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Home = = =Sustainable Development Glossary - Selected Important Terms, Concepts and International Agreements =

Section 2: Prominent International Organisations Working in Sustainable Development
(In addition to the Section 1, above-referenced, United Nations Organisations).
 * //EARTHSCAN //**

 __EARTHSCAN web-page is found at__:

(2007). //Homepage// [online]. EARTHSCAN. Available from: [|http://www.earthscan.co.uk] [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].  __Explanation of EARTHSCAN__:

EARTHSCAN is one of the leading publishers in Sustainable Development. They are often used by the United Nations for the publishing of scientific materials. EARTHSCAN is based in London, England. //SOURCE//: Esakin, Thomas C. (2008). //Important Terms, Concepts and International Agreements in Sustainable Development//. Citation of unpublished document.   __Earth Charter web-page is found at__:
 * // Earth Charter (aka The Earth Charter Initiative)  //**

//Homepage// [online]. The Earth Charter Initiative. Available from: http://www.earthcharter.org/ [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

__Explanation of the Earth Charter__:  “The Earth Charter is a widely recognized, global consensus statement on ethics and values for a sustainable future. Developed over a period of ten years, in what has been called the most extensive global consultation process ever associated with an international declaration, the Earth Charter has been formally endorsed by over 2,500 organizations, including global institutions such as UNESCO and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).”

//SOURCE//: //Earth Charter in Action: About the Earth Charter// [online]. The Earth Charter Initiative. Available from: http://earthcharterinaction.org/about_charter.html [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

//**Global Footprint Network (GFN)**//

__GFN web-page is found at__:

//Homepage// [online]. Global Footprint Network - Advancing the Science of Sustainability. Available from: [|http://www.footprintnetwork.org] [Accessed: 07 March 2008].

__Explanation of the GFN__:

“Global Footprint Network is committed to fostering a world where all people have the opportunity to live satisfying lives within the means of Earth's ecological capacity. [They] are dedicated to advancing the scientific rigor and practical application of the Ecological Footprint [EF], a tool that quantifies human demand on nature, and nature's capacity to meet these demands. Conceived in 1990 by Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees at The University of British Columbia, the Ecological Footprint is now in wide use by governments, communities, and businesses to monitor current ecological resource balances and to plan for the future....

Global Footprint Network's vision is to make the Ecological Footprint as prominent a metric as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “

//SOURCE//: (2007). //About Us - At A Glance// [online]. Global Footprint Network - Advancing the Science of Sustainability. Available from: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/gfn_sub.php?content=ataglance [Accessed: 07 March 2008].

//**Institute for Ethical Leadership (IEL)**//

__IEL web-page is found at__:

(2008). //Institute for Ethical Leadership Homepage// [online]. Institute for Ethical Leadership. Available from [|http://www.ethicalleadership.com] [Accessed: 08 April 2008].

__Explanation of IEL__:

(//The following information is taken from the above-referenced source on the IEL//.)

“The Institute for Ethical Leadership was founded in 1998 to raise awareness of the importance of ethical leadership and to provide opportunities for leaders to come together to discuss and learn how to apply high standards of ethical practice in their work. Through meetings, conferences and seminars the Institute has brought an ethical focus on key issues ranging from the environment to health, business and education. It is now working to bring a stronger focus on teaching and learning through the creation of a new discipline of ethical leadership.”

//**International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)**//

__ICLEI web-page is found at__:

(2007). //ICLEI Global: Homepage// [online]. ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability. Available from: http://www.iclei.org/ [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

__Explanation of ICLEI__:

(//The following information is taken from the above-referenced source on the ICLEI//.)

ICLEI - Founded at (but NOT by) the United Nations in 1990 during the World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future, held at the UN in New York City. The ICLEI “...is an international association of local governments and national and regional local government organizations that have made a commitment to sustainable development. More than 700 cities, towns, counties, and their associations worldwide comprise ICLEI's growing membership.” The ICLEI has regional offices located around the world, with its global office based in Toronto, Canada.

//SOURCE//: (2007). //ICLEI Global: About ICLEI Global// [online]. ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability. Available from: http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=global-about-iclei [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

//**International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)**//

__IISD web-page is found at__:

(2008). //IISD Home// [online]. iisd: International Institute for Sustainable Development. Available from: [|http://www.iisd.org] [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

__Explanation of IISD__:

IISD - Established in 1990, the IISD is a “policy research institute” that promotes “change toward sustainable development.” This NGO has “...a diverse team of more than 150 people located in more than 30 countries” and has established partnerships “...with more than 200 organisations throughout the world” including with the UN. the IISD is based in Winnipeg, Canada.

//SOURCE//: (2008). //About IISD// [online]. iisd: International Institute for Sustainable Development. Available from: http://www.iisd.org/about/ [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

AND

The mission of the IISD is to “champion sustainable development around the world through innovation, partnerships, research and communications.”

//SOURCE//: (2008). //IISD Home// [online]. iisd: International Institute for Sustainable Development. Available from: [|http://www.iisd.org] [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

//**Sustainability Leadership Institute**//

__The Sustainability Leadership Institute web-page is found at__:

//Sustainability Leadership Institute Homepage// [online]. Available from: [|http://www.sustainabilityleaders.org] [Accessed: 08 April 2008].

__Explanation of Sustainability Leadership Institute__:

(SOURCE of the proceeding information is the “Sustainability Leadership Institute Homepage” web-page link of above.)

“The Sustainability Leadership Institute is a research and educational organization dedicated to developing leadership capacity in local, national and international organizations and communities needed to create a more sustainable economic, environmental and social future.”

//**The Natural Step (TNS)**//

__TNS International web-page is found at__:

(2003). //The Natural Step International Gateway// [online]. The Natural Step. Available from: http://www.naturalstep.com/com/nyStart/ [Accessed: 07 March 2008].

__TNS Canada web-page is found at__:

//The Natural Step CANADA Homepage// [online]. The Natural Step. Available from: http://www.naturalstep.ca/ [Accessed: 07 March 2008].

__Explanation of TNS__:

(SOURCES of the proceeding information are the “The Natural Step International Gateway” web-page and “The Natural Step CANADA Homepage” web-page links of above.)

“Since 1988, The Natural Step has worked to accelerate global sustainability by guiding companies, communities and governments onto an ecologically, socially and economically sustainable path.”

“Founded in ... Sweden by Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt, the organization now has offices in 11 countries and ... work[s] with hundreds of corporations, municipalities, academic institutions and non-profit organizations to help them achieve their sustainability goals.

//**The World Conservation Union (IUCN)**//

__IUCN web-page is found at__:

(2007). //IUCN Home// [online]. IUCN: The World Conservation Union. Available from: http://www.iucn.org/ [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

__Explanation of IUCN__:

IUCN - Founded in 1948, the World Conservation Union is the world’s largest and arguably most important conservation network. “The Union brings together 83 States, 110 government agencies, more than 800 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique worldwide partnership.

The Union’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.

The World Conservation Union is a multicultural, multilingual organization with 1100 staff located in 40 countries. Its headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland.”

//SOURCE//: (2007). //IUCN Home// [online]. IUCN: The World Conservation Union. Available from: http://www.iucn.org/en/about/ [Re-accessed: 06 March 2008].

//**Transparency International (TI)**//

__TI web-page is found at__:

//Home// [online]. Transparency International: the global coalition against corruption. Available from: http://www.transparency.org/ [Accessed: 07 March 2008].

__Explanation of TI__:

“Transparency International, the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, brings people together in a ... worldwide coalition to end the... impact of corruption on men, women and children around the world.

TI’s mission is to create change towards a world free of corruption.

Transparency International challenges the inevitability of corruption, and offers hope.... Transparency International is a global network including more than 90....chapters.”

//SOURCE//: //About Transparency International - What is Transparency International?// [online]. Transparency International: the global coalition against corruption. Available from: http://www.transparency.org/about_us [Accessed: 07 March 2008].

//**UNESCO - Education for Sustainable Development: United Nations Decade (2005-2014)(DESD)**//

__DESD web-page is found at__:

//UNESCO - United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development Homepage// [online]. UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Available from http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=27234&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html [Accessed: 08 April 2008].

__Explanation of DESD__:

(SOURCE of the proceeding information is the “UNESCO - United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development Homepage” web-page link of above.)

“The goal of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014, DESD).... is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability,, and a just society for present and future generations.”