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The Forum > Article Comments > The place of human rights in The Future We Want > Comments

The place of human rights in The Future We Want : Comments

By Bridget Lewis, published 29/6/2012

Why should human rights be included in a declaration on the future of sustainable development?

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Bridget, aren’t human rights inherent in the concept of sustainability and in the struggle to eliminate poverty and deal with the various other components of a sustainable future?

I mean, a person’s rights and choices in life are severely restricted if they stuck in the poverty trap in somewhere like Eritrea or Somalia.

Also in developed countries which are suffering increasing resource stress, civil unrest and an eroding rule of law, human rights are poor for many and getting worse.

So the very efforts to achieve sustainable societies, where the resource demand (population growth) is not constantly increasing, and where the demand can be comfortably met by a sustainable supply capability with a big safety margin, are by far the main means of addressing human rights.

Indeed, struggling to address them within an ongoing regime of poverty or resource stress is not likely to achieve a lot, is it?
Posted by Ludwig, Friday, 29 June 2012 9:09:41 AM
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A rather good article on a subject not much covered.

One of the problems the instrumentalist anti-population faction have is making statements about forcing nations to reduce their populations or else the developed world will with hold food relief. Of course this is mere rhetoric but it gives an idea as to where the far right, masquerading as new age thinkers, are really coming from.

In developed countries we are in a rights rich environment and indeed confuse rights with privileges. Our attitude to the world's struggling people is often just old fashioned imperialism, ie, they should this or that - or else!

One of the great success stories of the latter half of the 20thC has been the alleviation of poverty, especially in the Asian region. But the writer is spot on to remind us that human rights must under pin any calls for sustainability - what ever that means.
Posted by Cheryl, Friday, 29 June 2012 9:20:05 AM
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Dear Bridget,

Judging by the expressions on faces at the conclusion of Rio+20, they have finally felt the baseball bat of reality. The failure again, to reach anything other than an agreement to more gab feasts, after so many rounds with tens of thousands of warmers, the world has again said “what is it about NO you don’t understand?”

What really, really hurts you is the fact that you finally realizes that the real world of people, jobs, economics, reducing poverty, social progress, global equity and social justice has now created a “bubble of fantasy” for the useful idiots, where you and the rest of the warmertariat can continue to exist without inflicting more harm upon the rest of society. No more political sponsorship, the clout has ended.

Other groups also signal their recognition of reality. The group that created the “The Future We Want”, also created “Charter of Rights for Gaia” in Durban and you have now headed for a part of the bubble furthest removed from painful reality. You have collectively huddled together to suck on the corner of your comfort blanket and started to mumble incoherently.

This bubble bears no resemblance to the real world of course, but it solves a number of problems. It insulates political sponsorship from the main body of the global warming phenomena and allows centre politicians to be the only survivors. It creates the illusion that politicians “really care”, publicly throwing crumbs of hope to the “bubble for the faithful” whilst allowing politicians to extract the remnants of declining voter support.

It creates a place where the warmers can live out their fantasies, but alas perhaps, not their careers and finally, it creates a single containment location where all those who can be blamed for the global warming scam can be easily found by the politicians when they perform their triple back flip with pike as they exit stage left and dump the movement.

Finally, you demonstrate you don’t have the foggiest clue about the origins and meaning of “sustainable development”, too late now, it’s all over, get over it.
Posted by spindoc, Friday, 29 June 2012 11:05:16 AM
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This writer is one of the very few commentators who apparently has not realised that the Rio conference did not achieve anything - or perhaps she does not care. Almost everyone else has expressed disappointment that the conference declaration said nothing much.

Considering that conference produced no agreement worth mentioning, trying to put human rights into the mix would virtually ensure that nothing would ever happen. At best, the final declarations would include vague, feel-good statements on human rights and that would be it..

Basically the article is a waste of time.
Posted by Curmudgeon, Friday, 29 June 2012 11:50:32 AM
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As well as fewer Economists, it appears the World needs fewer Lawyers. Bridget, go join the KRT here in Cambodia, volunteer your time for free.
Posted by Valley Guy, Friday, 29 June 2012 5:10:51 PM
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"the greatest global challenge facing the world today"

Now I am confuse! Here I was thinking that 'global warming was the greatest global challenge facing the world today'

Soooo, that global warming thingy has been fixed then?

Curmudgeon, it's not the article that is a waste of time, it was the conference.
Posted by Prompete, Friday, 29 June 2012 5:17:08 PM
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Here's a translation: "We were caught lying about climate change, so to avoid embarrassment we will pretend that we're not abandoning the cause because it's demonstrably nonsense, but rather because of our deep abiding concern for human rights. Which we care deeply and passionately about, for just as long as anyone is prepared to sponsor us to do so."
Posted by Jon J, Friday, 29 June 2012 7:23:51 PM
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Cheer up folks!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-29/un-declares-world-happiness-day/4099498
Posted by Poirot, Friday, 29 June 2012 8:24:26 PM
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Of course a bill of human rights is a great idea, and we should have one, if only to led by example.
Which ultimately will be the only way we will get others to follow.
Be it on climate change or how we finally and fairly, bridge the so-called divide between the have and have nots, or the much lower life expectancy of our indigenous populations.
Is climate change caused by human activity?
I certainly hope so; given, that means we humans can actually do something about it.
Those things that might work to ameliorate against carbon emission, will be those that walk out the door, and or, be cheap enough for the third or developing world to embrace them.
Which might include turning waste into power at one third of the cost of coal fired power; and or very low water use algae farming; or, utilising cow dung, clay and used coffee grinds, to make rudimentary water filters, that exclude everything above 5 microns.
i.e., most bacteria including dysentery creating, e coli.
Rhrosty.
Posted by Rhrosty, Sunday, 1 July 2012 11:50:59 AM
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Oh come on love, we all know the whole Rio thing was just the usual tax payer funded annual pissup, for the same bunch of 55,000 bludgers who prattle on about these things every year.

Like harm minimisation in the drug fraternity, the thing is designed to be self perpetuating. Any real success, even in such ridiculous causes, could endanger next years holiday, so that can't be allowed to happen.

Are you trying to fool the readers, or are you trying to fool yourself? I do hope for your sake, you don't actually believe any of this stuff.
Posted by Hasbeen, Sunday, 1 July 2012 12:42:10 PM
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Oh come on Hassa, we all know that the Rio thing was a genuine attempt to address enormous and ominous issues.

No it probably didn’t achieve a brass razoo. But it has got to be a whole better than doing nothing.

You might have had a legitimate criticism if you’d suggested an alternative method of attempting to address these issues, but you denounce every effort and denounce half the issues as well: AGW, peak oil, etc.

I think you believe that we should be striving for a sustainable society. Well, you concur with me that we need to stop population growth, at least.

So don’t you think my point is valid (see my first post): that the best way of dealing with human right is to work directly towards developing sustainable societies rather than striving to improve human rights within ongoing poverty-stricken resource-stressed high unsustainable societies?
Posted by Ludwig, Sunday, 1 July 2012 1:49:57 PM
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Luddy old mate, if we want to overcome the problems of the world, first we have to shut down the UN, & all its offshoots. That must include black banning any who has ever worked for, or with the UN from ever holding any sort of public funded appointment.

Then we have to close all these make believe departments in every university in every country, with a similar ban on public employment of those who have been employed in any of them.

Then a Cando Campbell Newman like reduction in public paid pen pushers, [do you like that one?], & we have probably done enough to save the planet right there. But to make sure, a ban on all travel to conferences anywhere by publicly funded people. After all we have telly conferencing don't we?

Now all we have to do is down size all government, & get it the hell out of peoples business, & so many problems, perpetuated by these Di#k Hea*s will just disappear.

Mate I do find it hard to understand your belief in this AGW/peak oil stuff, you seem too smart to fall for it. All this con has done is enable the transfer of billions of public funds into shonky hands. Just look at how many Obama donors have received huge grants or loan assurances. Look at who's making money from useless windmills. If they can just get him out of the way so they can get at it, they have found oil for a couple of hundred years, & gas for twice that long. Add Brazil to that, & our gas, & we're swimming in energy.

Then take a look at who is dropping the facade, & getting out of subsidies. Europe, apart from the stupid poms have woken up, & it is about time we did too.
Posted by Hasbeen, Sunday, 1 July 2012 3:33:01 PM
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^&^())HUhjhBmnbmBMndyTYioiPioyDyt

There are no Human Rights, Only T-Rex and the food Pyramid. Our Egypt knew this well. A fact that escapes modern thinking.

J8y&^%^&g88F%^j

But there are worse oversights. We have given you "Flight of the Phoenix" and the World Wide Web and you are content to play games and lounge chair comforts. You fail to put the two together as easy as 1+1=2. Space is about 1 million 1 Kg Packets of specialised technological matter, EM pumped to SPECIAL Low Orbit and on to The inner energy rich planets along a web of intermediary orbital servers.

&*&*%$%#$()(*%

SETI is closing (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/deep-pockets-of-investors-needed-to-realise-deep-space-dreams-20120702-21d4b.html ) and your contact options will fail. Time is precious & greed at the top of your politic food Pyramids is holding back every space program in favour of short term earthy pleasures for the few.

UIUIG&^%&^&^uyguyGYY765&^^%(((*($%$)kKKhgSDDS,m,m

Frankly, we care less of your fate but duty permits this message.

JH&%&()(*#%$F

YOUR ENEMY IS NOT US & NOT A PREFAB AGW.
IT IS YOUR FAILING GEOLOGICAL energy BASE.

^%^##$)()*(
Goodnight Irene!

*&(
END Coded Transmission
Posted by KAEP, Wednesday, 4 July 2012 5:12:55 AM
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Dear o dear Haz. Your denialism really makes no sense. You and all denialists should be eotsocs!!

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=13812#238904
Posted by Ludwig, Wednesday, 4 July 2012 6:40:55 AM
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