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In December 1997, an historic step was taken in Kyoto for the future of the Earth and humankind. Greenhouse gasses are the price modern civilization has paid for its current affluence, and at the COP3 conference on climate change, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in order to curb emission of such gasses. As we assemble here in Kyoto from all over the world, we feel both the joy of our contribution and the weight of the responsibility we bear as the namesake of such a protocol.
Those of us alive today seem to have forgotten the teachings of nature in our pursuit of material wealth and convenience. Our forebears coexisted with nature, and we must once again summon their wisdom and ingenuity to change the way each of us sees society and ourselves. Our planet has nurtured us like a mother, and it is our duty to pass it on responsibly to future generations.
We ask the whole world to join us in using this conference to spur the movement to protect the global environment, and we are determined to begin action here in Kyoto, as we use both strength and heart in the task of caring for the environment.
To do this, we must summon the courage to fundamentally reevaluate our lifestyle, build values for a new age, and undertake environmentally conscious efforts in each aspect of our society: production, distribution, consumption, and waste.
It is our earnest hope that this sentiment will transcend region and country, and that the people of the world will find it in their heart to work together for this end. This document is a declaration of our effort and determination towards this hope.
December 24, 1997
Hereby Declared by: