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The Home of Evolutioneers

The Universe Charter: An Empowering Perspective and New Guide for Resolving Today's Most Difficult Planetary Challenges

INTRODUCTION

Our current planetary consciousness level alone is far too small to solve our rapidly growing critical planetary challenges. What is needed is a new universe consciousness of both our planetary and our universe citizenship and a new awareness based on the latest scientific breakthroughs about the universe's holistic and progressive evolutionary processes. This new consciousness is vital because as Albert Einstein said, "the consciousness level that creates the problem is not the consciousness level that will be able to solve the problem."

When we become more consciously aware of the integral processes, directionality and scope of the controlling progressive evolutionary patterns of the universe's 13.7 billion years of successful universe evolution, we will then be better able to align with and contribute to forwarding those sustainable success patterns. This new universe-scale evolutionary knowledge will then allow us to manage our planet's ongoing evolutionary progress and our current personal and planetary challenges in more effective ways. This information is essential to upgrading and building the Universe Charter.

(The Universe Charter was first created on March 19, 2010. It is based significantly upon the universe-grounded science and new consciousness of the Universe Evolutionary Worldview. It has also been modeled after and derived in significant part from a modified form of the Earth Charter. )

PREAMBLE

Whether we openly recognize it or not, we are all embedded in the universe and are already its de facto universe citizens. As self-reflecting universe citizens, we stand at a critical moment in the history of both the universe and this planet. This is a time when the circumstances now before humanity will force it to choose both the quality and length of its own future.

As the planet becomes increasingly interdependent and smaller due to the advances in technology and the growing population, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of planetary cultures and life forms we are one human family sharing a common destiny fully embedded within the universe's evolutionary processes and goals.

We have reached the critical point where to sustainably survive and thrive we must join together to bring forth a sustainable planetary society for all founded on the factually verifiable principles of the universe's progressive evolution, a respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, universal human responsibilities and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, a people of the universe and our home planet Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater universe and planetary community of life, and to future generations who will not only inhabit this planet but also eventually live beyond it elsewhere n the Universe. To this end, we present the new Universe Charter to help map out the path that we must all walk together. 

The Universe, the Home of Our Planet and Ourselves

Humanity and our Earth are part of a vast evolving universe. This planet, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. The forces of progressive evolution (nature,) make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but the universe's evolutionary processes have provided to the planet the conditions essential to life's progressive evolution.

The resilience of the community of life and the wellbeing of humanity depend ultimately upon living in alignment with the principles of progressive evolution. At the minimum, this means preserving a healthy planetary biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air.

The planetary environment with its finite resources is a common concern of all peoples. The protection of the ongoing progressive evolution of the planet with its vitality, diversity, and beauty is the sacred trust of every individual, organization, and national and planetary governing body.

The Current Planetary Situation

The dominant unsustainable patterns of production, pollution, and consumption are causing environmental devastation, the depletion of resources, and a massive extinction of species. Human communities are also being undermined.

The benefits of development are not shared equitably, fair exchange is honored less frequently and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Climate destabilization, injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread and the cause of great suffering.

An unprecedented rise in the human population has overburdened ecological, social, economic, and political systems. The foundations of national, planetary, and even universe evolutionary security are threatened by the possible extinction of many valuable species --- including humanity! These trends are radically out of alignment with the principles of progressive universe evolution and are perilous to our shared future, but they are not inevitable.

The Challenges Ahead

The choice is ours: form a partnership of planetary and universe citizens and Evolutioneers to better align ourselves and our organizations with the universe's unbending and unstoppable progressive evolutionary directionality and by doing so wisely care for the planet and one another or, potentially risk the destruction of ourselves, future generations and the diversity and quality of life found on our amazing planet. Fundamental changes are needed in what we hold as our common ethics and values. Fundamental changes are needed in our institutions and ways of living.

To do this we must first as individuals, organizations, and governments learn and understand how the universe is already successfully progressively evolving and sustaining itself.

We must then also realize that when basic life needs have been met using this evolutionary wisdom, human development is then primarily about being more, not having more.

We now have considerable knowledge of the universe's progressive evolutionary systems and how we must better align our current planetary existence to them. We also have other scientific knowledge and technology necessary to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the planetary environment.

Our environmental, economic, political, social, religious, and spiritual challenges are interconnected. Together using what we know already about the principles of evolution in the universe, we can forge non-polarizing solutions to every planetary challenge that we face currently threatening our and our planet's sustainable survival. We can do this empowered by our knowledge of universe evolution, collective will, and new local, national, and planetary agreements.

Universe Evolution Level Consciousness and Co-Responsibility is Urgently Needed

To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a larger sense of co-responsibility for our planet by embracing our greater universe evolutionary responsibilities. We must identify ourselves and our vital current role within the universe's great evolutionary epic. We must see ourselves as one universe community and family in which our local, national, and planetary communities are embedded.

We are all citizens of the universe, in which the local, national, planetary, and universal are linked. Everyone shares co-responsibility for the progress of evolution within the universe as well as the present and future well-being of the human family on our living planet. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the universe, the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the human place within the evolving universe and nature.

We urgently need to collectively follow and enact as guiding universal principles and law this Universe Charter.

Its shared vision of universe evolution forwarding values will provide a common and science-rational, ethical foundation necessary to create the common social, economic, and political agreements needed for the emerging planetary community.

Together in the above needs, hopes and desires we, therefore, affirm and commit to the following interdependent principles for a sustainable way of life as common ethical standards and principles by which the conduct of all individuals, organizations, businesses, and governments are to be guided and assessed.

THE UNIVERSE CHARTER PRINCIPLES PART 1:

I. RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE UNIVERSE COMMUNITY OF LIFE

1. Respect the evolving Universe and life in all its diversity.

a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its perceived worth to human beings.

b. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity.

2. Care for the Universe community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.

a. Accept that with the right to own, manage, and use natural resources comes the duty to prevent environmental harm and to protect the collective rights of people and future generations.

b. Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to align one's actions with the principles of progressive universe evolution and to promote the common good.

3. Build evolutionary and democratic societies that are well-governed, just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.

a. Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee equal, open and fair access to essential and appropriate pre-natal and adolescent nutrition, education, defense and security, ongoing health care, income opportunity and, provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential.

b. Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential.

c. Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee full consequence capture for every person, organization or nation that causes harm and/or fails to exercise the corresponding responsibilities that pair with all freedoms.

d. Promote social and economic justice, enabling all to achieve a secure and meaningful livelihood that is ecologically responsible.

4. Secure the Universe's (and our planet's,) bounty and beauty for present and future generations.

a. Recognize that the freedom of action of each generation is qualified by the needs of future generations.

b. Transmit to future generations values, traditions, and institutions that support becoming a co-creative partner with progressive evolution and the long-term flourishing of the Universe and the planet's human and ecological communities.

In order to fulfill these four broad commitments, it is necessary to:

II. UNIVERSE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY

5. Protect, restore or forward the integrity of the Universe's evolutionary progress (and the planet's) ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life.

a. Adopt at all levels sustainable development plans and regulations that make environmental conservation and rehabilitation integral to all development initiatives.

b. Establish and safeguard viable nature and biosphere reserves, including wild lands and marine areas, to protect planetary life support systems, maintain biodiversity, and preserve our natural heritage.

c. Promote the recovery of endangered species and ecosystems.

d. Control and eradicate non-native or genetically modified organisms harmful to native species and the environment, and prevent introduction of such harmful organisms.

e. Manage the use of renewable resources such as water, soil, forest products, and marine life in ways that do not exceed rates of regeneration and that protect the health of ecosystems.

f. Manage the extraction and use of non-renewable resources such as minerals and fossil fuels in ways that minimize depletion and cause no serious environmental damage.

6. Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a precautionary approach.

a. Take action to avoid the possibility of serious or irreversible environmental harm even when scientific knowledge is incomplete or inconclusive.

b. Place the burden of proof on those who argue that a proposed activity will not cause significant harm, and make the responsible parties liable for environmental harm.

c. Ensure that decision-making addresses the cumulative, long-term, indirect, long distance, and planetary consequences of human activities.

d. Prevent pollution of any part of the environment and allow no build-up of radioactive, toxic, or other hazardous substances.

e. Avoid military or any other activities damaging to the environment.

7. Adopt patterns of production, consumption, and reproduction that safeguard the Universe's evolutionary progress (and the planet's) regenerative capacities, human rights, and community well-being.

a. Reduce, reuse, and recycle the materials used in production and consumption systems, and ensure that residual waste can be assimilated by ecological systems.

b. Act with restraint and efficiency when using energy, and rely increasingly on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.

c. Promote the development, adoption, and equitable transfer of environmentally sound technologies.

d. Internalize and enforce capture of the full environmental and social costs of goods and services in the selling price, and enable consumers to identify products that meet the highest social and environmental standards.

e. Ensure universal access to health care that fosters reproductive health and responsible reproduction.

f. Adopt lifestyles that emphasize the quality of life and material sufficiency in a finite Universe and on a finite planet.

8. Advance the study of universe evolution and planetary ecological sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of the knowledge acquired.

a. Support all forms of scientific and technical cooperation on sustainability, with special attention to the needs of developing nations.

b. Recognize and preserve the traditional knowledge and spiritual wisdom in all cultures that contribute to environmental protection and human wellbeing.

c. Ensure that information of vital importance to human health and environmental protection, including genetic information, remains available in the public domain.

III. UNIVERSE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE

9. Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social, and environmental imperative.

a. Insure that every human being has the opportunity to productively and viably exchange environmentally sustainable products and services of merit with one another and that they are also able to pay appropriate support to the organizations or governments to which they belong so that those organizations or governments may provide for the public's education, security and general well being.

b. Guarantee the right to potable water, clean air, food security, uncontaminated soil, shelter, and safe sanitation, allocating the resources required.

c. Empower every human being with the education and resources to secure a sustainable livelihood, and provide social security and safety nets for those who are unable to support themselves.

d. Recognize the ignored, protect the vulnerable, serve those who suffer, and enable them to develop their capacities and to pursue their aspirations.

10. Ensure that economic activities and institutions at all levels promote human development in an equitable and sustainable manner.

a. Provide equitable opportunity for the acquisition of material needs based upon productivity and fair exchange.

b. Enhance the intellectual, financial, technical, and social resources of developing planets and nations, and relieve them of unfairly acquired and onerous debt.

c. Ensure that all trade supports sustainable resource use, environmental protection, and progressive labor standards.

d. Require all individuals, businesses, financial organizations and governments to act transparently in alignment with the principles of progressive evolution and the public good, and hold them fully accountable for all consequences of their activities.

11. Affirm gender equality and equity as prerequisites to sustainable development and ensure universal access to education, health care, and economic opportunity.

a. Secure the human rights of women and girls and end all violence against them.

b. Promote the active participation of women in all aspects of economic, political, civil, social, and cultural life as full and equal partners, decision makers, leaders, and beneficiaries.

c. Strengthen families and ensure the safety and loving nurture of all family members.

12. Uphold the right of all, without discrimination, to a natural and social environment supportive of human dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well-being, with special attention to the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.

a. Eliminate discrimination in all its forms, such as that based on planetary origin, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, language, and national, ethnic or social origin.

b. Affirm the right of all people, particularly indigenous peoples, to their spirituality, knowledge, lands and resources and to their related practice of sustainable livelihoods.

c. Honor and support the young people of our communities, enabling them to fulfill their essential role in creating sustainable societies.

d. Protect and restore outstanding places of cultural and spiritual significance.

IV. UNIVERSE GOOD GOVERNANCE, DEMOCRACY, NONVIOLENCE, AND PEACE

13. Strengthen good governance and democratic institutions at all levels, and provide transparency and accountability in governance, inclusive participation in decision making, and access to justice.

a. Uphold the right of everyone to receive clear and timely information on environmental matters and all development plans and activities which are likely to affect them or in which they have an interest.

b. Support local, regional and planetary civil society, and promote the meaningful participation of all interested individuals and organizations in decision making.

c. Protect the rights to freedom of religion, opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, association, and dissent.

d. Institute effective and efficient access to administrative and independent judicial procedures, including remedies and redress for environmental harm and the threat of such harm.

e. Eliminate corruption in all public and private institutions.

f. Strengthen all communities, enabling them to care for their environments, and assign environmental responsibilities to the levels of government where they can be carried out most effectively.

14. Integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life in alignment with the progressive evolution of the Universe.

a. Provide all, especially children and youth, with educational opportunities that empower them to contribute actively to sustainable development.

b. Promote the contribution of the arts and humanities as well as the sciences in sustainability education.

c. Enhance the role of the mass media in raising awareness of ecological and social challenges.

d. Recognize the importance of moral and spiritual education for sustainable living.

15. Treat all living beings with respect and consideration.

a. Prevent cruelty to animals kept in human societies and protect them from suffering.

b. Protect wild animals from methods of hunting, trapping, and fishing that cause extreme, prolonged, or avoidable suffering.

c. Avoid or eliminate to the full extent possible the taking or destruction of non-targeted species.

16. Promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence, and peace.

a. Encourage and support mutual understanding, solidarity, and cooperation among all peoples and within and among planetary nations and planets.

b. Implement comprehensive strategies to prevent violent conflict and use collaborative problem solving to manage and resolve environmental conflicts and other disputes.

c. Demilitarize national security systems to the level of a non-provocative defense posture, and convert military resources to peaceful purposes, including ecological restoration.

d. Eliminate nuclear, biological, and toxic weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

e. Ensure that the use of orbital and outer space supports environmental protection and peace.

f. Recognize that peace is the wholeness created by right relationships with oneself, other persons, other cultures, other life, the planet, and the larger whole of the Universe which all are a part.

17. Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any state, government agency, group, corporation or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the responsibilities, rights, and freedom set forth in this Universe Charter and its underlying documents.

THE UNIVERSE CHARTER PRINCIPLES PART 2:

Universe progressive evolution is directional and is conditioned by the inherent qualities of the universe itself. Knowing and then aligning oneself and one’s organizations to this integral, evolutionary directionality of the universe is essential to sustainability and success at all levels of local, national, planetary, and universe life and evolution.

The universe’s inherent progressive quality and directionality appears to favor manifesting the following re-occurring key action meta-patterns. The main integral and unstoppable (or nearly unstoppable,) processes levels and steps containing the core consistently reoccurring patterns, "products," "universe self-interests" or inherent "values," of the directionality or impulses of progressive evolution are as follows:

  • Continuous creative release of its potentials and potentiality (for a created or evolved thing to become what it can.) This continuous release or realization of potential births continuous change, which births increasing
  • Expanding complexity, (In some ways all of the other progressive levels below can be seen as the unpacking of the previous level of complexity into newer levels of progressing expanding complexity. Expanding complexity like all thing expanding things in the universe requires expanding energy exchanges),
    • Which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then creates... (parts here is meant as things, not necessarily locations,)
  • Expanding growth and/or expansion, (again requiring more energy exchanges,)
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding creativity, (mutation, novelty innovation again requiring more energy exchanges,)
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding self-organization, autopoiesis, which again requires more energy exchanges, (For more on self-organization principles, click here.)
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding self and other awareness and reflectiveness, (other awareness [consciousness,] includes others, the planet, the universe and even that great mystery that is the origin of our universe,) of the relevant exterior and interior environment present, past and future (through future modeling capabilities, through expanding use of technology and prediction skills,) within both the parts of the whole and within the whole itself as a collective union,
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding full-consequence capture, full accountability,(which requires expanding levels of full transparency for all parts of a whole and the wholes themselves. In one way or another, evolution eventually and invariably always enforces increasing levels of consequence capture upon any parts or wholes that do not learn, adapt "cooperate" and progressively evolve.)
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding learning resulting in skill/ability, knowledge, and intelligence,
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding adaptability choice, freedom, autopoiesis (for some parts and wholes in adjusting to the environment or changing the environment,)
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then also emerges...
  • Expanding robustness, redundancies, and reserves of and in the parts and unions,
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding or alternating periods of compression and/or centralization
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding ordering, integration, harmony, and then new synergies, (which again like all of the above in one way or another requires more energy exchanges,)
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding cooperation, (which again requires more energy exchanges,)
    • which then in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding or new cooperative wholes (unions,) of greater scale, (which again requires more energy exchanges,)
    • which then as a consequence of this new or expanding cooperation creates...
  • Expanding interdependence, (by parts and wholes which then also loops back upon the parts and the whole (union,) to further motivate greater cooperation because of the expanded interdependence and expanding interconnectedness,)
    • which in some parts and unions within the universe eventually then emerges...
  • Expanding control over the environment for cooperative unions resulting in expanding sustainability for the cooperating parts and wholes, which again requires more energy exchanges, (in part because of the increased cooperation between and by the parts and the wholes [unions,]) which ​at some developmental level of progressive evolution and only in some human parts within the universe eventually results in...
    • Expanding reflection by those human self-reflective parts upon the total universe environment and the universe's complete evolutionary processes and systems (including the Universe's Big Bang origin.) This creates a whole universe consciousness in the part of the universe. In a way, the universe becomes conscious of itself through its part.
  • And finally at the end of the cycle lies the potential for some form of an expanding transcendence of some parts and wholes (unions,) into new things through many different processes. This then potentially restarts a new cycle (or spiral,) of progressive evolution at a new level where once again continuous creative release of new potentials and potentiality (for the newly evolved or created thing to become what it can.) This continuous release or realization of new potential births continuous change, which births increasing... (through all of most of the cycle of development above.) If transcendence did not occur for any reason, (which also includes, failed experiments, retrogressions, collapses, and extinctions,) then the universe evolutionary process wastes nothing of that which has reached the limits of its existence, growth, or potential release cycle. It then recycles back all those resources and parts back to evolution to be used in new creativity. (Collapses also serve a purpose in removing what would not learn and adapt and for creating new space for new species and evolutionary experiments.) Click here to read more about these patterns of progressive evolution.

This will also help us as individuals and organizations enact this Universe Charter in a principled, fair, and wise manner. These principles may even help us act together as a new type of functioning "planetary country" composed of many different nation-states.

To help you more easily understand and use the universe meta patterns and intrinsic conditioning qualities or progressive evolution the following New Universe Principles links have been provided.

The Universe Principles of Sustainability Part 1: The 9 Most Proven Actions Needed to Create a Sustainable and Successful Life, Organization and Planet

Click Here for Part One of The Universe Principles of Sustainability 

The Universe Principles of Sustainability Part 2: The 9 Primary and 14 Secondary Essential Attitudes for Successful and Sustainable Action 

Click Here for Part Two of The Universe Principles of Sustainability  

THE WAY FORWARD

As never before in history, our common destiny beckons us to seek a new beginning. Such renewal is the promise of the above Universe Charter. To fulfill this promise, we must commit ourselves to adopt and promote the values, ethics, and objectives of the Universe Charter.

This requires for much of the planet a change of mind and heart. It also requires a new awareness of the controlling and conditioning universe evolutionary directionality, our fragile planetary interdependence, and a new universe-grounded sense of co-responsibility that encompasses our planetary and universe evolution responsibilities.

We must imaginatively develop and apply the vision of a sustainable way of universe and planetary life. Our cultural diversity is a precious heritage and different cultures will find their own distinctive ways to realize the vision. We must deepen and expand the progressive evolution universe and planetary dialogue and research that has helped to generate the Universe Charter, for we have much to learn about life and its evolution from the ongoing collaborative search and research for truth and wisdom.

Life often involves tensions between important values. This can mean difficult choices. However, we must find ways to harmonize diversity with unity, the exercise of freedom with the common good, and short-term objectives with the long-term progressive evolutionary goals of the universe if we are going to be successful at all.

Every individual, family, organization, community, and government has a vital role to play. The arts, sciences, religions, educational institutions, media, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and governments are all called to offer creative leadership. The partnership of government, civil society, and business are essential for effective governance in these matters.

In order to build a sustainable planetary community based upon the deeper controlling universe evolutionary principles, the nations of the planet must renew their commitment to seek new forms of planetary union related to these common issues and, fulfill their obligations under existing planetary agreements as well as support the implementation of Universe Charter principles with new legally binding instruments on environment and development.

Let this be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for the universe and all its life. Let us all hold the firm resolve to achieve a sustainable prosperity for all, that embraces justice and peace and the joyful celebration of life.

Important Notes and Links Related to the Universe Charter:

1.) Promotion of the Universe Charter is part of the activities of Universe Day each January 1 st. It is also an important part of the educational documents relating to enlightened universe citizenship and applying the Universe Principles of Sustainability.

2.) We invite your comments concerning additions or deletions you think need to be made as we seek to add other perspectives to further enhance the ideals and guidelines for universe rights and universe responsibilities for sustainable and ethical planetary living in the 21st century and beyond.

3.) This document does not imply an endorsement of its authors or authoring Universe Spirit organization for any implied political position by our non-profit organization. 

4.) Much of this document was adapted from the original Earth charter found at http://www.earthcharterusa.org/earth_charter.html .

5.) Version 2.0 of this document was created on Oct 14, 2013, by Lawrence Wollersheim a Life and Spirit Facilitator within the Universe Spirit Movement.

6.) Nothing in Universe Charter may be interpreted as implying for any state, government agency, group, corporation, or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the responsibilities, rights, and freedom set forth in this Charter and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

7.) The terms Universe Citizen or Universe Citizenship includes the most life-affirming and progressive evolution aligned principles of other movements such as; Cosmopolitanism, Global citizenship, Postnationalism, Planetary Citizenship, Transnationalism, World Federalists, World government, World citizenship, and Earth citizenship while still transcending them with a far larger universe-based scale as well as many other new ideas and principles.

9.) In order to be the most effective evolutionary and planetary citizen that you can be, one also really needs to be a Universe Citizen. With the universe-scaled evolutionary perspective and universe-scaled wisdom of a Universe Citizen problems that seem unsolvable to an individual holding, just the perspective and wisdom of planetary citizens get solved.

What's Next 

Click here, for your next personalized best exploration step to find out... What types of individuals this new science and evolution spirituality integrated organization is designed for and, what would be your best next exploration step based upon your greatest current interests and unique personal background?

 

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