Program 2009

What world do we want to leave our children?

World Commons Forum Residence Salzburg, 29 and 30 of September 2009

Global Marshall Plan Foundation Program 2009/2010

„When you have go fast, go alone;

when you have to go far, go together“

Indian lore

Definition of sustainability by children: “You are just borrowing this world from us.”

Definition of sustainability from the “Brundtland Report” of 1987: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

“In essence, sustainable development is a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations.”

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Learn from crisis Dear World Citizens, “Civis Mundus sum” – I am a world citizen. We must learn to see ourselves as global citizens. As a global citizen I commit myself first and foremost to the Global Commons.

These are resources that our lives are dependent upon ecologically, genetically, socially, intellectually and culturally. In the last few decades, these borderless resources and realms have been made accessible, commercialized and exploited.

Through the force of globalization, short-sighted policies and the lack of resource protection, this exploitation continuously takes what had previously been used locally. People all over the world who connect daily with the commons recognize that the regeneration of our habitat is a matter of our life or death. Despite all of this, neither the public nor private sector displays worry regarding the excessive use and destruction of these shared resources. Civil society, the third sector, beside the economy and the state, I see as a powerful balancing factor committed to resource access and its sustainability and safety on a local and global level.

In order to provoke a shift in this direction, I am presiding

over the Integrity Council, an advisory council for the Coalition for the Global Commons. This Coalition has given it self the task of creating awareness for global common goods, and to mobilize individuals and citizens to administer and renew our commons through cooperation, management and collective action. I am profoundly of the opinion that the shared management of these resources strikes a chord in regard to human dignity and as an independent citizen of this world. Therefore this cross-generational effort requires active young people who are pledged to its success.

I am looking forward to advancing this common vision and understanding at the World Commons Forum in Salzburg.

HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan – Chairman of the Coalition for the Global Commons Integrity Council

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Change the system together A better world is possible Thousands of books give analyses and solution-oriented proposals for a better world from various perspectives – spiritual, religious, scientific, economic, ecologic, social – have been presented. Many civil society groups posses special and profound knowledge in their specific fields and their supporters are already engaged in finding solutions to global problems. The Global Marshall Plan Foundation has been coordinating processes that work on collective and comprehensive visions to solve global problems since 2003.

We also work with representatives of civil society, as well as experts from both economics and politics. The challenges we face today require for visionary public discourse. Thus

a discourse that must be globally, inclusively and transparently developed in order to achieve universal acceptance.

We will only be able to solve these problems together. The time of the “Great Man Theory” is at an end. No longer can we wait and hope for one person to explain the world to us.

Several people are reaching their processing capacities due to the flood of information available. The question can not be ‘who will solve this problem alone’, but rather ‘how can we connect intelligent people, so that their wisdom is more than the sum of the total participants. The “we” brainpower will replace the “I” brainpower. At the same time, as many people as possible should be included in this process. The idea is to spread an awareness of global citizenship. An important prerequisite for change is that we need to understand

ourselves to be world citizens. This can only happen if we are better able to understand others and if what happens in other parts of the world becomes relevant for our lives. No one can be happy living on an island while the world sinks.

Our future is indivisible and this must be clearly communicated to enable a paradigm shift. Either we will either live in peace together, or we will live in disorder alone. To ensure the future of our children we must now set the course for a better way. Global civil society has one chance to establish itself as a third power and conquer these challenges in the economy and politics collectively. Only then can the serious changes necessary be implemented to the general basic framework of the globalized economy by democratically elected governments.

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What do we want to achieve?

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Climate Justice Climate justice is a normative political concept. For hundreds of years the “North” has been living at the expense of the “South”. Nearly 20 percent of the global population takes up 80 percent of natural resources (including the atmosphere) for itself. The consequences of climate change, for the most part caused by the high use of fossil fuels in industrial countries, have already been felt in many developing countries. The concept of climate justice involves setting a market price for CO², while greenhouse gas emissions are portioned out at amaximum of 2 tons per person per year. Countries that produce more CO² have to buy emission rights from countries who emit less.

According to a report from previous World Bank Chief Economist Nicholas Stern, the British government gave an ordinance at the end of 2006 stipulating that the global carbon dioxide emissions must sink between 50 to 85 percent by 2050 based on figures from 1990. Overcoming the climate crisis requires industrial states to massively reduce their CO2 output (limbo-dancing), southern states to be supported with modern technologies (leapfrogging), and to increase the level of common CO² retention capacities, through such measures as reforesting and rain forest preservation (raising the bar). All of these arrangements are of equal importance and must be agreed upon (climate justice).

Global Contract To achieve climate justice as well as other goals, we need a broad strategic framework to guarantee that the economy functions for the welfare of all people. Nearly 600 UN multilateral agreements already exist. These could be used as the basis for such a framework / initial globalization management structure. In the EU there is nearly 15 times

as many regulations and guidelines of the same nature. The will is there. It is time to push up our sleeves and begin working together on a common level. All citizens, regardless of culture, religion and race, need to accept global contracts in the near future, as they are already saddled with a majority of the burden.

Eco-Social Global Market Order as Global Governance A global market needs internationally legitimate rules agreed upon by a worldwide consensus. A regional implementation of the eco-social market economy is, however, diminished through potential distortions by competition.

The minimal preconditions for a global eco-social market economy are: 1. Goals that are equally valued and internationally recognized regarding ecological and social responsibilities, as well as economic and cultural identities.

2. Basic global ecologic and social standards.

3. Fair and sustainable rules for the financial markets.

4. A fair international tax system; particularly a removal of tax havens.

Coherent global rules are essential for a global market economy. Thus, reforms of the international institutions, such as the United Nations (UNEP, ILO, UNESCO etc.), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund, are also essential.

Global Spirituality Humanity is faced with a new phase of spiritual evolution.

A new awareness that demands global responsibility and empathy has developed with unparalleled intensity. Looking at the actual state of the world, we see that politicians and religious actors have failed to bring about peace and harmony. Our generation is crying out for global spirituality.

We need it to re-inspire religion and cultures to move beyond liberal influences, move beyond their own boundaries and reunite us as a global family. This evolutionary process, of course, requires the utmost respect for religious diversity and spiritual traditions.

Global Commons The commons are everything that we have inherited or we have made that must be passed on to future generations.

Presented at the World Social Forum in Belém do Pará, Brazil, 2009, the “Manifesto to Reclaim the Global Commons”, the commons identifies as water and rivers, countryside, forests, seas, wind, seeds, biodiversity, knowledge, science and traditional wisdom, currencies, communication and networks, culture, music and other arts, public services (education, health, clean water, open source technologies, and free software etc.), just to name a few. The term “commons” should and must be further developed.

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Shared knowledge, joint intelligence and combined strength Index of global organizations

Open Source IT & Web Community

Film

Important organizations and networks pursuing a global sustainability agenda will be identified for the Salzburg Trilog “Voices for the Future: Global Crises and the Human Potential”, organized by the Bertelsmann Foundation in August. This databank will be the launching point for a platform that will enable this global initiative to be the most qualitative collaboration possible. Cooperation requires common values. Innovative, computer-supported interview methods will allow us to formulate the necessary common value perceptions drawn from observable valuation systems. These, in turn, benefit cooperation. The members of this platform will draft the initial assumptions and values that are behind the actions of all partners in the network. This is how an intelligent network enable others to help organize coherent civil society activities to face the greatest challenges of our time. As we will be using the same interview method for the children’s consultation (see page 10), the differences of understanding between children and adults regarding a sustainable world will become more clear.

This project aims for web-technology solutions by developing methods to utilize “collective intelligence”. The ultimate goal is to build a meta-platform of initiatives that strive to effectuate a global change. The main focus is on global initiatives that can be transferred through transparent information exchanges, fill the existing information gaps, and create collaborative synergy with other organizations.

Documentary film Several filmmakers are working on various film projects to transport the theme of Global Commons. On a platform, their ideas will be able to be shared and possible cooperation can be created.

network@global-commons.net

it@global-commons.net

Youtube Videos Shorts on Global Common themes will be spread through the Youtube portal.

Video archive In a common archive, audio and video data can be openly shared. Everyone in the network can upload and use the available data.

Human Warning Luiz Engel knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who says he knows Steven Spielberg. Is that enough for a young film student to make a documentary film on how he will meet the greatest filmmaker in the world?

Probably not. If, however the reason for the film is a “human warning” – a warning for humanity – then perhaps it could work. film@global-commons.net

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Global art project

ThinkCamp

Viral Campaigns

Art allows us to break through cultural and language barriers. At a conference, an art project can create the feeling of a truly productive group dynamic amongst participants.

ThinkCamp is a network for “eco-social entrepreneurship” for the realization of a common vision. Thousands of projects and new concepts give findings and examples to benefit other organizations, as well as global society. Develop the leadership skills of tomorrow, acquire common knowledge, create methods and social competences to conquer today’s ecologic, cultural and social sustainability challenges. The first ThinkCamp program will start September 28, 2009 in Salzburg during the World Commons Forum.

Existing networks will be used to spread awareness for the Global Commons. This will happen through viral and snow-ball effect processes. The student initiative Plant-forthe-Planet (see page 12-13) is an example for such a virus.

Other ideas and campaigns are being worked on, but have not been fully developed, such as this campaign:

Globe of Heart During the Global Commons Preliminary Conference in Berlin, May 2008, we started an art project in order to achieve understanding through the heart. Ernst Handl and his team guided the 80 participants in creating the first layer of the brass globe. More layers will follow. www.global-commons.net/conferences art@global-commons.net

ThinkCamp Program • SummerCamp – Inspiration for Sustainability • ThinkCamp – Entrepreneurs for Sustainability • Global Leadership – Stewards for Sustainability

Who owns the Arctic?

Real Estate ads for property at the North Pole will be published on internet portals and newspapers. People are then referred to a website where they can get more information of what appears to be a scandalous offer. When the actual website comes up they will instead see a declaration of the Arctic as a Global Common good.

www.thinkcamp.eu

campaign@global-commons.net

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Global Children’s Consultation Children question The Global Marshall Plan Foundation in cooperation with our partner nextpractice will lead computer-based interviews with the representatives of the younger generation from over 100 countries during the UNEP International Children’s Conference in South Korea this August. The method of questioning enables us to gather the emotional and unconscious valuation patters of children and then comprehend what is truly important to them. We want to present what kind of world our children want to live in and what they intuitively expect from us adults. On 29 September 2009 the children will impart their hopes and fears to the international participants of the World Commons Forum at the Residence in Salzburg. Through a questioning of civil society organizations using the same method (see page 8), we can furthermore comprehend what children understand as a sustainable world and if this expectation is really in line with the goals of civil society organizations.+ At the same time, on the same day, the children will send their requests to the “10,000 Most Influential” and display all the responses they receive on a website. The goal is to provoke an inter-generational dialogue. The power of such an initiative done by children wanting to get involved

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to improve their future will also have a direct influence on the UNFCCC Conference in Copenhagen, where the likelihood of a global contract for climate protection will be debated.

Timeline August 14-16, 2009 Trilogue Salzburg, hosted by BMEIA, Austria and the Bertelsmann Foundation “Voices for the Future – Global Crises and the Human Potential” August 2009 Start of the global Children’s Consultation during the UNEP International Children’s Conference in South Korea.

September 29-30, 2009 • Presentation of results at the World Commons Forum in Salzburg • Dispatch of the results to the “10,000 Most Influential” • Formation of the Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation for the promotion of children’s participation for their future from October 2009 Inter-generational dialogue

Who owns the ocean?

Who owns the sky?

Who owns the air?

Who owns the fish?

Who owns the water?

Who owns the Arctic?

Who owns our knowlege?

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„We won’t be able to hold you accountable for your inaction,

because you will all be gone when it is time for us to solve

the problems that you have not dealt with.”

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Felix, member of the UNEP Junior Board at the European Parliament in Brussels, November 11, 2008

Planting for the Future Children call for climate justice “If an American emits 40 times as much CO² as an African, and a European 20 times as much, they should at least have to pay for it. In their greed adults destroy not only their own habitat, but also the habitat for us kids.”

Inspired by the Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, three siblings Felix (9), Franziska (10) and Flurina (7) started the student initiative Plant-for-the-Planet in Germany With the help of other students they have planted one million trees in just two years.

Together with children from all over the world they want to reach the one billion tree mark. Children, however, do not want to be just (re)foresters – they want their voices to be heard. Each tree is a symbol of their support for climate justice.

Children will learn through experience that they can network worldwide; that they can deal with global problems together; and that they need to take hold of their own future.

Active engagement is the key for an optimistic future. Trees are the legitimacy; climate justice the request. They will make the powerful take a good look at themselves and question whether or not they are doing all they can for the next generation.

It is easy to reach one million trees per country if the task is divvied amongst many people. Children in several cities within German speaking areas have set their goal at 100,000 trees, including Augsburg, Berlin, Biberach, Bonn, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Forchheim/Fürth, Fulda, Hamburg, Köln, München, Reutlingen, Salzburg, Stuttgart, Unterhaching, Waldkirch bei Freiburg, Zeulenroda, Zürich and many other communities.

In order to reach as many children as possible and impart to them a fundamental knowledge of the climate crisis, they will be trained to be ambassadors for climate justice in the Plant-for-the-Planet Academy. The Global Marshall Plan Foundation will assist in realizing 2,000 Plant-for-thePlanet Academies to take place worldwide in the next few years.

Plant-for-the-Planet is a worldwide children’s initiative, launched by UNEP to facilitate a culture of planting trees amongst the youth. Only later was it declared (by the children) that each tree would represent climate justice and a worldwide network for children’s participation would be established. www.plant-for-the-planet.org

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Using Shared Opportunities Dear citizens of the world, As Governor of Salzburg, it is my great privilege and honor to be able to welcome the participants of the World Commons Forum on September 29th 2009. These are exceptional times that set the stage for this meeting. We have a growing awareness that global connectivity is stronger than ever before. All options, stemming from foreboding prognoses and precarious future scenarios, must, from now on be common and universal. A decisive shift to new and sustainable economic forms and models is key. Cohabitation of various social groups, people and cultures must now be based on the broad foundation of collective applied intelligence. Now is the time to prove to ourselves and future generations that we have the power and the courage to learn from crisis. An in-depth consultation with the Global Commons is an important step in this direction and a coalition of a worldwide civil society is an indispensable ally.

Mag. Gabi Burgstaller Governor of Salzburg

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None of us can say “We didn’ t know!”

World Commons Forum Residence Salzburg, September 29 & 30, 2009 HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, Gabi Burgstaller, Governor of Salzburg, The European Support Center of the Club of Rome and the Global Marshall Plan Foundation is inviting international representatives from the media, economics, politics, civil society, and the arts, as well as assembling communication experts and scientists to a conference entitled “What world do we want to leave our children?” to be held in the Throne Room of the Residence Palace September 29, 2009.

To kick-start the meeting, children will present the results of the first global children consultation along with their wishes for their future. Then over the two-day conference, the collective intelligence of the international participants will be gathered by dividing into various working groups and supported by a computer-based inter-connected mode-

ration system. The format of the conference will proceed on a two-tracked agenda. On the one hand participants will develop various visions and projects in a collaborative process; on the other hand previous partnerships and approaches (see page 16) for a Coalition for the Global Commons will be further elaborated upon and solidified. The results should focus on developing measures that ensure our children are supported to attain a sustainable global society, to promote an awareness of global common goods, and to make sure that our children grow up feeling like they are citizens of the world. To think of oneself as a world citizen is a prerequisite to tackle global challenges. These problems are growing exponentially and nationalistic thinking does not need to be an aggravating factor. Much of this can be done along the lines of John Rawl’s thinking.

poorest people of our world and the future of our children is in danger. We know that every day 30,000 people die of hunger or from treatable diseases. And we know that the rift between rich and poor grows ever deeper. Is that a world that we want to leave our children? If we continue to irreparably destroy the rainforests and with it the lungs of our earth for short-term profit and comfort, how will our children breathe? How will the debts of unregulated casino capitalism be paid? How will the schism of global society be overcome? Our current behavior is inexcusable. We have known for a long time what needs to be done to manage our modern global crises (climate, financial, justice, etc.) But we do not act accordingly. We must succeed in making this relevant to the life of each individual in order to secure our survival on this planet.

At the very latest, since the crash of the global financial system, no longer can we say we did not know. We know that the climate crisis is already being felt the hardest by the

Building on the results from Salzburg, the next World Commons Forum will very likely take place in Egypt at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

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The Initiative: Coalition for the Global Commons The Coalition is a platform for global initiatives, networks and organizations that work toward global change

to forge innovative and stronger forms of cooperation and that promote understanding of people’s rights and responsibilities as independent world citizens of the global commons.

Vision

The Coalition for the Global Commons will cooperate with a wide range of stakeholders. Experts, leaders, and the broad public from all geographic, social, political and economic sectors will thus be supported to combine their competencies, consult and debate the world’s key interdependency issues, and develop effective steps towards just and effective solutions to the world’s urgent trans-national problems. The goal of these cooperative efforts is the development of ‘win-win’ solutions in a self-governing process.

We will increase collective awareness of and promote individual consciousness on the global commons and global common goods, based on the sovereign legitimacy and authority of the world’s people as global citizens, and ultimately leading to their global representation in decision-making and governance. As humanity unites toward a common global goal, we anticipate the appearance and articulation of new and enlightened strategies capable of carrying us forward together, while honouring local and individual initiatives and expression.

Mission Our collaborative process has the working title „Coalition for the Global Commons“. Its purpose is to contribute to a peaceful and sustainable world by sharing and combining knowledge, skills and information towards a global consciousness. We embark on building an empowering understanding and appreciation of “global commons” among the world’s citizens and decision makers. The Coalition for the Global Commons will identify state-of-the-art methods and technologies, including both digital and non-digital forms of communication and networking, that empower civil society

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Value Manifesto The actions of the Coalition must be based on common values that draw on internationally recognized standards of world ethics, such as the Earth Charter or the Manifesto of the Inter Action Council. In addition we need theses and regulations for our platform, similar to those of the Cluetrain Manifesto of 1999.

Coordination Circle Voting will take place every year for a circle of five coordinators with the task of administering the platform and ensuring decisions are in compliance with the values and the process of the manifesto.

Integrity Council The members of the Coalition vote on an internationally recognized committee of “Wisdom Keepers” that also serves as the ombudsman if the Coordination Circle of one of the coalition members calls on them. HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan has kindly taken the role of Chairman of these bodies.

In Partnered Collaboration Summary

European Support Centre

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks all those who believe and support the projects of the Global Marshall Plan Foundation with their full energy.

We hope that we are able to make further progress.

Frithjof Finkbeiner Chairman of the Global Marshall Plan Foundation

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The Global Marshall Plan Foundation New approaches, explanations, mobilization, networking A Garage Foundation We began with a lot of idealism, a strong vision and an endowment of less than €150,000. The yearly interest from this capital is naturally not enough to achieve the Foundation purpose of a “World in Balance”. Therefore, the foundation family gave themselves a self-appointed mandate. To clarify, this means the Finkbeiners distribute books from their own living room as an opportunity to garner income for the Foundation. People who give donations and are interested in sustainability-themed books are sent our latest in-stock selections as a thank you. Later on the family built a 24 shelved distribution center in their garage. Appropriate books on sustainability and questions of the future are chosen with the help of the Rober-Jungk Library. Hundreds of thousands of books are sent worldwide from the Upper Bavarian garage each year. The Global Marshall Plan Foundation coordinates an initiative of the same name, whose members Franz Fischler, Franz Josef Radermacher and Josef Riegler give yearly presentations on the false management of globalization with

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the hope of empowering people to start their own activities.

All Frithjof Finkbeiner’s honorariums flow 100 percent to the Foundation. He works on a voluntary basis and is supported by colleagues in Hamburg and Pähl. Following the motto, ‘ask not what the world can do for you, but what you can do for your world’, people are connected. Meetings, workshops and conferences are organized that lead to the creation of projects and global campaigns. Think global, act local.

Offer for pioneers The Foundation offers free services for active people.

Whoever wants to start their own activities that support our goals, an individual donation account can be created. The Foundation also issues tax-deductible donation receipts and will take care of accounting needs so that those active people can concentrate solely on the success of their projects. If those activities are successful, they can choose to create their own legal entity at any time.

For the respective annual accounts, of which the Global Contract Foundation makes up around 1% of the consolidated figures, the following certification was granted to us: (The following is a translation of the German independant auditors statement) “The bookkeeping, a statement of revenue and expenditures for 2008, as well as the capital account up to December 31, 2008 of the Global Marshall Plan Foundation and the Global Contract Foundation, after my compulsory audit of principled orderly financial statement, are consistent with statutory appropriation.

The audit of the Foundation revenue offers no objection. The amount of tree donations is documented through the donation receipts and vouchers of receiving organizations. The proceeds for planting trees, based on Plant-for-the-Planet tree donation receipts in 2007 and 2008 total from €70,220.05 to €72,444.”

Pähl, 2 March 2009 Claudia Klafs, Certified Public Accountant

The Global Marshall Plan Foundation is as a foundation protected by the rights of citizens located in Hamburg.

To see a list of our sponsors and financial report, as well as our statute go to www.globalmarshallplan.org/finanzen.

For your donations you will receive a tax deductible receipt for Germany.

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What can I do?

Financial Support

Active Donation

I want a “For the Future” subscription (my monthly donation of € (at least €12) that comes with a regular delivery of new literature on issues for the future) I want to become a donor of the Global Marshall Plan Foundation I want to become a Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation sponsor I want to give testimony for the Children’s Foundation I will give a regular donation Yearly

€

I will give a one time donation of € I will finance a representative from the South to participate at the World Commons Forum in the Salzburg Residence I make a tree donation of €

(1€ = 1 tree)

I will help with translations offer my IT knowledge help through editing support give presentations participate in the Global Marshall Plan Academy send a participant to the ThinkCamp get involved in a local group organize a Plant-for-the-Planet Academy plant trees inform my network of these projects do an internship with the Foundation help with my graphic knowledge sponsor software donate infrastructure organize an event sponsor the printing of flyers

Please contact me:

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Global Marshall Plan Foundation Ferdinandstrasse 28-30 20095 Hamburg Germany www.globalmarshallplan.org www.global-commons.net www.plant-for-the-planet.org www.global-contract.org Tel. +49 (0) 40 / 822 90 420 Fax +49 (0) 40 / 822 90 421 Bank Number 212 BLZ 251 205 10 IBAN DE88 25120510 0000 000 212 BIC BFSWDE33HAN