PRINCIPLE THREE
Support and improve the rules of governance
 Growth management planning, community design, green building
practices and environmental mitigation all play a role in maintaining
the quality of life while accommodating growth through sustainable
development strategies. It is imperative that our societies develop
an informed democracy. The practice of publishing reports on the
state of the environment, and of indicators of environment and social
quality, used effectively by the proponents of sustainability should
allow citizens to view the risks and threats to their lifestyle and
to demand political honesty and accountability. Good decision making
by government is imperative on all four scales: global, national,
regional, and local.
PRINCIPLES
|
3.1 |
An informed democracy should be promoted
to avoid poor or absent decision making
Poor or absent decision making is at the heart of the failure
of governments worldwide to initiate significant change
towards sustainability. In situations of high or growing
population and accompanying destruction of environmental
resources, there is a heightened government responsibility to
both the population and the environment. Although
competitive nature of democratic government can impede
consensus on the urgency of sustainability problems, judgment
at the polls generally means that it is possible to achieve
some level of political accountability. |
|
3.2 |
Government should be held accountable for
its actions and/or inactions
Government accountability ultimately depends upon informed
public opinion regarding environmental risks, and on moving
human development assessment beyond the economic bottom line
as the primary determining factor. |
|
3.3 |
Good environmental standards, policies
and management objectives are vital
Effective environmental legislation should be promoted.
Effective environmental legislation should be promoted.
Environmental standards, management objectives and priorities
should reflect the environmental and developmental context to
which they apply. Standards applied that are inappropriate
and of unwarranted economic and social cost should be
changed. |
|
3.4 |
Cooperation to develop good environmental
law should be embraced
Cooperation in an expeditious and more determined manner to
develop laws regarding liability and compensation for adverse
effects of environmental damage caused by activities within
their jurisdiction or control to areas beyond their
jurisdiction should be embraced. |
|
3.5 |
Governments should take a proactive
rather than reactive role, and facilitate a sustainable
free-enterprise system
Rather than allowing developer-initiated, piecemeal
development, governments should take charge of planning
processes. General plans should designate where new growth,
infill or redevelopment will be allowed to occur. |
|
3.6 |
Warfare is inherently destructive to the
natural environment
Warfare is inherently destructive to the environment. Nations
shall respect international law providing protection for the
environment in times of armed conflict, and cooperate in its
further development, as necessary. |
Principles of Sustainability
| I
| II
| III
| IV
| V
| VI
| VII
|
