"All appear committed to the concept of sustainabledevelopment - they talk the talk about responsibility to future generations to varying degrees - but it is remarkable how little is made of protecting and improving the environment as an opportunity, not a burden, " Mr Pepper said.
These four principles illustrate that the concept of sustainabledevelopment in the Earth Charter embraces the view that the problems of poverty, environmental degradation, ethnic and religious conflict, and social injustice are all interdependent, and that policies that address one problem can impact and improve other issues.