Solutions to Rapid Urbanization

The 21st Century Schoolhouse

International Youth Environmental Summit

Solutions to Rapid Urbanization

Article # 1:

Citizens have the right to an environment that is not harmful to their
health or well being.

Objective:

To improve environmental conditions and provide safe habitats for all
life.

Method:

Government passes laws to plan and provide environmentally sound cities,
considering that people should not live in polluted or unsafe areas.

Evaluation:

Each country subscribing to the Declaration of Environmental Rights and
Responsibilities will send six representatives, composed of people with
medical, legal, political, economic, educational, and scientific
expertise, to a general assembly. The collective assembly will review
the sustainable solutions outlined in the Declaration of Environmental
Rights and Responsibilities through the internet. The group will elect a
chairman and vice chairman from its members to lead annual meetings. The
meetings will be held in each country, based on a rotating schedule, for
the purpose of amending solutions to make them more effective.

Article #2:

Citizens have the right to an environment that is protected for the
benefit of present and future generations.

Objective:

To make environmental resources sustainable and make the economy reliant
upon a sustainable environment.

Method:

Government encourages private investment in sustainable industries, like
solar energy, public transportation, and water reclamation, with
financial rewards.

Evaluation:

Article #3:

Citizens have the right to basic services including adequate shelter,
health services, electricity, water supplies, and food.

Objective:

Government, with private help, provides essential services that will
improve the quality of life.

Method :

Information should be gathered about what is needed and where. Implement
and provide opportunity for employment so that citizens can earn a
living to pay for maintenance of services. Homes should be subsidized by
government and corporations. Government provides basic health services
using advanced technologies and medicines at minimum costs, with
alternatives available.

Evaluation:

Article #4:

Citizens have the right to basic education including adult basic
education.

Objective:

To empower citizens with knowledge and skills.

Method:

Government improves educational systems to include curriculum focused on
job skills and life skills to prepare people for employment opportunities.
Also, education is made more accessible by creating schools, technical
universities, and universities with licensed teachers who help students,
including adults and the disabled, toward earning a basic education
certificate.

Evaluation:

Article #5:

Citizens have the right to gainful employment opportunities.

Objective:

To create more jobs.

Method:

In order to prevent rapid urbanization and conserve natural ecosystems,
private industry will utilize natural resources to promote tourism and
create jobs in both rural and urban areas. Using subsidies, government
promotes private and foreign investment in environmentally sound
development in rural areas.

Evaluation:

Article #6:

Citizens have the right to environmentally safe and cost-effective
technologies.

Objective:

To allow environmental technologies to be more accessible and at lower
cost to the community.

Method:

Government and private industry provide funding for research,
development, and improvement of environmentally safe and cost-effective
technologies by sponsoring engineers and creating institutions.

Evaluation:

Article #7:

Government and individuals have the responsibility to control population
growth and the spread of disease through effective health education and
family planning.

Objective:

To control population growth and disease.

Method:

Government provides counseling for effective family planning and medical
health clinics, making them both mobile for rural areas, and accessible
for urban areas.

Evaluation:

Article #8:

Government and local authorities have the responsibility to upgrade
basic civil services to ensure sustainable housing, better health
services, sanitation, and electricity.

Objective:

Government, with private help, provides essential services that will
improve the quality of life.

Method:

Government organizes basic health services at minimized costs and in
accessible locations, and provides education so that people can make
informed decisions about their treatment.

Evaluation:

Article #9:

Government and local authorities have the responsibility to improve
public transportation so that the use of private motor vehicles is
minimized, thus reducing congestion, and air and noise pollution.

Objective:

To make public transportation clean, efficient, and accessible to the
community.

Method:

Industries improve cars to be environmentally friendly. Government
reduces the manufacturing of private cars and sponsors manufacturing of
public transportation vehicles, encouraging people to use them by
raising parking and gasoline prices.

Evaluation:

Article #10:

Government and local authorities have the responsibility to encourage
higher urban densities and promote rural development so that there may
be greater conservation of natural environments.

Objective:

To preserve natural environments.

Method:

Government implements urban growth boundaries to increase urban
densities; this allows for greater concentration on sustainable
development of rural areas to conserve natural environments.

Evaluation:

Article #11:

Government and local authorities have the responsibility to improve
communication systems to relay environmental information.

Objective:

To open communication that would help people become environmentally
literate so that they can carry out their civic responsibilities.

Method:

Media industries create continuous television, radio, newspaper,
magazine, and public address systems for the community with information
on how to help the environment. Government creates internet access for
every community.

Evaluation:

Article #12:

Government, local authorities, and individuals have the responsibility
to promote capacity building and community involvement through
environmental programs that will make citizens more environmentally
responsible.

Objective:

To build community involvement in environmental programs and promote the
individual's responsibilities toward the environment.

Method:

Government creates environmental courses in and out of schools.
Communities organize programs for recycling and environmental campaigns.

Evaluation:

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