Is it a call for YOUTH? VISION, MORALS, and ACTIONS

Once in every few generations comes a moment when the world has to choose between renewal and regression, concord and conflict, the future and the past.

Great changes for the good are usually brought about by mass movements of conscience and concern, such as ended the slave trade, ensured universal suffrage, and rolled away centuries of colonialism.

Our generation faces even greater challenges, but also has an unprecedented chance to remake the world. In particular we need to address:

POVERTY Inequality and poverty are increasing both within and between countries. Inequality increases crime, violence, mental illness and other social ills, and we also know that greater consumption in the wealthy countries does not increase happiness. We have the capital and knowledge to ensure that everyone has enough. Economically enfranchising the poor can boost wellbeing worldwide.

HUNGER Having fallen in the 1990s, the number of hungry people has risen to more than a billion. Yet in wealthy countries obesity has become an epidemic, and up to half the food purchased is thrown away. Just distribution could provide more than enough to feed everyone on earth well.

CLIMATE CHANGE The planet is warming fast, and rising sea levels and shifting rainfall will drive millions of people from their homes, slash harvests and disrupt societies. Yet we have the clean technologies we need to combat it. And developing them and other clean technologies will do much to produce the sustainable growth needed to get the world out of recession.

RESOURCE DEPLETION Over-exploiting water, fisheries, forests and other natural resources will result in scarcity and growing conflict – and this threatens to get worse as the population rises to nine billion over the next few decades. Yet massively enlarged programs to reduce poverty and population growth, protect biodiversity, plant trees, rebuild soils, restore fisheries, protect forests and stabilize water tables would cost just four per cent of global defense spending.

WAR and CONFLICT After a short decline at the end of the Cold War, world arms spending is rising again, encouraged by deeply entrenched vested interests. We need new determination to resolve conflict, particularly in the Middle East, in accordance with international law. We must genuinely commit to human rights for all and address past injustice and oppression, recognizing that reconciliation and justice are interdependent. Then we could steadily reduce arms spending and progressively eliminate nuclear weapons.

A revolutionary world wide coalition of conscience is required to unite all our efforts and multiply our effectiveness.