Love for mother earth and humanity

International Mother Earth Day, on 22 April, is a global call for action to protect the earth’s resources – bearing in mind that the future prosperity and the peaceful co-existence of people will greatly depend on access to, and conservation of, natural resources.

The Bahá'í International Community, in its statement entitled ‘One Planet, One Habitation’ states that, “As the grave effects of surpassing planetary limits become increasingly apparent, from climate change to biodiversity loss to environmental degradation and pollution, humanity is being compelled to develop more mature, collaborative, and constructive relationships between its peoples and with the natural environment”.

The statement underlines that one of the main challenges is the gap between intention and action. This gap, says the Bahá'í International Community, can be bridged by efforts of individuals, communities, and nations who are contributing their share toward this goal. However, the pace of transformation has not yet risen to the demands of the moment.

“For action to rise to the scales required, far stronger consensus and collective will among the nations is needed around the values demanded by the current stage of humanity’s development”, reads the statement.

A major component of resolving the environmental challenges, in the Bahá'í view, will be the cultivation of values, attitudes and skills that give rise to just and sustainable patterns of human interaction with the environment. The need for international cooperation to protect the earth’s resources cannot be over-emphasized.

There will be need to observe the principles of economic justice, equality between the races, equal rights for women and men, and provision of a balanced universal education. These points bear directly on attempts to protect the earth’s environment.

Looking at the issue of economic justice, for example: in many parts of the world, the danger to rain forests comes as the poor, legitimately seeking a fair share of the world's wealth, cut trees for fuel or to create fields, often without being aware that over the long term they may be damaging, rather than improving, their children’s chances for a better life. Any attempt to protect nature, must, therefore, address the inequities between rich and poor.

“Wealth needs to be acquired and expended by nations in a way that enables all the people of the world to prosper. Structures and systems that permit a few to have inordinate riches while the masses remain impoverished must be replaced by arrangements that foster the generation of wealth in a way that promotes justice”, says the Bahá'í International Community.

The relationships that link people to one another have a direct impact on the physical resources of our planet. Effective solutions to protect mother earth will entail a vision for the future based on unity, justice and willing cooperation among the nations, races, creeds, and classes of the human family. Furthermore, a commitment to a higher moral standard will be essential.

The acceptance of the principle of humanity’s oneness and love for mother earth and humanity, are requirements for raising sustainable communities with justice as their process and outcome.

According to the Bahá'í International Community “As consciousness of the oneness of humankind increases, so too does the recognition that the wealth and wonders of the earth are the common heritage of all people, who deserve just and equitable access to its resources”.

There will always be need for material resources to sustain civilization. As we learn how best to use the earth’s raw materials for the advancement of civilization, we must be conscious of our attitudes towards the source of our wealth and sustenance.

For feedback please contact: secretary.nsa@bahai.org.za or (011) 801 3100 Websites: www.bahai.org, www.bahai.org.za