World Future Council

(WFC )

The World Future Council (WFC ) is a non-profit initiative, which sees itself as the "voice of future generations " and wants to work to raise the rights of future generations into the consciousness of decision makers and to promote a policy of sustainability and justice.

History

The World Future Council was suggested in 2000 by Jakob von Uexküll and launched in 2004 by him together with Herbert Girardet as " Foundation for the Promotion of the World Future Council " to life. The principles of the Earth Charter served as the excitation. 2005, the WFC has been recognized as a foundation of civil law. Since 2006, he has its headquarters in Hamburg. Since 2007, the current statute applies to a framework for a globally active non-profit organization with members from all over the world. Other offices and agencies are located in London, Basel, Geneva and Johannesburg (as of 2014). The Council was convened for the first time in May 2007 at the initiative of the founder of the Right Livelihood Award, Jakob von Uexküll, in Hamburg. The basic financing was secured by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg as well as donations of entrepreneur Michael Otto and many other donors.

Field of activity

The Foundation considers itself as a global advocate for the interests of future generations in international politics, with a focus on environmental and climate protection, sustainable energy, urban development and agriculture, recycling economy and ecological tax reform. The Council with its up to 50 volunteer members meet once a year and sets the work program. The decisions and recommendations of the Council shall be prepared and distributed in consultation with committees of experts and external consultants.

According to the Foundation, the solutions are many global problems of the future already exist. The Council calls on decision-makers worldwide to overcome the action failures that hamper the sustainable and peaceful future of mankind, and new directions. The focus of the work of the WFC is the policy advice. In cooperation with parliamentarians, civil society groups, governments and international organizations, the Council identified worldwide model laws, makes this known and supported its implementation and imitation. Here, the WFC is based on the principle to demand what is necessary for his conviction, and not only that, which seems possible politically at any given time. The WFC is committed to a world community that is based on the values ​​of nonviolence, sustainability, respect and justice.

Future Policy Award

The Future Policy Award from the WFC is the first prize is awarded to future- oriented policies at the international level. The first Future Policy Award 2009 went to the program for food security of the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte. The Future Policy Award 2010 Outstanding laws for the conservation of biodiversity at the 10th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity ( CBD) in Nagoya (Japan) were awarded. The Future Policy Award 2011 honored three exemplary policies for the conservation of forests. The award ceremony was held jointly with the United Nations Forum on Forest (UNFF ) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO in New York. In 2012, the prize went to the world's best laws for the protection of seas and coasts, in 2013 he was awarded to the Tlatelolco Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean for the associated sustainable disarmament.

African Network Alliance for Renewable Energy

The African Alliance for Renewable Energy (African Renewable Energy Alliance, AREA), which was founded in October 2009 on the initiative of the World Future Council, includes 1,400 members from 90 countries (Feb 2014). The network aims to improve the exchange of experiences and thus the conditions for the spread of renewable energy in Africa. In order to promote renewable energy in Africa, AREA has international conferences and meetings on the topic of "Renewable energy for sustainable development in Africa " co-organized in South Africa, Ghana, Cape Verde, Nigeria and Morocco.

Alliance for Renewable Energy in the U.S.

With the Alliance for Renewable Energy (The Alliance for Renewable Energy, ARE), the World Future Council, established an alliance for the development of renewable energies in the U.S. and helped to feed-in tariffs were introduced in some cities and states.

Commission of Experts Cities and Climate Change

Together with the HafenCity University Hamburg founded the WFC in 2008 an international commission of experts on " Cities and Climate Change ". The Commission is composed of 20 experts in the field of sustainable urban development together - with it are architects, urban planners and representatives of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN -HABITAT ). The WFC Commission published three reports, including the overarching vision "Regenerative Cities". The WFC presented the reports at the UN World Urban Forum. The Expert Commission also advises the UN-Habitat World Urban Campaign, for which it has drawn up a list of criteria for future-oriented policies.

Promotion of renewable energies

On the subject of climate and energy, the Foundation has published books and short films. She organized workshops with experts from more than 50 countries and advises governments, parliamentarians and international organizations such as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA ), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP ) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN -Habitat ). The fact that more than 60 countries adopted legal measures to promote renewable energy, the WFC goes back on his expertise on effective feed-in tariffs to promote renewable energies.

Methodology for future-oriented legislation

The Foundation has developed a methodology for future-oriented legislation, supported the lawmakers in the design, evaluation and modification of laws. The methodology is based on the seven principles for sustainable development, which were presented by the International Law Association and adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. The principles are intended to contribute to important general standards of sustainability and justice, human rights and freedoms, and respect for the environment are taken into account. The methodology is also used in the evaluation of laws submitted for the Future Policy Award from the WFC.

Enforcement of the rights of people with disabilities

To counter the widespread disregard for the rights of people with disabilities, the WFC has operated in the year 2011 Research on how these rights can be better implemented. Together with the Essl Foundation brought the WFC in January 2012 in Vienna around 240 decision-makers from 34 countries at the first international conference for "Good policy for people with disabilities " together. The final speech was Christian Strohal, Vice President of the United Nations Human Rights Council. To ensure the dissemination of best laws around the world, the WFC and the Essl Foundation have agreed to a five -year project co-operation in April 2012.

Nuclear Abolition Forum

With the support of the Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations, Sergio Duarte, the World Future Council, the Nuclear Abolition Forum called into life in 2011, a joint project of eight leading organizations in the field of disarmament under the chairmanship of the WFC. The forum will discuss key issues of nuclear disarmament, to help create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons. These offers to the forum information and discussion opportunities on the Internet.

Criticism

Critics accuse the World Future Council prior to work too little practical. The effectiveness of the activities of the WFC is also difficult to measure and therefore difficult to detect.

Council members

( 2014 )

  • Hafsat Abiola - Costello
  • Abouleish
  • Shawn A- in - chut Atleo
  • Monique Barbut
  • Maude Barlow
  • Dipal Chandra Barua
  • Ana Maria Cetto
  • Tony Colman
  • Marie -Claire Segger Cordonier
  • Thais Corral
  • Tahia Devisscher
  • Nicholas Dunlop
  • Rolf Kreibich
  • David Krieger
  • Alexander Likhotal
  • Wanjira Maathai
  • Rama Mani
  • Julia Marton- Lefèvre
  • Manfred Max - Neef
  • January McAlpine
  • Anuradha Mittal
  • Frances Moore Lappé
  • Anna Oposa
  • Katiana Orluc
  • Ahmedou Ould -Abdallah
  • Vithal Rajan
  • Vandana Shiva
  • Sulak
  • Pavan Sukhdev
  • Motoyuki Suzuki
  • Pauline Tangiora
  • Christopher Weeramantry
  • Francisco Whitaker Ferreira
  • Anders Wijkman

Honor Council members

  • Patrus Ananias
  • Ahmed Djoghlaf
  • Herbert Girardet
  • Olivier Giscard D' Estaing
  • Jane Goodall
  • Wangari Maathai († 2011)
  • Michael Otto
  • Arthur N. R. Robinson
  • Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker
Michael Otto (businessman) Intergenerational equity Climate change mitigation Circular economy United Nations Forum on Forests Marine conservation Treaty of Tlatelolco Essl Social Prize Tony Colman (politician) Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah Alyn Ware Chico Whitaker James Mancham
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