Gearing up for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

The UN  Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), established by the UN General Assembly in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up to the Earth Summit, takes place each year in New York. BIC has participated and contributed to the Commission since its inception. For example, in each of the four preparatory conferences leading up to the Earth Summit, BIC presented statements that addressed issues such as the importance of adopting an Earth Charter, the need for international legislative machinery, and the importance of the recognition of the oneness of humanity in global efforts to solve problems that arise within sustainable development. During the Earth Summit, Baha’i representatives also played a major role in the construction of the conference’s historic “Peace Monument” which included soil from countries across the world. BIC is a long-time member of the NGO-CSD committee and over the past two years, we have significantly expanded our participation at the CSD. In November of 2008, BIC published a statement entitled Seizing the Opportunity: Redefining the Challenge of Climate Change.

The thematic focus of the CSD changes every two years. The major issues to be addressed at this year’s CSD, the 17^th session of the Commission to be held from 4-15 May, 2009, are:

• Africa
• Agriculture
• Drought & Desertification
• Land
• Rural development

The CSD is attended by government officials, non-governmental organizations, and members of civil society. In addition to various panel discussions, high-level roundtables and workshops, the CSD also features innovative activities such as Learning Centres. Learning Centres seek to provide teaching and training at a practical level on topics related to specific CSD themes, as well as selected cross-cutting themes related to sustainable development. BIC, in conjunction with Penn State University, will present this year’s first Learning Centre (May 4^th, 3:00pm-6:00pm in Conference Room C).

This interactive session, titled “Climate Ethics,” will explore ways in which climate change raises intra-and international, intergenerational, and even inter-species ethical issues concerning rights and responsibilities. These issues are especially challenging because: (a) the impacts of climate change are often spatially and temporally distant from causes; (b) those who have contributed least to climate change are often the most severely affected; (c) the adverse impacts of climate change are potentially catastrophic, and, (d) climate change requires nations to move beyond exclusive consideration of national interest to the consideration of the common good.  Moreover, understanding the ethical and moral responsibility to reduce the threat of climate change motivates individuals at the grassroots and government levels to take appropriate action. This Learning Centre is being organized to help participants identify the common but differentiated ethical and moral responsibilities to prevent the adverse impacts of climate change and to promote adaptation with respect to agriculture, rural development, and land productivity in the most vulnerable nations around the world.

My role as a BIC intern in the preparatory process leading to this Learning Centre has revolved around researching and drafting national case studies to foster an examination of the ethical questions raised by each. The case studies I’ve prepared examine rising sea-levels in Fiji; climate change, natural disasters and gender inequality in Bangladesh; and the impacts of climate change on the Inupiat people of Kivalina, Alaska. My fellow intern, Jeff Thimm, has prepared case studies that explore climate change and food (in)security in Niger; deforestation and poverty in Haiti; and the economic collapse and depletion of fisheries in Ice Land.

During my time as an intern, it has become apparent to me that the BIC is a recognized at the UN as a leading NGO on questions related to the ethical dimensions of climate change. The BIC’s Learning Centre is expected to be attended by numerous government officials and NGOs. It will feature Mr. Peter Adriance, NGO Liaison, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the US); Mr. Donald A. Brown, Associate Professor, Environmental Ethics, Science and Law, Penn State University; and Ms. Marilyn Averill from the Center for Science and Technology Policy research, University of Colorado at Boulder.