# The Baha'i Faith and the Environment

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-19 — 1 clipping.*

---

> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Richard Landau, The Baha'i Faith and the Environment, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> The Baha'i Faith and the Environment
> 
> Richard Landau
> published in Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change volume 5: Social and Economic Dimensions of Global Environmental Changeed. Peter Timmerman
> 
> John Wiley and Sons, 2002
> 
> Abstract: This article explores the basic principles and beliefs of the members of the
> Bahá'í Faith and then examines how these can and are being applied to
> environmental and development challenges worldwide. Starting with a brief
> exploration of the basic spiritual tenets enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh, the
> prophet-founder of the Bahá'í Faith, this article examines the Bahá'í
> "prescription" for resolving the difficult challenges before humanity. The
> Bahá'í Faith began in the nineteenth century in Persia and today numbers over
> six million adherents worldwide. Bahá'ís believe that all world religions
> originate from a common divine source and that Bahá'u'lláh was the messenger
> from God for this era. Contained in His teachings are specific measures to
> usher in a new world order based on spiritual principles.
> 
> The article concludes with an exploration of the participation of the Bahá'í
> International Community in UN-sponsored initiatives as well as a range of
> development and environmental projects undertaken by national and local Bahá'í
> communities.
> 
> The author has been a member of the Bahá'í Faith in Canada since 1973 and is
> a graduate of Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. A leader in
> interfaith dialogue, Mr. Landau is author of "The Willing Suspension of Belief:
> How the World's Religions Can Work Together".
> 
> The Bahá'í Faith, which was founded in 1863, is the world's second
> most geographically widespread religion with more than 6 million adherents
> living throughout the world's nations, territories, islands and outposts.
> Following the example and teachings of their prophet-founder Bahá'u'lláh (AD
> 1817-1892), the world's Bahá'ís consider themselves to be the citizens of one
> country. Bahá'ís regard the world as one organic unity.
> 
> The Bahá'í Faith considers the monotheistic world religions part of an
> ever-advancing continuum that has a design. Each religion, they assert, has its
> origins in a common source or Godhead. A covenant exists between God and
> humanity whereby God reveals His plan gradually through His messengers. This
> is the fountainhead of human progress. Thus, from time to time, God sends forth
> prophets with revelations appropriate for a specific people at a specific
> period of human development. In keeping with the idea of this "progressive
> revelation", often the laws and customs of preceding revelations are abrogated
> with the advent of each succeeding religion. For Bahá'ís, Bahá'u'lláh has
> revealed God's message to humanity for the current age; an age which will be
> characterized by world unity.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh (tr. "The Glory of God"), who was born in Persia, revealed
> numerous volumes of scriptures and laws upon which the Bahá'í Faith is founded.
> He lays claim to being the most recent in a line of chosen messengers from God
> that includes his immediate precursor known as The Bab (tr. "The Gate"),
> Mohammed, Jesus, Moses and Abraham as well as Zoroaster, Buddha and Krishna.
> The Bab (1819-1850) who was born in Shiraz, Persia revealed in 1844 that he was
> the "gate" for One greater than himself who would begin His mission to humanity
> in 1863. Ecclesiastical and civil authorities in Persia, alarmed by the rapid
> growth of the Babi Movement and The Bab's claim to a revelation from God,
> persecuted His adherents and martyred The Bab on July 9, 1850. Likewise,
> because of His teachings, Bahá'u'lláh spent His adult life in prison and exile
> in various outposts of the Ottoman Empire, finally living out His last days
> under house arrest in the port city of Akka, near Haifa, Israel.
> 
> While the Bahá'í Faith has its origins in Islamic Persia, it is a discrete and
> independent faith that claims to represent the fulfillment of prophecies in the
> sacred texts of the preceding world religions. Bahá'ís hold all revealed
> scriptures in highest regard as the `word of God', believing that the teachings
> of Bahá'u'lláh, by virtue of the fact that they are the most recent revelation
> from God, are the most relevant for today.
> 
> The many teachings revealed by Bahá'u'lláh cover every aspect of life and
> relations between humanity and creation. Among the most basic tenets is a
> belief in the unity and interconnectedness of all things: the singularity of
> God; the equality of the races, sexes and all humanity; and that the chief task
> facing humanity is the construction of a just and merciful world-embracing
> civilization.
> 
> The pursuit of unity is reflected in the Faith's administrative order which
> includes elected local, regional, national and international administrative
> bodies. The worldwide headquarters of the Faith is located on Mount Carmel in
> Haifa, Israel - the final resting place of the remains of The Bab.
> 
> Bahá'ís believe unity should also characterize the relationship between
> humanity and the natural environment created by an all-powerful God. In the
> words of Bahá'u'lláh , "Ye are all the fruits of one tree, the leaves of one
> branch."[1] From the Bahá'í perspective, humanity is both physically and metaphorically linked to the world. In a
> letter written in 1933, Shoghi Effendi, a direct descendant of Bahá'u'lláh and
> known as the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith wrote: We cannot
> segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one
> of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the
> world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply
> affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the
> life of man is the result of these mutual reactions.[2]
> 
> Bahá'ís recognize that the world is undergoing rapid socio-economic transitions
> that make the protection of the environment and sustainable development both
> critical and challenging. Bahá'ís believe that only an integrated, balanced
> and comprehensive world view with a belief in a divine creator and unity of
> purpose will resolve environmental and development challenges. For example,
> when science and technology don't serve a divinely ordained purpose, they will
> actually contribute to the erosion of the planet's biodiversity. Materialistic
> civilization that replaces the idea of the `citizen' with the `consumer' cannot
> concern itself with the long-term viability of life on earth.
> 
> The Interconnectedness of Humanity and the Earth
> 
> The Bahá'í view on environmental conservation and sustainable development holds
> that: a) because the natural universe is a reflection of the majestic qualities
> and attributes of the Supreme Being, it inspires and should be accorded the
> utmost respect; b) all of creation is interconnected; c) that the unity of
> humanity is the essential truth and compelling force in this age. Of this,
> Bahá'u'lláh wrote: "The earth is but one county, and mankind its citizens."[3] The concepts of world citizenship, prudent
> stewardship of the earth, and the interconnectedness of all things is the
> essence of the Bahá'í Faith.
> 
> Abdu'l Bahá (tr. Servant of the Glory), the son of Bahá'u'lláh
> amplified this point: For every part of the universe is
> connected with every other part by ties that are very powerful and admit of no
> imbalance, nor any slackening whatever. . .[4]
> 
> In another reference, he remarked: Cooperation and
> reciprocity are essential properties which are inherent in the unified system
> of the world of existence, and without which the entire creation would be
> reduced to nothingness.[5]
> 
> At the very heart of the Bahá'í view of the relationship between humanity and
> the natural universe is the belief that all of creation is an expression of the
> many names and attributes of an all-powerful God. Like the many different
> attributes of God, the natural realm has diverse "causes" or ideal environments
> in which it flourishes and expresses itself. Life is tenacious and can adapt
> itself to such diverse climates as polar, temperate, tropical and
> desert. Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name,
> the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes,
> and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God's
> Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world.[6]
> 
> Every man of discernment, while walking upon the earth, feeleth indeed abashed,
> inasmuch as he is fully aware that the thing which is the source of his
> prosperity, his wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement and power
> is, as ordained by God, the very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all
> men. There can be no doubt that whoever is cognisant of this truth, is
> cleansed and sanctified from all pride, arrogance, and vainglory. . .[7]
> 
> Yet, while nature is seen as the repository of the many attributes of God,
> Bahá'ís are not pantheists. They do not worship nature or hold it in high
> esteem for its own sake. The natural realm exists to serve a humanity that has
> as its task the carrying forward of an ever-evolving divinely ordained world
> order that will usher in universal peace and harmony. As such, Bahá'ís believe
> that humanity must act as a wise steward of the natural realm, though neither
> nature nor humanity is at the core of the universal design. Rather, it is
> God.
> 
> The Environmental Challenge & Solutions
> 
> Just as humanity, the environment and spirituality are all inter-connected, so
> too are the factors that have led to the environmental challenges. Speaking on
> behalf of the worldwide community of Bahá'ís, the Bahá'í International
> Community (BIC) office at the United Nations issued a statement making this
> point in 1998: None of these problems -- the debilitating
> inequities of development, the apocalyptic threats of atmospheric warming and
> ozone depletion, the oppression of women, the neglect of children and
> marginalized peoples, to name but a few -- can be realistically addressed
> without considering all the others. None can be fully addressed without a
> magnitude of cooperation and coordination at all levels that far surpasses
> anything in humanity's collective experience.[8]
> 
> According to the Bahá'í International Community, the unfettered exploitation of
> planetary natural resources is one symptom of a "sickness of the human spirit".
> Thus, any lasting solution to the environmental and developmental challenges
> will need to recognize the spiritual nature of each human, the interdependency
> of all humans, and their relationship with the environment. In other words,
> development will need to be more than simply for short-term economic advantage;
> it must also further and benefit the minds and spirits of all humanity.
> 
> Clearly, cooperation between all peoples, governments and agencies will be
> required to effect lasting solutions to the environmental challenges. However,
> the Bahá'í International Community points to certain trends in the world which
> tend to undermine the very foundations of collaboration. Among these it
> includes: . . .the widespread lack of moral discipline, the
> glorification of greed and material accumulation, the increasing breakdown of
> family and community, the rise of lawlessness and disorder, the ascendancy of
> racism and bigotry, and the priority given to national interests over the
> welfare of humanity -- all of which destroy confidence and trust, the
> foundations of collaboration.[9]
> 
> It is the Bahá'í position that only the abandonment of these destructive trends
> will create the necessary setting in which the spiritualization of humanity can
> be realized and the consequent unity and cooperation between humans can develop
> solutions to meet the environmental challenges. Such
> qualities include love, compassion, forbearance, trustworthiness, courage,
> humility, co-operation and willingness to sacrifice for the common good --
> qualities of an enlightened citizenry, able to construct a unified world
> civilization.[10]
> 
> The Nature of Sustainable Development
> 
> Development, in the Bahá'í view, is an organic process in which "the
> spiritual is expressed and carried out in the material."[11] As with the environmental challenge, the
> Bahá'í view calls for ground-up organic answers that are consistent with the
> development of the spirituality of all people.
> 
> For example, community growth and development will need to respond to the
> genuine need of all people to have close contact with the natural world. This
> will influence all aspects of development - from design and engineering to
> community and land-use planning. Primary among these will be the need for
> carefully planned maintenance of agricultural lands.
> 
> Bahá'ís believe that science and technology can only provide the answers to
> sustainable development when they take into account the needs of the human
> soul. For example, there is little value in building high-efficiency vast
> networks of concrete roads if the style of architecture blocks sunlight,
> prevents people from walking and generally leaves the human being dwarfed.
> The vast forces of science and technology must be harnessed
> to serve the material, intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs of the
> entire human family. This will require that all peoples be involved in
> generating scientific knowledge and determining its applications. As
> participation increases, technologies which have tended to desensitize and
> alienate, to make satisfying work and crafts redundant, to destroy the
> environment, and to cause sickness, infirmity or death, will, no doubt, be
> reconsidered, redesigned or abandoned.[12]
> 
> Stewardship, from a Bahá'í point of view means that the value of nature and its
> preservation cannot be expressed in sheer economic terms. A more balanced
> approach to sustainable development can only result when planners have a deep
> understanding of the significance of the natural realm in the material and
> spiritual development of all humanity.
> 
> Consequently, good stewardship and prudent management of the earth's resources
> is not merely an "add-on" that is developed in response to a paucity of the
> resources, but rather an essential and fundamental responsibility that must be
> given fullest consideration at all times. Good stewardship doesn't involve
> "rescuing" nature from environmental disasters: it involves long-term planning
> that minimizes any possibilities of such emergencies occurring.
> 
> Material development which serves solely an economic master is not a model
> favored by the Bahá'ís. They believe the diverse peoples of the world will be
> more inclined to support development policies and programs based on spiritual
> principles and the inherent dignity of the human being. As such, they have
> proposed that spiritual indicators be applied to measure the value of
> development in terms of its impact on the spiritual, cultural and social
> advancement of humanity.
> 
> These indicators are drawn from the essential teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. For
> example, one of the main tenets of the Bahá'í Faith is that men and women are
> equal. Bahá'ís believe that just and sustainable development will only be
> possible when women worldwide are welcomed as equal co-partners in every field
> of endeavor. For Bahá'ís, the commitment to the
> emancipation of women is not a recent development nor is equality of the sexes
> a vague ideal. It is our conviction that the unification of the human race
> depends on the establishment of the equality of men and women.[13]
> 
> Another of the Bahá'í development indicators concerns the equitable
> distribution of wealth. One of the basic tenets of the Bahá'í Faith is the
> need to redress the extremes of wealth and poverty whereby absolute
> impoverishment and lavish luxury are virtually side by side. Experts tell us
> that there are enough resources in the world to meet the needs of all humanity.
> Therefore, to eliminate poverty, we will need to find more equitable methods of
> distribution and we will need to moderate excessive and sometimes wasteful
> consumption and the accumulation of wealth for its own sake. At the same time,
> nations will need to develop fair and equitable trade relations built on the
> principle that the trading partners are true equals.
> 
> If development is to be sustainable, the Bahá'ís suggest the following:
> Wealth is most commendable, provided the entire population
> is wealthy. If, however, a few have inordinate riches while the rest are
> impoverished, and no fruit or benefit accrues from that wealth, then it is only
> a liability to its possessor. If, on the other hand, it is expended for the
> promotion of knowledge, the founding of elementary and other schools, the
> encouragement of art and industry, the training of orphans and the poor - in
> brief, if it is dedicated to the welfare of society - its possessor will stand
> out before God and man as the most excellent of all who live on earth and will
> be accounted as one of the people of paradise.[14]
> 
> Universal education is one of the requirements that will speed the
> advent of a world united to promote common cause. Education that promotes a
> `world consciousness' and the understanding that there is an integral
> connection between every human being will create the conditions in which
> humanity is united to meet the environmental and developmental challenges.
> 
> Unity is a prerequisite for any effort to safeguard the earth's habitat. The
> type of unity envisioned by the Bahá'ís encompasses much more than just
> geography, climatology or biology. Rather, it is the outgrowth of an undying
> belief that humanity is one world community. In such a community, it seems
> only logical that matters of economic relations and sustainable development
> must be addressed with a balanced universal perspective that takes into account
> the world's many cultures and resources.
> 
> Proposed Courses of Action
> 
> Calling on principles enunciated in the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, whom Bahá'ís
> regard as the messenger and prophet from God for this age of humanity, the
> Bahá'ís of the world have proposed specific courses of action that will protect
> the environment and define the parameters of sustainable development. Over one
> hundred years ago, Bahá'u'lláh called for an international legal system,
> sharing of the world's resources, a re-alignment of the world's economic and
> governmental relations, and reform in the behavior and patterns of human
> consumption.
> 
> Drawing on these teachings, the Bahá'í International Community prepared a
> statement for the proposed "Earth Charter" for the United Nations Conference on
> Environment and Development in 1992. In the document, the Bahá'ís outlined the
> process for achieving universally acceptable standards: It
> is our conviction that any call to global action for environment and
> development must be rooted in universally accepted values and principles.
> Similarly, the search for solutions to the world's grave environmental and
> developmental problems must go beyond technical-utilitarian proposals and
> address the underlying causes of the crisis. Genuine solutions, in the Bahá'í
> view, will require a globally accepted vision for the future, based on unity
> and willing cooperation among the nations, races, creeds, and classes of the
> human family. Commitment to a higher moral standard, equality between the
> sexes, and the development of consultative skills for the effective functioning
> of groups at all levels of society will be essential.[15]
> 
> They proposed that representatives of the world's religions be assembled,
> possibly under the auspices of the World Bank or the United Nations Development
> Program, to consult about spiritual principles and their impact on both the
> individual and the progress of society.[16] Such an assemblage, the Bahá'ís believe,
> could reach common agreement on a limited number of spiritual principles and
> how these would provide a basis for developing policy priorities. Based on this
> agreement, goals and benchmarks for progress would be established and monitored
> by the organization under whose auspices the assemblage is convened.
> 
> The Bahá'ís believe that the world religions can take the initiative and
> collaborate because of the common thread that unites all of the world's major
> religious traditions. The changes required to reorient the
> world toward a sustainable future imply degrees of sacrifice, social
> integration, selfless action, and unity of purpose rarely achieved in human
> history. These qualities have reached their highest degree of development
> through the power of religion. Therefore, the world's religious communities
> have a major role to play in inspiring these qualities in their members,
> releasing latent capacities of the human spirit and empowering individuals to
> act on behalf of the planet, its peoples, and future generations.[17]
> 
> Furthermore, the cooperation of an international development agency would
> signal their recognition of the significance of the spiritual dimension of
> human nature. Already the internationally accepted Agenda 21 and The
> Habitat Agenda have acknowledged that the spiritual needs of the individual
> and of society are significant factors in human progress and are inseparable
> from ecological, economic, social, and cultural development.
> 
> The next step would involve the development of consultative processes on both
> the national and local levels whereby communities would be encouraged to
> utilize and develop their own independent spiritual measures for action,
> derived from the larger plan. Such plans and policies would likely have the
> backing of many and would receive the formalized support of religious
> authorities and institutions.
> 
> In a reflection of the Bahá'í administrative order which has no clergy but
> devolves responsibility on each individual right down to the local community,
> the Faith stresses the importance of local action in any initiatives.
> Development must be decentralized in order to involve
> communities in formulating and implementing the decisions and programs that
> affect their lives. Such a decentralization need not conflict with a global
> system and strategy, but would in fact ensure that developmental processes are
> adapted to the planet's rich cultural, geographic, and ecological diversity.[18]
> 
> Bahá'ís believe that the individual has a key role in the unfolding of a
> planetary system of sustainable development. Therefore, acknowledging the
> spiritual dimension of humanity and providing for the moral, emotional,
> physical and intellectual development and education of each person will be a
> building block toward a new vision of planetary society.
> 
> To meet the environmental and development challenges, Bahá'ís affirm that the
> top-down model of community development will need to give way to a more
> participatory, knowledge-based and values-driven process of governance. When
> people view the decision-making process as something they own - not as a remote
> and Byzantine system of laws - they will accept their responsibility for
> shaping a new world.
> 
> At the very core of the environmental and developmental crises facing humanity,
> Bahá'ís believe, there is a lack of moral leadership that pervades every level
> of decision making - from the highest levels of government to the family unit
> itself. This is evidenced by the constant discovery of political scandals that
> reveal a bankruptcy of real ethical leadership. Humanity may have even lost
> its ability to define and identify morality in leadership because of the
> barrage of messages that obfuscate and confuse the issue.
> 
> While the world's religions, development organizations, governments and
> individuals are all called upon to play a role in sustainable development,
> long-term solutions will require a new and integrated vision of global society.
> This vision, will have as its underpinnings and its charter, a new set of
> values based on the belief that all of humanity is one. For Bahá'ís, the very
> bedrock and hope for a sustainable new world order is the acceptance of the
> oneness of humanity. This principle will cause the restructuring of the
> world's administration to reflect the fact that the world is one nation. This
> does not mean that any culture or nation must abandon its distinctive identity.
> In fact, the entire principle of unity in diversity, which the Bahá'í Faith
> champions, supports and actively encourages each people's right to maintain,
> protect and uphold their distinctiveness in the face of the homogenizing
> influences of international capital.
> 
> In the Bahá'í view, world unity is not mutually exclusive of cultural diversity
> and national autonomy. Each person can legitimately have a balanced sense of
> pride in his or her culture and national identity. However, every person is
> called to a broader notion of loyalty: the uplifting and progress of the human
> soul, of every human being and the entire world civilization. The Bahá'í
> approach emphasizes that the world is one nation and it calls for a universal
> auxiliary language, which may in the future prove to be English. The
> yet-to-be-determined auxiliary language will facilitate inter-cultural
> communication and will not replace peoples' own mother tongues. Each
> individual maintains the right to preserve his or her cultural identity and
> mother tongue. In the view of the Bahá'í International
> Community, acceptance of the oneness of humanity is the first fundamental
> prerequisite for this reorganization and administration of the world as one
> country, the home of humankind. Recognition of this principle does not imply
> abandonment of legitimate loyalties, the suppression of cultural diversity, or
> the abolition of national autonomy. It calls for a wider loyalty, for a far
> higher aspiration than has so far animated human efforts. It clearly requires
> the subordination of national impulses and interests to the imperative claims
> of a unified world. It is inconsistent not only with any attempt to impose
> uniformity, but with any tendency towards excessive centralization. Its goal is
> well captured in the concept of "unity in diversity."[19]
> 
> The Bahá'í International Community believes that the change in consciousness
> that would be represented by the adoption of the term "world citizenship" is a
> prerequisite before the peoples of the planet can accept and promote a
> coordinated and reasonable approach to global sustainable development. The
> entire idea of world citizenship can only take hold when one accepts the
> inter-relatedness of all human beings, of the impact of their actions upon each
> other. It means that the world is no longer constituted of billions of
> discrete beings and scores of disconnected governments and trans-national
> corporations. With the advent of world citizenship, each accepts that his or
> her actions in any part of the globe is likely to have impacts well beyond the
> local or regional spheres of influence.
> 
> The Bahá'í understanding of the implications of world citizenship extend beyond
> simply a new passport or slogans: World citizenship
> encompasses the principles of social and economic justice, both within and
> between nations; non-adversarial decision making at all levels of society;
> equality of the sexes; racial, ethnic, national and religious harmony; and the
> willingness to sacrifice for the common good.[20]
> 
> The Bahá'í International Community says that the most effective method for
> promoting sustainable development is logically through adoption of world
> citizenship. They reason that the full meaning and import of world citizenship
> will have an impact on the way nations conduct themselves with each other.
> When humanity and its economic, social, and political orders are preoccupied
> with disunity, antagonism and rigid provincialism, the Bahá'ís submit there is
> no room for a concerted worldwide strategy on sustainable development. In
> other words, any effort to realize sustainable development can only be
> marginally successful without the animating principles of world citizenship and
> one world homeland. The prerequisites clearly call for harmony and unity
> amongst all the peoples and nations of the world.
> 
> In a paper entitled World citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable
> Development, presented to the 1st session of the United Nations
> Commission on Sustainable Development, 14-25 June 1993, the Bahá'í
> International Community reflected at length on the necessary first step of
> establishing the concept of world citizenship. They went so far as to lay out
> a plan for its introduction and the requisite actions of the world leaders.
> They should foster an ethic of service to the common good
> and convey an understanding of both the rights and the responsibilities of
> world citizenship.
> 
> Using the concept of world citizenship as an integrating theme, the United
> Nations should publicize its ideals, activities and goals, so that people come
> to understand the unique and vital role the UN plays in the world and,
> therefore, in their lives. Similarly, the UN should promote world citizenship
> in all its public activities, including celebrations of its historical
> milestones and tours of UN headquarters. Every UN document that deals with
> sustainable development should also include this principle -- beginning with
> the preamble of the proposed Earth Charter. World citizenship must become the
> single most important point of ethical reference in all UN activities.
> 
> The services of the advertising industry should be enlisted to promote world
> citizenship.[21]
> 
> The Promise of a Better Future
> 
> The Bahá'ís believe that there are dual processes at work in the world:
> the one best characterized as spiritualizing, embryonic, and beneficial to
> humanity; the other is the decaying and destruction of institutions and ways of
> thinking that no longer serve an evolving worldwide civilization.
> 
> The Bahá'ís are optimistic that humanity will survive the serious environment
> challenges and development issues facing it. They believe that the covenant
> God made with Abraham and Noah and has renewed with every Messenger sent to
> humanity is evidence of the long-term viability of humanity. This does not,
> however, allow humanity to abdicate its stewardship responsibilities nor the
> huge commitment to persevere and make sacrifices and changes that will
> transform the world. Shoghi Effendi looked forward to this renewal of
> civilization: In such a world society... [t]he economic
> resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be
> tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and
> the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated ...The enormous
> energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be
> consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and
> technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the
> extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the
> raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of
> the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of
> the planet, to the prolongation of human life and to the furtherance of any
> other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral and spiritual life
> of the entire human race.[22]
> 
> According to the Bahá'í International Community, it is the actions of
> governments, non-governmental organizations, the forces of capital, society in
> general, and significant individuals that will determine how quickly humanity
> arrives at a universal consensus for sustainable development. The onus is on
> every party to consciously and deliberately give a thorough evaluation to the
> meaning of the goals toward which they are working. This will ensure that all
> parties can be effective partners in progress. The Bahá'í International
> Community says that "clear goals, meaningful policies and standards, identified
> programs, and agreed upon indicators of progress are necessary if advancement
> toward humanity's common future is to be charted and regular corrections to
> that course determined and carried out."[23]
> 
> Bahá'í Action on Sustainable Development
> 
> Representing the world's Bahá'ís, the Bahá'í International Community office at
> the United Nations has played a prominent role in the various UN-sponsored
> summits on the environment and sustainable development. Exemplary among these,
> was the participation of The Bahá'í International Community in the Earth Summit
> - the Rio de Janeiro Conference in June 1992.
> 
> The Bahá'ís focused on the Earth Charter which they felt was potentially the
> most significant document under consideration at Rio de Janeiro. In numerous
> languages they circulated nearly one million copies of the environmental and
> development statements of the Bahá'í International Community. In the opening
> paragraph of its presentation to a preparatory working group of the United
> Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the Bahá'í
> International Community wrote of the Charter: It could
> offer a unifying vision for the future and articulate the values upon which a
> peaceful, prosperous and harmonious world society could practically be
> constructed. In so doing, the Earth Charter could lift the context of
> deliberations on humanity's future to a new level -- to the level of principle.
> Only discourse at the level of principle has the power to invoke a moral
> commitment, which will, in turn, make possible the discovery of enduring
> solutions to the many challenges confronting a rapidly integrating human
> society. . . . the Earth Charter can tap a powerful source of individual and
> collective motivation, which will be essential for the reorientation of the
> world toward a sustainable future.[24]
> 
> The Bahá'í presentation to UNCED urged that the idea of the "oneness of
> humanity" should be proclaimed in the preamble to the Charter, which should
> then be taught in the world's schools and communicated worldwide in preparation
> for "the organic change in the structure of society which it implies."[25]
> 
> In fact, the landmark Peace Monument unveiled at the conclusion of the 1992
> Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro was an initiative of the Bahá'í International
> Community. At the Summit's closing ceremony, soil from some 40 nations was
> deposited into the striking five-meter high monument by children. Each year
> since the Summit, World Environment Day in Rio includes a ceremony at the
> monument during which soil from other nations is added. The inscription on the
> monument are the words of Bahá'u'lláh: "The earth is but one country, and
> mankind its citizens."
> 
> Both Bahá'í communities and individual Bahá'ís are in the forefront of
> activities aimed at furthering preservation and sustainable development. Here
> is a small sample of projects Bahá'ís are involved with worldwide:
> 
> The establishment of a Bahá'í Office of the Environment as an
> adjunct of the Bahá'í International Community office at the United Nations.
> 
> Issuing a 1989 compilation of Bahá'í writings - Conservation of
> the Earth's Resources. The text has been studied by Bahá'í communities
> worldwide.
> 
> Numerous national and local Bahá'í communities have established
> their own environmental offices and committees, often in cooperation with
> like-minded organizations. In Japan, Canada, Brazil, Taiwan, Colombia,
> Philippines and other nations, Bahá'í communities have established curricula
> for education about the environment.
> 
> Nur University in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, an institution of higher
> learning established on Bahá'í principles, offers a Masters degree in
> Development.
> 
> A range of publications dealing with environmental and developmental
> issues is now published by Bahá'ís. This includes: One Country, a
> quarterly newsletter of the Bahá'í International Community; Ecologia Y
> Unidad Mundial, an Argentine Bahá'í newspaper; and others.
> 
> The Bahá'í Vocational Institute for Rural Women, located in India
> and the Clean and Beautiful Swaziland campaign founded by a Bahá'í - Dr.Irma
> Allen - both received Global 500 Awards from the United Nations Environment
> Program.
> 
> An organic farming project by the Bahá'í community of Japan teaches
> how to grow food without artificial fertilizers or pesticides.
> 
> In rural Kenya, a Bahá'í-sponsored development project encourages
> and empowers village women to develop their own entrepreneurial weaving
> businesses.
> 
> In Bolivia and Malaysia, Bahá'í communities have launched fish
> farming projects.
> 
> Bahá'ís in the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan
> have all organized and/or sponsored arts and educational activities geared to
> creating awareness of the fragile environment and conservation.
> 
> Local Bahá'í communities in the UK have become active proponents of
> Local Agenda 21 , working with partner groups and with local authorities.
> 
> Working in collaboration with other organizations, the Bahá'í
> International Community hosted two World Forestry Charter Gatherings (1989
> & 1994).
> 
> The Bahá'í International Community made a formal presentation to the
> "World Faiths and Development Dialogue" hosted by the President of the World
> Bank and the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace during the Lambeth
> Conference, February 1998.
> 
> Finally, as if to address directly the very issue of environmental biodiversity
> and sustainable growth, the architecture and landscaping of each of the Bahá'í
> Holy Sites around the world is a model of the blending of natural and
> architectural beauty, efficiency and diversity. Each of these sites features a
> diverse range of flora to reflect the Faith's teachings about diversity and the
> buildings are designed to complement and augment their surroundings.
> 
> Notes:
> 
> [1] Bahá'u'lláh. Gleanings from the Writings
> of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976,
> 
> Section CXXXII, page 288.
> 
> [2] Shoghi Effendi, Letter to an individual
> Bahá'í, through his secretary, 17 February 1933
> 
> [3] Bahá'u'lláh. Gleanings from the Writings
> of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976, section CXVII,
> page 250.
> 
> [4] Abdu'l Bahá (1982) Selections from the
> Writings of Abdu'l Bahá. Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, section 137, page
> 157.
> 
> [5] Abdu'l Bahá. From a hitherto untranslated
> tablet.
> 
> [6] Bahá'u'lláh (1982) Tablets of
> Bahá'u'lláh. Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, page 142.
> 
> [7] Bahá'u'lláh (1979) Epistle to the Son
> of the Wolf. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, page 44.
> 
> [8] Bahá'í International Community (1998)
> Valuing Spirituality in Development. UN.
> 
> [9] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> Sustainable Development and the Human Spirit. UN.
> 
> [10] Bahá'í International Community.
> Sustainable Development and the Human Spirit. UN, 1997.
> 
> [11] Abdu'l-Bahá (1995) Paris Talks
> (twelfth edition). London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, page 9.
> 
> [12] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World. UN.
> 
> [13] Bahá'í International Community (1998)
> Women and Men: Partnership for a Healthy Planet. UN.
> 
> [14] Abdu'l Bahá (1990) The Secret of
> Divine Civilization. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, pages 24-25.
> 
> [15] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> Earth Charter. UN.
> 
> [16] Bahá'í International Community (1998)
> Valuing Spirituality in Development. UN.
> 
> [17] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> Earth Charter. UN.
> 
> [18] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> Earth Charter. UN.
> 
> [19] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> International Legislation for Environment and Development. UN.
> 
> [20] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> World citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development. UN.
> 
> [21] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> World citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development. UN.
> 
> [22] Shoghi Effendi (1980) The World
> Order of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, pages 203-204.
> 
> [23] Bahá'í International Community (1998)
> Valuing Spirituality in Development. UN.
> 
> [24] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
> The Earth Charter/Rio De Janeiro Declaration and the Oneness of
> Humanity. UN.
> 
> [25] Bahá'í International Community (1997) The Earth Charter/Rio
> De Janeiro Declaration and the Oneness of Humanity. UN.
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views41771 views since posted 2002-08; last edit 2012;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../landau_bahai_faith_environment;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
> Language
> English
> Permission
> author
> History
> Formatted 2002-08 by Jonah Winters.
> Share
> 
> Shortlink: bahai-library.com/83
> Citation: ris/83
> 
> select Collection:
> Archives
> Articles
> Articles-unpublished
> Audio
> Bibliographies
> BIC
> Biographies
> Books
> Chronologies
> Compilations
> Compilations-NSA
> Compilations-personal
> Documents
> East-asia
> Encyclopedia
> Essays
> Etc
> Excerpts
> Fiction
> Glossaries
> Guardian
> Histories
> Introductory
> Letters
> Maps
> Music
> Newspapers
> NSA-documents
> NSA-letters
> Personal
> Pilgrims
> Poetry
> Presentations
> Resources
> Reviews
> Scripts
> Software
> Statistics
> Study
> Talks
> Theses
> Transcripts
> Translations
> UHJ-documents
> UHJ-letters
> Video
> Visual
> Writings
> 
> home
> 
> sitemap
> 
> series
> 
> chronology
> 
> search:
> author
> 
> title
> 
> date
> 
> tags
> 
> adv. search
> languages
> 
> inventory
> 
> bibliography
> 
> abbreviations
> 
> links
> 
> about
> 
> contact
> 
> RSS
> 
> new
>
> — *The Baha'i Faith and the Environment (Used by permission of the curator)*