The Board of the International Humanist and Ethical Union welcomes the guideline[s] being prepared for the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, especially as these emphasise the moral and ethical implications of the new concepts of environment and resources which need to be accepted. The IHEU believes that it need involve no derogation of sovereignty to affirm that states should regard the natural resource of their territories – both in materials and amenities – as a trust for the whole of mankind. Technical assistance to countries developing their industries should include advice on the known dangers of the misuse of resources.
The IHEU believes that action to halt environmental destruction must include education at all levels about the problems of pollution and waste of resources, so that this knowledge becomes common property. Such education can also draw attention to the constructive and cooperative programs already introduced – the Weather Watch, the developing Satellite Communication Systems – and to the effort being made to prevent misuse of the ocean floors and outer space. The IHEU sees the spreading of these new ideas as an essential humanist concern, and pledges itself and its member organisations to promote this sort of education and to support and publicise the Conference on the Human Environment.
Board of Directors 1970
'UN Conference on the Human Environment', Humanists International, Board of Directors, 1970