A/RES/71/232
Harmony with Nature
Development, which is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, supports and complements it, helps to contextualize its means of
implementation targets with concrete policies and actions, and reaffirms the strong
political commitment to address the challenge of financing and creating an enabling
environment at all levels for sustainable development in the spirit of global
partnership and solidarity,
Recalling its resolutions 64/196 of 21 December 2009, 65/164 of 20 December
2010, 66/204 of 22 December 2011, 67/214 of 21 December 2012, 68/216 of
20 December 2013, 69/224 of 19 December 2014 and 70/208 of 22 December 2015
on Harmony with Nature and its resolution 63/278 of 22 April 2009, by which it
designated 22 April as International Mother Earth Day,
Recalling also the 1982 World Charter for Nature, 7
Noting with appreciation the virtual dialogue on Harmony with Nature among,
inter alia, experts on Earth jurisprudence, including the participation of those who
have been active in the interactive dialogues of the General Assembly, held from
22 April to 22 June 2016 and hosted on the website on Harmony with Nature, to
commemorate International Mother Earth Day and to inspire citizens and societies
to reconsider how they interact with the natural world in order to implement the
Sustainable Development Goals in harmony with nature , noting that some countries
recognize the rights of nature in the context of the promotion of sustainable
development,
Recognizing that planet Earth and its ecosystems are our home and that
“Mother Earth” is a common expression in a number of countries and reg ions,
noting that some countries recognize the rights of nature in the context of the
promotion of sustainable development, and expressing the conviction that, in order
to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of
present and future generations, it is necessary to promote harmony with nature,
Noting that, in promoting a holistic approach to achieving sustainable
development in harmony with nature, Earth system science plays a significant role,
Expressing concern about documented environmental degradation, potentially
more frequent and intense natural disasters and the negative impact on nature
resulting from human activity, and recognizing the need to strengthen scientific
knowledge on the effects of human activities on the Earth systems, with the aim of
promoting and ensuring an equitable, balanced and sustainable relationship with the
Earth,
Noting the Peoples’ World Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of
Mother Earth, hosted by the Plurinational State of Bolivia in Cochabamba from
20 to 22 April 2010, 8
Recognizing that a number of countries consider Mother Earth the source of all
life and nourishment and that these countries consider Mother Earth and humankind
to be an indivisible, living community of interrelated and interdependent beings,
Noting that in recent years there have been many initiatives on sustainable
development governance, including policy documents on living well in harmony
with nature,
_______________
7
8
2/5
Resolution 37/7, annex.
See A/64/777, annexes I and II.