Emergency Earth Rescue Administration

Short title: Earth Rescue

Whereas:

The people of Earth have a new common enemy, which requires an emergency world-wide campaign in which both East and West, North and South, must abandon armaments and join in common cause for survival.

The new Common Enemy is the rapidly accelerating increase of Carbon Di-oxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, which is already resulting in cataclysmic climatic changes.

The climatic and resulting catastrophes, which could become irreversible within a decade unless the “greenhouse syndrome” of accumulating CO2 is reversed, include:

• Widespread drought, which is likely to continue relentlessly year after year, and to devastate more and more countries;
  • Rapidly spreading deserts and forest die-outs;
  • Many erratic weather extremes, together with high winds and forest fires, all serving to make agriculture, food production and living conditions difficult;
  • Repeated crop failures in the temperate zone “bread baskets” of the world;
  • Massive starvation for hundreds of millions of people, beginning in the poorer countries, but spreading to the developed countries as food supplies run low;
  • Excessive evaporation from oceans in the lower latitudes, then drawn by air currents to higher latitudes where precipitation as snowfall will increase under continuous cloud cover, thus resulting in accumulations which will turn to ice;
  • The unexpectedly rapid onset of a new ice age;
  • Vast areas become uninhabitable, leading to attempted mass migrations of people, but nowhere to go;
  • Soon the pressure of growing ice fields on Earth will result in increasing volcanic eruptions at release points spewing great quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere, and pushing the whole process beyond the point of no return.

SEVERAL CONCURRENT REASONS FOR THE RAPID INCREASE OF CO2 IN THE ATMOSPHERE INCLUDE:

• Rapid de-forestation, due to over-cutting for fuel, lumber, and conversion of forest land to the raising of cattle for beef, particularly in the tropics and sub-tropics where vigorous forest growth is particularly critical to hold the CO2 in dynamic balance;

• Weak and un-healthy forest growth, resulting from general soil-demineralization worldwide, together with acid rain and other pollutants. Healthy forest and tree growth is necessary to keep the balance of CO2 in the atmosphere, because trees take in CO2 and store carbon in the process of growth.

• Burning of fossil fuels, both coal and oil, which releases stored carbon in CO2 form.

• General loss of top soil and soil fertility, leading to generally less healthy plant growth, which is then unable to use up as much CO2.

• Heavy meat eating diets, which are increasing as affluence spreads, which puts economic pressure for conversion of forest lands to cattle raising and other meat production.

We recognize that present day civilizations have developed during an inter-glacial period of little more than 10,000 years, and that another ice age might ordinarily be expected to recur from natural causes, as in the past history of the Earth. In the present circumstances, however, the actions of people are hastening the advent of another glacial period. At the same time, it may be equally possible for people to prevent a new ice age from overwhelming civilization by taking appropriate corrective steps now to restore a dynamic balance

THEREFORE:

• AN EMERGENCY EARTH RESCUE ADMINISTRATION IS HEREBY CREATED.

• THE EMERGENCY EARTH RESCUE ADMINISTRATION (EERA) shall carry out a coordinated worldwide emergency campaign on several major fronts concurrently, in order to overcome the increase of CO2 before climatic and geological changes become irreversible:

• FIRST FRONT: MASSIVE REFORESTATION.The Emergency Earth Rescue Administration shall do the following:
  • Make an inventory of all areas in the world suitable for reforestation and tree plantings to re-capture maximum net amounts of CO2. Give special attention to soil mineral content and other particular requirements of each area.
  • Select areas to begin re-forestation and tree plantations, where the fastest growth and maximum retrieval of CO2 may be accomplished in the shortest possible time. For this purpose, particular attention may be given to tropical and sub-tropical areas, providing water is available.**Note: If CO2 accumulations continue too long, causing protracted drought and desert conditions, the affected areas may then become difficult or impossible to reforest from lack of water and rain.
  • Select a variety of trees suitable for re-forestation and tree plantations for various areas, taking into consideration rapidity of growth, net CO2 recovery, water requirements, fruit and nut crop production, usable timber crops.
  • Establish and expand nurseries to expedite growth of many billions of trees for re-planting.
  • Proceed with re-forestation and tree plantings on as much available land as possible, including de-forested lands, publicly owned land, roadside strips, wind-break strips, continuously renewable tree crop areas, tree crops to produce food and wood products.
  • For the work of re-forestation and tree plantings, employ the unemployed wherever possible, particularly the unemployed of less developed countries as well as the unemployed everywhere, and also people who may be displaced during the transition away from fossil fuels.

• SECOND FRONT:
  • MASSIVE RE-MINERALIZATION OF FOREST LANDS AND CROP LANDS, since the mineral content of the soil is most important for healthy, vigorous growth, able to re-incorporate the carbon content in trees and plants, and also for truly nutritious food crops.
    • Determine mineral mixes in powdered rock form best suited for healthy tree and plant growth in various areas. E.g., combination of lava flow, glacial deposits and limestone.
    • Contract with or establish quarries and rock or gravel grinding operations in locations around the world, to provide hundreds of millions of tons of appropriate mineral mixes ready for application.
    • Select areas to begin re-mineralization operations, particularly areas to be reforested and planted in tree crops, and areas where forests are dying or weakened from de-mineralized soils, acid rain and other pollutants.
    • For re-mineralization on a mass scale, equip thousands of airplanes to carry out the remineralization in a manner similar to crop dusting. If possible, convert available military aircraft for this emergency campaign.
    • Continue until all forest lands, tree crop areas and crop lands are re-mineralized, which in addition to maximizing vigorous tree growth will also result in more nutritious fruit and nut crops and more nutritious agricultural products generally.
  • MASSIVE MINERALIZATION AND REMINERALIZATION IN SELECTED AREAS OF THE OCEANS OF EARTH, AND IN MAN-MADE LAKES:

    Considering that the phytoplankton in the oceans shares with the rain forests and other forest on land in the natural process of recycling the carbon dioxide and oxygen of the atmosphere and in keeping nature’s balance especially during an inter-glacial period, and may account for 50% or more of the recycling and storage of carbon dioxide;

    Considering that the phytoplankton are in grave danger of depletion by reason of ultraviolet radiation resulting from ozone depletion, yet at the same time under favorable nutritive conditions can grow and multiply many times more rapidly than forests for purposes of recapturing the excess carbon dioxide now in the atmosphere;

    And recognizing that recent research and living scientific demonstrations have proven the great potential for stimulating rapid phytoplankton growth and multiplication by mineral fertilization, particularly by iron solutions where experiments in oceans have demonstrated rapid increase in phytoplankton from twelve times to eighty times the normal rate;

    THEREFORE:

    • The Emergency Earth Rescue Administration (EERA) shall accomplish mineralization of phytoplankton by properly prepared iron solutions on a very massive scale in those parts of the oceans best suited for the recapture of the excess atmospheric carbon dioxide, e.g., in a wide belt around the earth of the trade-winds zones, and a wide belt around the Earth north of Antarctica, and in other selected areas. This can be done immediately, without waiting for the slow growth and re-growth of forests, or by the agreement of nations now controlling forest areas, and therefore the EERA shall expedite by giving mineralization of oceans top priority. For this purpose, EERA shall recruit qualified scientific and technical persons who are not timid about going ahead with this action as a top priority.
    • The Emergency Earth Rescue Administration shall research the efficacy and environmental impact of the creation of extensive artificial lakes in temperate or semi-arid locations where water is available, to grow forms of algae on a massive scale. If the EERA determines efficacy, EERA will implement the creation of artificial lakes. The EERA shall administrate, supervise or regulate the care of these lakes. which can then be harvested for soil amendment or with some species used for valuable human food supplementation.

• THIRD FRONT: EXPEDITE THE TRANSITION FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SUPPLIES AND TECHNOLOGYThe goal is to achieve a 50% to 90% reduction in use of coal and oil as energy sources within six to ten years.. The Emergency Earth Rescue Administration shall do the following:
  • Initiate, or help initiate, and coordinate a global crash program of research and development for alternative sources of energy that are both safe and sustainable.
  • Attend particularly to the potential and technologies for solar and hydrogen power and energy.
  • Expedite the transition both for heating and cooling purposes, for industrial and commercial power, for conversion to electricity, and for transportation.
  • Collaborate with other agencies working towards the same ends, particularly under the terms of other world legislation concerning world energy supplies and technologies.

• FOURTH FRONT: PUBLICITY. To mobilize worldwide public support and cooperation in this emergency campaign, the EERA shall carry out an extensive global program of publicity, information, education and advertising.

• ON ALL FRONTS, encourage, foster and coordinate the participation of all concerned agencies, both public and private, both local, regional, national and international, in this common campaign for re-forestation, re-mineralization, and the transition to safe and sustainable energy supplies.

• This Act does not limit the fronts of the emergency campaign to those defined herein, and other fronts may be defined and developed by the Administration of the EERA.

• A BOARD OF TRUSTEES of up to 200 members, serving terms of five years, shall be created to direct and administer the EERA, within the framework and specifications of this World Legislation, and composes as follows:
  • The provisional World Parliament or the provisional World Cabinet to be created by the provisional World Parliament shall elect or appoint 20% of the members ;
  • The national governments or national legislatures that ratify the Earth Constitution shall designate 30% of the members. The first 10 ratifying countries shall name ten members, the next 20 ratifiers shall name ten members, the next 30 shall name ten members, and the remaining countries shall name 10 members. Until such ratifications have been accomplished the provisional World Parliament or provisional World Cabinet may appoint parliamentary or governmental leaders from various countries to serve on a temporary basis until members are duly named by the ratifying countries;
  • Subnational governmental entities that ratify this world legislation including states, provinces, cities, local and regional authorities shall elect or appoint 25% of the members;
  • Organizations and corporations that ratify the Earth Constitution shall elect 25% of the members.

The provisional World Parliament or the provisional World Cabinet shall designate three Co-Chairpersons for the Board of Trustees from three different continents, and shall designate an Executive Director and five Regional Directors, all of whom shall serve ex-officio with vote on the Board of Trustees. Each Trustee have one vote and only one vote, and there is no proxy voting.

The Board of Trustees for EERA shall do whatever is necessary to implement this world legislation as expeditiously as legal in conformance with world legislation and the Earth Constitution. The Board of Trustees shall establish its own rules of procedure and operating structure within the framework and terms of this World Legislation.

The Board of Trustees is responsible to the provisional World Parliament and provisional World Cabinet, and in due course to the World Government established under a ratified Earth Constitution. The Board of Trustees shall make annual reports together with interim reports as necessary.

• The Board of Trustees shall elect an EARTH RESCUE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (EREC) of 21-33 members to manage the daily operations of EERA between meetings of the full Board of Trustees. Included ex-officio on the EREC are the three Co-Chairpersons and the Executive Director. The EREC is responsible for preparing the operating budgets for EERA, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees. EREC shall employ all necessary key personnel.

• FUNDING: In separate world legislation, the provisional World Parliament shall determine the values for equity salaries that are payable in Earth credits or Earth currency. Since the task of EERA is similar in nature to a war for which all available resources are mobilized and given priority, the Earth Federation Funding Corporation shall fund EERA in similar proportions, amounting to an Earth credit or Earth currency equivalent of three million annual equity salaries per year, or more. Sources of funding shall include:
  • Approprations by those national governments which ratify this world legislation for EERA. Appropriations requested from national governments for EERA are 20% of the amounts currently being spent for military purposes.
  • This Act directs national governments to cancel military contracts for weapons of mass destruction, and to transfer unspent funds through the Earth Federation Funding Corporation to the Emergency Earth Rescue Administration, as well as to other useful peacetime projects for world economic development and to serve human needs in accordance with World Legislative Act Number Two of the first session of the provisional World Parliament, and World Legislative Act Number 7 of this second session of the provisional World Parliament.
  • Approprations and contributions from sub-national political entities, communities, corporations, organizations and individuals, through the Earth Federation Funding Corporation.
  • Sale of EARTH BONDS, if other sources of funding do not prove adequate. The Earth Constitution (Article 17, Section F.), requires the World Government to redeem priority contribution Earth Bonds for individuals at double the original value after the commencement of the first operative stage of world government. World Legislative Act Number 7, for the Earth Federation Funding Corporation, adopted at the Second Session of the provisional World Parliament, provides the procedures for the sale and redemption of Earth Bonds

• ORIGINAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: To begin and expedite the EERA, the provisional World Parliament or the provisional World Cabinet shall appoint an Original Executive Committee (OEC), to be composed of from 5 to 21 members. The Second Session of the provisional World Parliament shall appoint first 5 members of the OEC. The first 5 OEC members may then co-opt additional members. The OEC includes at least one Co-Chairperson and the Executive Director for EERA. The OEC shall begin immediately to initiate all activities of EERA, and to implement all provisions of this World Legislation. As soon as a permanent EREC is elected by the Board of Trustees, the EREC shall replace the OEC, which may include members of OEC. Until replaced by the EREC, the OEC is responsible to the provisional World Parliament through the standing Parliamentary Commission for EERA.

• GLOBAL RESCUE TEAM: As soon as the OEC obtains funding equivalent to at least two equity salaries, or sooner if feasible, the OEC shall recruit, employ and dispatch Global Rescue Teams of two or three persons each, to travel to as many countries as possible for the purposes of obtaining ratification of the Earth Constitution for the Emergency Earth Rescue Administration, together with funding and other participation in expediting the work and objectives of EERA. The Global Rescue Teams shall seek ratification by national parliaments and national governments, by communities, states and other sub-national political entities, and by corporations and other organizations.

• STANDING PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION FOR EERA. The provisional World Parliament shall elect a standing Parliamentary Commission for EERA of 9 members , to serve as liaison between the EERA and the provisional World Parliament, for the purpose of ensuring that the provisions of this World Legislation are carried out. The Standing Parliamentary Commission for EERA shall appoint the OEC if the OEC is not otherwise composed within six weeks after the adoption of this World Legislation. The OEC may include members of the Standing Parliamentary Commission for EERA.

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Adopted as World Legislative Act #6, at the second session of the Provisional World Parliament, meeting in New Delhi, India, March 1985, convened in conformance with Article 19 of the Earth Constitution. Amended at the fourth (1996), sixth (2003) and eighth (2004) sessions of the Provisional World Parliament.

Attested: Philip Isely, Secretary (2nd & 4th sessions)

Provisional World Parliament

Eugenia Almand, JD, Secretary

Provisional World Parliament