”It is obvious that if we want at least to halt the ongoing destruction of the biosphere, and then make steps toward renewing the harmony between human society and nature, we must first change our value structure”. (Josef Vavrousek)
Importance of human values has been stressed from the early beginning of the EfE process, mainly due to the initiative of the former Czechoslovak environmental minister Josef Vavroušek, (spiritual father of the EfE process). The first time this topic was mentioned in conclusions of the Bergen Conference (1990). In Dobris (1991) was organized even special part of the ministerial conference devoted to ethical and human values dimension with equal evolvement of ministers and NGO representatives. Many participants appreciated it. This topic played very important role in the framework of NGO Memorandum, which addressed next ministerial conference in Lucern (1993). Despite of the fact of coming environmental crises, which has its roots in ethical reasons, being overshadowed by focussing only on pragmatic aspects of environmental protection ethical and human values are missing in ministerial agenda since Lucern 1993.
We live in the period of crisis of human values, 20th century is full of violence and manipulation with human values and necessity of taking this dimension into the consideration is more than evident. Moreover, notions related to ethical aspects, like solidarity, equity and similar are creating core of sustainability concept. Acceptation of concrete ethical conventions for public is assumption for improvement of environmental situation. At present and even more in the future it would not be enough to improve of eco-efficiency without understanding of consumption sufficiency. Decision-making process cannot be based only on traditional economic indicators but would have to take into account also basic ethical principles.
Value orientations are basic motive force and co-creator of attitudes in the population. They are changing during long time-periods, but they are conditioning function of political, economical and legal system. The sphere of value orientations is substantially persistent, it is changing very slowly and revolution in value orientations is running inaudible, although it is the most far-reaching revolution.
We recommend you to visit "Documents", "Events" and "Literature" sections to receive more information. Your expressions interest as well as your relevant contribution in English are warmly welcomed a the address of the webmaster jiri.dlouhy@czp.cuni.cz
Issue group "Values for a Sustainable Future" is one of the issue groups of the European ECO-Forum - coalition of European Envrionmental Citizen Organizations
It was created during the European Environmental Citizens Organizations Conference in Aarhus (Denmark), June 20-25, 1998. The reasons for creating of this issue group are clearly expressed in the document called Appeal to put back human values into our agenda, which was prepared during European NGO conference in Bled, 1997.
 | Mikulas Huba, Slovakia - huba@savba.sk |
| Jiri Dlouhy,.Czech Republic - jiri.dlouhy@czp.cuni.cz |
(Proposals from discussion in Aarhus)
| platform for discussion |
| collecting of success stories and ideas |
| education |
| positive manipulation |
| influencing of massmedia |
| communication with churches |
| creating of coalitions (esp. environmental education, consumtion and production patterns) |
| Common projects |
| Discussions |
| Workshops |
Last update of this page on 09/03/07
Comments to be sent to huba@savba.sk