Black Lives Matter is Teaching us Systems Thinking, and Why the Earth Charter is Important
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The death of African-American George Floyd sent ripples across the world, uniting people of different colours in demand for justice. Protests started in his hometown of Minneapolis and soon spread around the American country.
In no time, the demonstrations torched Europe, as the citizens and governments of different European countries came out in support of Floyd and justice. The Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement left the American and European continents and travelled around the world even faster than the novel Coronavirus. Murals and other art forms were made in protests to support Floyd while demanding for justice and legal reforms for African-Americans in the USA.
As American President Donald Trump continues to assault protesters with the Police and Military, protesters remain defiant in their demand for equality of life. The sporadic response of citizens around the world to the #BLM movement has proven yet again that we are all connected, and that injustice to anyone anywhere in the world is an injustice to everyone everywhere. This demonstrates the interconnectedness of ideas, beliefs, and people across the globe. In thinking about this, I am reminded of the principles of systems thinking and the Earth Charter.
What are Systems Thinking and Earth Charter?
Systems thinking is the understanding and acknowledgement that all organisms, life-forms and non-life forms are connected in an intricate system of which we all participate. System thinking acknowledges that action in one part of the system affects other parts of the system. It is an awareness of the role of structure in creating the conditions we face; a recognition that there are powerful laws of systems operating that we are unaware of; a realisation that there are consequences to our actions to which we are oblivious.
The Earth Charter is an ethical framework for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society. It is centrally concerned with the transition to sustainable ways of living and human development. The Earth Charter recognises that ecological protection, the eradication of poverty, equitable economic development, respect for human rights, democracy, and peace are interdependent.
To create a synergy between Systems Thinking and Earth Charter, we can say that Systems Thinking is the acknowledgement of the interdependence of life, while the Earth Charter is an ethical document that guides our behaviour in acknowledgement of this interdependence, and how we can sustainably protect the world.
How Systems Thinking and Earth Charter relate to Floyd
The Earth Charter has four pillars which are sub-divided into 16 principles:
1. Respect and Care for the Community of Life
a. Interdependence of all life
b. Love and responsibility
c. Democracy and freedom
d. Justice across generations
2. Ecological Integrity
a. Protect Earth’s diversity
b. Prevent ecological harm
c. Sustainable lifestyles
d. Share knowledge
3. Social and Economic Justice
a. Eradicate poverty
b. Equitable human development
c. Gender equality and equity
d. Dignity, inclusion and well-being
4. Democracy, Non-violence, and Peace
a. Transparency and participation
b. Integrate values into education
c. Respect all living beings
d. Nonviolence and peace
The social, economic, and racial injustice in the USA and across the world have proven that we have paid little attention to systems thinking and development premised on the ethical teaching of the Earth Charter, and this has created a flawed reality for all of us as humans across different social classes. Respecting the pillars and principles of the Earth Charter will not only help to reduce injustice but will also create an atmosphere for more sustainability-themed conversations towards making our world a better place.
There wouldn’t be ‘Us v Them’ warfare, violence would be reduced, and challenges would be addressed as a global concern for everybody — not just as a concern for a sect, or group. The world has never been more connected than we today, and Floyd’s incidence proves it.
The Way Forward According to the Earth Charter
We must imaginatively develop and apply the vision of a sustainable way of life locally, nationally, regionally, and globally. Our cultural diversity is a precious heritage, and different cultures will find their distinctive ways to realise the vision. We must deepen and expand the global dialogue that generated the Earth Charter, for we have much to learn from the on-going collaborative search for truth and wisdom. Life often involves tensions between important values.
This can mean difficult choices. However, we must find ways to harmonise diversity with unity, the exercise of freedom with the common good, short-term objectives with long-term goals. Every individual, family, organisation, and community has a vital role to play. The arts, sciences, religions, educational institutions, media, businesses, nongovernmental organisations, and governments are all called to offer creative leadership. The partnership of government, civil society, and business is essential for effective governance.
To build a sustainable global community, the nations of the world must renew their commitment to the United Nations, fulfil their obligations under existing international agreements, and support the implementation of Earth Charter principles with an international legally binding instrument on environment and development.
Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.
