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Participants at the International Conference on Human Rights and the Environment held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, on 13-14 May 2009 hosted by the UNESCO Chair for Human Rights and Democracy at Shahid Beheshti University with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme:
Convinced that stewardship of the environment is a fundamental responsibility of all people and that individuals and communities have the right to live in a clean and healthy environment;
Believing that the environment should be respected both for its intrinsic value and for the material and spiritual benefits it provides;
Noting that Islam provides valuable principles that contribute to the protection of the environment;
Aware that the international community is preparing for crucial negotiations on climate change in Copenhagen in December 2009;
Taking note of the International Conference on Environment, Peace and the Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures (Tehran, 2005), and its outcome, the Tehran Communiqué;
Recalling that the 1968 Tehran Proclamation on Human Rights recognized that the widening gap between economically developed and developing countries impedes the realization of human rights and that the achievement of lasting progress in the implementation of human rights is dependent upon sound and effective national and international policies of economic and social development;
Recalling also that the norms that give guidance to States in exercising this stewardship have been expressed in a range of human rights and other international instruments;1
Emphasizing that effective alleviation of poverty constitutes a fundamental aspect of achieving sustainable development;
Mindful that respect for human rights and the environment should aim, inter alia, at promoting dialogue, understanding, peace, harmony, cultural diversity and enhancement of the conservation of biological diversity;
Emphasizing the importance of strong democratic institutions, providing environmental information and ensuring public participation in decision-making and access to...