Final Declaration of the 2nd International Environmental Counsel
580 participants met in Gelsenkirchen/Germany for the 2nd international Environmental Counsel on 8 and 9 October 2011. Among them were international participants from Brazil, Chile, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine and the USA. In two plenary discussions, 10 forums and 14 workshops we discussed:
Humanity is standing at a crossroad: The foundations of life and the future of the present and future generations are directly called into question. The serious possibility is developing that humankind cannot survive on this planet. This dramatic situation is confronting the international environmental movement with the challenge to develop a new quality of worldwide, enduring and reliable cooperation.
Essential factors, in close interaction, for the development to a global environmental catastrophe are:
- the transition into a global climate catastrophe through the emission of greenhouse gases,
- this year’s development of the biggest ozone hole up to now in the northern hemisphere,
- the radioactive contamination of the earth, which was intensified enormously by the nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima,
- the destruction the oceans’ biosphere, the rain forests, the diversity of flora and fauna undermine the foundations of food production,
- the pollution of the environment by electric smog,
- the merciless overexploitation of the resources, for instance fracking and biofuel,
- new risky technologies like CCS and genetic engineering, which are developed as a part of strategies for greenwashing and have devastating consequences,
- senseless large-scale projects like Stuttgart 21 or the extension of big airports.
Read more: Final Declaration of the 2nd International Environmental Counsel
2nd International Environmental Counsel: successful departure to an internationally connected active environmental movement
580 participants from 15 countries took part in the 2nd International Environmental Counsel in Gelsenkirchen (Germany) on 8/9 October 2011.
An intensive exchange of experiences among the participants took place in two plenary discussions, nine forums and thirteen workshops about 
very diverse topics of the environmental movement. People from different citizens’ action groups, environmental associations, trade unions, local political initiatives and parties, from the women’s movement, international solidarity work, migrant organizations, young people, farmers, environmental enterprises, artists, scientists and interested citizens came.
The challenge to act quickly in the face of the acute threatening of the foundations of life and the future of the current and coming generations through the development to a global environmental catastrophe was taken on unanimously. Priority was given to the discussion on how the environmental movement can enforce the necessary fundamental changes in the face of the variety of promising technologies and scientific solutions, in face of the fact that these solutions are not taken up, but instead are actually suppressed in the interest of leading international corporations.
