreements accessible to people in an easy and understandable format, this book will help provide some of that information.

In publishing The Earth Summit’s Agenda for Change, we would like it to be a testament, and a tribute, to the thousands of individuals throughout the world - women, youth, journalists, citizen activists, teachers, business people, religious leaders, local authorities, trade unionists, representatives of indigenous people, scientists and researchers - who participated in framing the thinking of governments at the Earth Summit and contributed to the evolution of Agenda 21. The global momentum to achieve sustainable development and to implement the principles of Agenda 21 will only succeed with their continued participation in decisions which affect their lives, both nationally and internationally.

Establishing the precedent of broad public participation was the real hallmark of the Earth Summit. The Centre for Our Common Future is pleased to have played a part in helping to make that happen and remains committed to working with all groups and sectors of society in building the ‘global partnership’ called for in Rio.

W. H. LINDER
Executive Director
Centre for Our Common Future

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