|
Good News Update 142
27 November 2015
New UN Agenda
Threatens Our Sovereignty
|
Have you heard of "the new Agenda"? This is the name that the United Nations uses for a plan of action that comes into effect on 1 January, 2016. Officially known as Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it has 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 associated targets. These are far-reaching and ambitious to say the least. All countries, including Australia, are expected to follow this new Agenda in their national planning and policies over the next fifteen years.
Setting the stage for the new UN Agenda to transform our world is the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, from 30 November to 11 December. This supports Sustainable Development Goal 13 to "Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impacts'.
Will this new Agenda usher in a utopian dream or could it lead to a totalitarian nightmare? |
|
A New Universal Agenda
Two years ago Fox News reported that "the United Nations is planning to create a sweeping new set of "sustainable development goals" for the planet that will likely require trillions of dollars of spending on poverty and the environment, a drastic reorganization of economic production and consumption -- especially in rich countries -- and even greater effort in the expensive war on climate change. It's an agenda that its prominent boosters have declared will make the next 15 years "some of the most transformative in human history," although the exact nature of the goals themselves, and how they are to be achieved, is unclear."
From 25 to 27 September, world leaders met at the United Nations in New York to endorse and formally adopt "a new universal Agenda". In doing so the United Nations claims that "never before have world leaders pledged common action and endeavour across such a broad and universal policy agenda."
Pope Francis, as the inaugural speaker, urged world leaders to care for the planet and the world's poorest people. This was his first address to the UN.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wasn't there, but Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Julie Bishop, representing Australia, signed on our behalf. The United Nations now expects that Australia will be "working tirelessly for the full implementation of this Agenda by 2030."
Speaking to the UN General Assembly, Julie Bishop commended the unanimous endorsement and adoption of the new Agenda. She said,
"Should we realize all 17 Goals, we will transform our world for the betterment of humankind."
She also called for the collective participation of all countries in the combat against climate change.
Clearly our current leaders are embracing this new Agenda.
Why haven't we heard more from them about what this will mean to us as a nation?
|
|
The Paris Climate Conference
The agreed 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 13 on climate, are not legally binding on countries and therefore are not enforceable.
The Paris Climate Conference however aims "to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, from all the nations of the world."
In May 2015, a UN report concluded that only a very ambitious climate deal in Paris in 2015 will enable countries to reach the Sustainable Development Goals and targets.
Clearly there will be great pressure on world leaders to sign an agreement on climate. If there is no escape clause, as there was in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which Canada used to opt out, such a legally binding agreement could result in the loss of some degree of national sovereignty. Does Australia want to take this risk?
The Canberra Declaration
"opposes laws subjugating our nation to foreign powers and instrumentalities".
This relates to
Section 51(xxix) in the Constitution
which has been an open door for many
international treaties and conventions which adversely affect our sovereignty. In 1901, Sir Robert Garran and Sir John Quick, leading experts on the Australian Constitution, stated that Section 51(xxix) would "prove to be a great constitutional battle-ground". These words still ring true today as new international treaties and conventions are quickly ratified and made binding on Australian law.
|
|
The Need to Look Closely
Among the 169 stated targets, we read of many lofty and fine-sounding objectives.
To mention just a few, the new Agenda aims "by 2030" to
- "eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere" (target 1.1),
- "end hunger" and "end all forms of malnutrition" (2.1, 2.2),
- "ensure that all boys and girls complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education" (4.1),
- "achieve access to affordable and safe drinking water for all",(6.1),
- "universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services" (7.1),
- "ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing" (11.1).
While a first reading of the stated ideals may sound like a wonderful dream come true, a closer reading raises many questions. What is really behind some of the terminology used?
Targets 3.7 and 5.6
, for example, are very similar stating,
"by 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including family planning, information and education, and the introduction of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes ... as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development."
Does this mean the vigorous promotion and universal access of women and girls to abortion?
Many times the UN has come under serious scrutiny by Christians for its stance on population control. Underlying the need for population control in the minds of many, even some Christians, is that there are too many human beings on planet earth. Overpopulation, they claim, degrades the environment, increases greenhouse gases and results in climate change. Abortion is not the answer.
There is enormous potential for clash between the new Agenda and Christian values.
|
|
Hints of a One World Government
How will the far-reaching and extremely ambitious 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets be achieved in just fifteen years? Surely this will require an unprecedented level of global management and control.
The words of the new Agenda give some hints which are foreboding.
"We recognize that we will not be able to achieve our ambitious goals and targets without a revitalized and enhanced Global Partnership and comparably ambitious means of implementation" which "will facilitate an intensive global engagement" (para 60).
"The High Level Political Forum will have a central role ... at the global level. The HLPF will provide high-level political guidance on the Agenda and its implementation, identify progress and emerging challenges and mobilize further actions to accelerate the implementation" (paras 82 and 87).
The intention of the United Nations may not be a one world government but most certainly this would be a big step in that direction.
|
|
Please Act Quickly
The Paris Climate Conference starts on Monday.
Please pray (especially as you hear news reports about the Conference)
- that any intentions for setting up a one world government will be exposed,
- that Australia will not sign anything that irreversibly binds us and risks our sovereignty as a nation.
Please send an email today to
|
|
God has the Bigger Agenda
The United Nations has a new universal Agenda to save mankind and planet Earth.
But God has THE BIG AGENDA which precedes and supercedes all other agendas.
"
He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ" (Ephesians 1:9-10).
As Australians let us look to God for His answers for the world today.
David and Marilyn Rowsome
|
|
