The Hague Principles for a Universal Declaration on Human Responsibilities and Earth Trusteeship

International Earth Trusteeship Gathering, Klaus Bosselmann, October 2018

« (…) Humanity’s common destiny depends on the validity and effectiveness of human rights and Earth trusteeship. To be effective, citizens and their institutions will have to act as trustees of the Earth. That is trusteeship of what generically can be referred to as the ‘common good’.

The inextricable connections between rights, responsibilities and trusteeship are at the heart of the Earth Trusteeship Initiative, a consortium of social and environmental justice organisations aiming for legal innovation. Its first objective has been achieved now – a joint declaration on trusteeship responsibilities for both human rights and sustainability. The “Hague Principles” will be presented at the Earth Trusteeship Forum in the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 10 December 2018, to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to launch a global initiative towards Earth Trusteeship.

The Hague Principles and their launch on 10th December are the result of a collaboration between representatives of a wide spectrum of environmental, indigenous and human rights organisations under the auspices of the Earth Trusteeship Initiative. The collaboration started with an Earth Trusteeship Symposium at Utrecht University in June 2017. This was followed by various consultations and drafts around human rights and responsibilities and eventually led to an Earth Trusteeship Gathering of 80 delegates in The Hague in June 2018. Following further consultations, the text of the Hague Principles was finalised in September. (…) »

By Klaus Bosselmann.

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