Today, the enormous power of science to transform the natural world makes this a vital question for us all to consider. A world in which rainforests expand, oceans and lakes teem with fish and marine mammals, new coral reefs are born, the variety of species of life expand and the human prospect grows ever more secure. The future lies in our hands, and we have ability to create it. For the first time, we citizens have the means to chart a new course. We don't have to leave the definition of the future to random forces, which may be ecologically destructive or unresponsive to human needs.
Real change comes from below, from a groundswell of humanity's joined efforts.
Our elected leaders are handicapped by the legacies of the age of nation states and the roller coaster of modern economic forces. Today, few in positions of power have the wellbeing of all global citizens as their primary mission. Our greatest responsibility at this time is to rise to the opportunity and to work together to create and implement a new vision for the global community. There is a dominant belief in much of the industrial world that market forces are the best available instrument to bring about a better future. The truth is, market forces do not provide satisfying conditions except to a very small minority of the world's wealthiest citizens.