By Sue Forde,
for Citizen Review
Posted 7/6/2013
Recently, I checked the UN Agenda 21 (ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability) website, to see the list of cities and counties that are still members of ICLEI. Lo and behold, the website has REMOVED the list. With the most recent withdrawal from ICLEI by Boston, Massachusetts bringing the number of cities and/or counties now to 138, it would appear that the ICLEI folks may be getting a little nervous that their scheme is being found out by too many people. (You can see the listing of cities and counties as preserved by another website, here.)
Checking Rosa Koire’s website (author of “Behind the Green Mask: UN Agenda 21“), I found an “agreement” to be signed by cities and/or counties concerning water usage and the limiting thereof. Since we are facing the precedent of limiting water here on the North Olympic Peninsula (new homes and/or “new use” on properties in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley are limited to 150 gallons of water per day for indoor use only, with an initial “mitigation” fee for the privilege, and NO outdoor watering allowed), I found this a very interesting piece of “connect-the-dots” to Agenda 21.
Purportedly, the City of Sequim has dropped out of the ICLEI program, as did Clallam County after pressure was exerted by many citizens at a county commissioner’s meeting; but it would appear that the WA State Department of Ecology (DOE), which has been pushing the metering of wells on rural property that has never required it under the law, and now the limitation of water to the individual residences, is following Agenda 21 right down the line. In fact, their own website proudly states the intent to have us “comply” with Agenda 21 – Sustainable Development”.
Here is a copy of the new water campaign put out by ICLEI, which was first tested in Southeast Asia (including Australia), and is making its way to our shores (if the essence of it isn’t already here in the DOE Water “Rule”).
This from Rosa’s website:
ICLEI WATER CAMPAIGN
LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESOLUTION
We ENDORSE the aims and objectives of the Water Campaign, an international ICLEI campaign to mobilize local government action to protect and properly manage freshwater resources by establishing partnerships with other concerned sectors and institutions in coming up with integrated plans and programs to manage this resource.
We COMMIT to achieve tangible improvements in the sustainable use of freshwater resources.
WE THEREFORE PLEDGE to accomplish the following 5 milestones:
Milestone 2: Establish targets for efficient water access and consumption and improved water quality
Milestone 3: Develop and obtain official approval for a local water agenda
Milestone 4: Implement policies and measures
Milestone 5: Monitor and Report results
We THEREFORE PLEDGE to consider the cost arrangements to undertake the Water Campaign.
______________________ ________________________
Signature Name of Local Government
______________________ _________________________
Name and Title Date
(please print)
Contact Person: Phone:
E-mail Address: Fax:
Pls. Mail/Fax Original Copy to:
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability
Southeast Asia Secretariat
The Manila Observatory Bldg., Ateneo de Manila University,
Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1101 Philippines
Tel. No.(+63 2) 426-5921 to 23
Fax No. (+63 2) 426-0851
Website: www.iclei.org
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a membership organization dedicated to building and serving a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global sustainability with special focus on environmental conditions through cumulative local actions. –