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Maurice Strong







Maurice F. Strong is a Canadian businessman and a self-declared, life-long socialist. He was born on April 28, 1929 in Oak Lake, Manitoba, Canada. Strong is an entrepreneur, environmentalist and one of the world’s leading proponents of the United Nations' involvement in world affairs. His cousin was Anna Louise Strong, a known Marxist with strong connections to Communist China.[1] This affords Strong favored status in China and is one explanation why he is so welcome there and why he resides there most of the year.

Strong had his start as a petroleum entrepreneur and became President of Power Corporation of Canada in 1966. In the early 1970s, he was Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and then became the first Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program. He returned to Canada to become Chief Executive Officer of Petro-Canada from 1976 to 1978. He headed Ontario Hydro, one of North America's largest power utilities as well. Strong was also the national President and Chairman of the Extension Committee of the World Alliance of YMCAs and headed American Water Development Inc.

Strong currently resides in the People's Republic of China where he spends most of his time.[2] He is also President of the Council of the United Nations University for Peace. UPEACE is the only university in the UN system able to grant degrees at the masters and doctoral levels. He is an active honorary professor at Peking University and an Honorary Chairman of its Environmental Foundation. He is Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Institute for Research on Security and Sustainability for Northeast Asia.[3]

Here you will find the biography of Maurice Strong.

Quotes

"[I am] a socialist in ideology, a capitalist in methodology." - Maurice Strong as Quoted in Macleans

"[The Earth Summit will play an important role in] reforming and strengthening the United Nations as the centerpiece of the emerging system of democratic global governance." - Maurice Strong Quoted in the September 1, 1997 Edition of National Review Magazine

In the opening session of the Rio Earth Summit, Strong commented: "The concept of national sovereignty has been an immutable, indeed sacred, principle of international relations. It is a principle which will yield only slowly and reluctantly to the new imperatives of global environmental cooperation. It is simply not feasible for sovereignty to be exercised unilaterally by individual nation states, however powerful. The global community must be assured of environmental security."

"Frankly, we may get to the point where the only way of saving the world will be for industrial civilization to collapse." - Maurice Strong Quoted in the September 1, 1997 Edition of National Review Magazine

In 1991, Strong wrote the introduction to a book called Beyond Interdependence: The Meshing of the World's Economy and the Earth's Ecology, by Jim MacNeil. (David Rockefeller wrote the foreword). Strong said this: "This interlocking...is the new reality of the century, with profound implications for the shape of our institutions of governance, national and international. By the year 2012, these changes must be fully integrated into our economic and political life."

Affiliations

Appointments

This is a partial listing...

Chicago Climate Exchange

Maurice Strong is one of the current Directors of CCX. He was also one of the main architects of the failing Kyoto Protocol.

Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) operates North America’s only cap and trade system for all six greenhouse gases, with global affiliates and projects worldwide.

CCX Members are leaders in greenhouse gas (GHG) management and represent all sectors of the global economy, as well as public sector innovators. Reductions achieved through CCX are the only reductions made in North America through a legally binding compliance regime, providing independent, third party verification by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA, formerly NASD). The founder and chairman of CCX is economist and financial innovator Dr. Richard L. Sandor, who was named a Hero of the Planet by Time Magazine in 2002 for founding CCX, and in 2007 as the "father of carbon trading."

CCX emitting Members make a voluntary but legally binding commitment to meet annual GHG emission reduction targets. Those who reduce below the targets have surplus allowances to sell or bank; those who emit above the targets comply by purchasing CCX Carbon Financial Instrument® (CFI®) contracts.[5]

CCX is tied to the Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act. CCX is projected to create $10 Trillion in funds a year worldwide.

Through CCX, Strong and a few chosen wealthy elite will control money and government worldwide. They will tie the economies and governments of the world together through the earth movement. This will also include religion. The world would become a feudal system with a ruling class. The primary architects of this who are all involved with CCX are: Maurice Strong, Al Gore, George Soros and Joel Rogers.

CCX Directors 2010

Membership in CCX can be found here...

Cleantech Group LLC

Maurice Strong is on the China Advisory Board for Cleantech.

Since 2002, the Cleantech Group has been providing investors, entrepreneurs, and Fortune 1000 global corporations with the latest industry market intelligence through subscription-based research, global industry networking events, and world-class consulting services. By focusing entirely on innovation in clean technologies, Cleantech Group helps its clients make critical business decisions that foster growth, reduce cost, and meet consumer and government demands for improved environmental quality.[6]

China Advisory Board

Commission on Global Governance

The Commission on Global Governance was founded in 1992 at the suggestion of former West German Chancellor and socialist Willy Brandt. Wangari Maathai worked on the CGG alongside Maurice Strong, Jimmy Carter and Robert McNamara. The group’s manifesto, “Out Global Neighborhood,” calls for a dramatic reordering of the world’s political power – and redistribution of the world’s wealth.

Most importantly, the CGG’s proposals would phase out America’s veto in the Security Council. At the same time, it would increase UN authority over member nations, declaring, “All member-states of the UN that have not already done so should accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the World Court.” It asks the UN to prevail upon member governments to enact proposals made by wide NGOs – such as the Green Belt Movement. “Our Global Neighborhood” also suggested creating a 10,000-man “UN Volunteer Force” to be deployed at the UN’s approval on infinite peacekeeping missions everywhere (except Iraq).

In its economic section, the report calls for the international taxation of multinational corporations and for a worldwide carbon tax. A new international “Economic Security Council” would assure the world’s economic growth takes place according to “sustainable development” principles. The IMF would be given the ability to interfere in the economic policies of member nations “to ensure that domestic economic policies in major countries are not…damaging to the rest of the international community.” Call it pre-emptive regulation.[7]

The Earth Charter Initiative

Maurice Strong and Mikhail Gorbachev Co-chair The Earth Charter Initiative as Commissioners.[8]

The mission of the Earth Charter Initiative is to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy and a culture of peace.[9]

Earth Council Alliance

The Earth Council Alliance was founded by Maurice Strong and Tommy Short. Strong founded the Earth Council Alliance as a result of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. He is now extending that effort with a new mandate to unite Earth Councils and like-minded organizations on a collaborative platform under the Earth Council Alliance.[10]

The vision of the Earth Council Alliance is to foster a sustainable global society founded on the principles of respect for the Earth and life in all of its diversity, economic and social justice, and a culture of peace and non-violence in accordance with the principals set out in the Earth Charter.

Earth Scouts

Maurice Strong is the moving force behind the Earth Charter. He is a strong proponent of Earth Scouts. Click here for their handbook and here is the Earth Scouts web site.

The inside cover states: "Resources for families bringing up children in the spirit of the Earth Charter. Illustrations on the cover page tout Participatory Democracy, Economic Justice, Human Rights, Respect for Nature, Peace and Non-Violence."[11]

The Temple of Understanding

The Temple of Understanding is located directly next to the UN in New York City. They label themselves as the oldest global interfaith organization in the United States. Since 1968, the Temple has sponsored six "Spiritual Summit" conferences, producing a worldwide network of spiritual leaders, all devoted to the principles of the interfaith movement, whose modem character can be most easily traced back to the first World's Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago, United States, in 1893.[12]

The Temple works closely with the United Nations. They have sponsored along with the Interfaith Center of New York, an interfaith prayer service at the annual opening of the UN General Assembly session since 1997. This movement seeks to form a one-world religion with the UN.

Maurice Strong is also involved in the UN Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Through his work in UNESCO, Strong promotes Gaia, the Earth God, among the world's youth. Strong is also the Director of The Temple of Understanding in New York. He uses The Temple to encourage Americans concerned about the environment to replace Christianity with the worship of "mother earth."

Strong and Mikhail Gorbachev are the two primary promoters of the religion. The Temple is located in St. John the Divine gothic church and has already finished manufacturing their new religion based on saving the environment. It is reported that Ted Turner has donated 1 billion dollars to Strong and his efforts.[13] From Canada Free Press:

Their jointly authored Earth Charter is carried around in a wooden chest called the Ark of Hope. Any jolt of memory back to one called the Covenant is, like black helicopters, only your imagination.

For the uninitiated, the Ark of Hope is a "magnificent large sycamore chest, which was conceived as a visual message of peace, sustainability and concern for the Earth.

Gilt-covered and lavish in looks, the chest carries Temenos Earth masks. The 96" poles of the 200-lb. chest are "unicorn horns which render evil ineffective."

It seems the only thing missing from the Ark of Hope is cloven feet.

The Ark carries the Earth Charter within. And quoting Gorbachev:

"The Ten Commandments are out of date. They will be replaced by the 18 principles of the Earth Charter."

United Nations

From Oil for Food to the latest scandals involving the United Nations funding North Korea, Maurice Strong appears as a shadowy and often critically important figure.

Strong is best known as the godfather of the environmental movement. He served from 1973-1975 as the Founding Director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP) in Nairobi. UNEP is now a globe-girdling organization with a yearly budget of $136 million, which claims to act as the world’s environmental conscience. Strong consolidated his eco-credentials as the organizer of the UN’s 1992 environmental summit in Rio de Janeiro, which in turn paved the way for the controversial 1997 Kyoto Treaty on controlling greenhouse gas emissions.

Strong has spent decades going from one high-level UN post to another. He has stood behind and influenced every UN Secretary-General since U Thant. Without ever holding elected office, he has had a hand in some of the world’s most important bureaucratic appointments, both at the UN and at the World Bank.

He has been embroiled in a number of UN scandals and conflicts of interest. From Oil for Food to cash funneled via the UN to North Korea, Strong has far from clean hands. His University of Peace was directly involved in the North Korea scandal. He was also involved in the Kofi Annan scandal. Annan was alleged to have taken a check for almost $1 million that was bankrolled by Sadam Hussein's UN-sanctioned regime. The check was delivered by a South Korean businessman, Tongsun Park, who was convicted in a New York Federal Court of conspiring to bribe UN officials on behalf of Baghdad. Strong denied any wrongdoing and said he would step aside from his UN envoy post until the matter was cleared up.[14]

Agenda 21

Agenda 21 is a program run by the United Nations related to sustainable development and was the planet's first summit to discuss global warming related issues. It is a comprehensive blueprint of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the UN, governments and major groups in every area in which humans directly affect the environment.[15]

Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, June 3rd through 14th, 1992.

This program directly takes from the wealthy and redistributes wealth to the poor. Maurice Strong was the founder of this program and pushes its agenda everywhere he can.

UNESCO

Education programs to teach the “global ethic” have been underway by UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and by UNEP (united nations environment Program) for more than twenty years. The UN's education program has been extremely successful in pushing the global governance agenda.

Through Strong's work in UNESCO, he promotes Gaia, the Earth God(dess), among the world’s youth.

From UNESCO: Its purpose and Its Philosophy:

"Further, since the world today is in process of becoming one, and since a major aim of UNESCO must be to help in the speedy and satisfactory realization of this process... UNESCO must pay special attention to international education - to education as a function of a world society, in addition to its function in relation to national societies, to regional or religious or intellectual groups or to local communities." p. 29-30

"...taking the techniques of persuasion and information and true propaganda that we have learnt to apply nationally in war, and deliberately bending them to the international tasks of peace, if necessary utilizing them -- as Lenin envisaged - to 'overcome the resistance of millions' to desirable change.

"You may categorize the two philosophies as two super-nationalisms, or as individualism versus collectivism; or as the American versus the Russian way of life, or as capitalism versus communism, or as Christianity versus Marxism. Can these opposites be reconciled, this antithesis be resolved in a higher synthesis? I believe not only that this can happen, but that, through the inexorable dialectic of evolution, it must happen....

"In pursuing this aim, we must eschew dogma - whether it be theological dogma or Marxist dogma.... East and West will not agree on a basis of the future if they merely hurl at each other the fixed ideas of the past. For that is what dogma's are -- the crystallizations of some dominant system of thought of a particular epoch. A dogma may of course crystallize tried and valid experience; but if it be dogma, it does so in a way which is rigid, uncompromising and intolerant.... If we are to achieve progress, we must learn to uncrystalize our dogmas." p. 61

United Nations Environment Program

Strong first worked with the United Nations as a junior officer in 1947, when he was just eighteen and returned in 1970 to lead the Conference on the Human Environment in Geneva, after which he became the Executive Director of the UN's environmental program. He was the first Director of the United Nations Environment Program(UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya (January 1973-December 1975).

UNEP coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. UNEP is the designated authority of the United Nations system in environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action.

University for Peace

Strong served as President of the Council of the United Nations' University for Peace. The University for Peace is headquartered in Costa Rica, established under the authorization of the UN General Assembly.

In 1999, at the request of then UN Secretary-General, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, he took on the task of trying to restore the viability of the University for Peace The UN’s reputation was at risk as the organization had been subjected to severe mismanagement, misappropriation of funds and inoperative governance. As Chairman of its governing body, the Council, and initially as Rector, Strong led the process of revitalizing the University for Peace and helped to rebuild its programs and leadership. He retired from the Council in the spring of 2007.[16]

Costa Rica abolished the death penalty in 1882, and its army in 1948. Since 1865, Costa Rica has offered asylum to those facing persecution for political reasons. From 1907 to 1918, Costa Rica hosted the Central American Court of Justice, which was the first permanent international tribunal that allowed individuals to take legal action against states on international law and human rights issues. In that tradition, efforts to establish the University for Peace began at the United Nations under the leadership of the President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Carazo.[17]

The Council of the University for Peace has defined an innovative program of education, training and research for peace - focused on key issues, including conflict-prevention, human security, human rights, environmental security and post-conflict rehabilitation.

World Bank

Strong was named the Senior Advisor to World Bank President James Wolfensohn in June 1995.

In addition, his credentials include membership in the UN funded Commission on Global Governance. This body’s 1995 report called “Our Global Neighborhood” contained a number of ominous proposals including the establishment of a global tax, UN control over “global commons,” expansion of the powers of the World Bank, expansion of the jurisdiction of the International Court, removal of US veto power in the Security Council and creation of an Economic Security Council to oversee the world’s economy. Clearly, the implications of such proposals were intended to move us towards the creation of a world government infrastructure even back in 1995. Unfortunately, they also necessitate and precipitate the decline of US sovereignty.[18]

The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Their mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors.[19]

"Worlds Apart" contributor

"Worlds Apart:Globalization And The Environment" Island Press, 18/04/2003, presents a cohesive set of essays by leading thinkers on the subject of globalization, offering a thoughtful overview of the major environmental issues related to globalization in a clear, reasoned style. Framed by Gus Speth’s introduction and conclusion, essays range from Jane Lubchenco’s discussion of the scientific indicators of global environmental change to Robert Kates’ examination of the prospect that our growing global interconnectedness could lead a transition to a more sustainable world to Vandana Shiva’s impassioned plea for a new “living democracy” that counters the degrading, dehumanizing tendencies of the global economy. Other contributors include Maurice Strong on the Rio Earth Summit and the future course of environmentalism, Jose Goldemberg on energy, Jerry Mander on the inherent destructiveness of the global economic system, Stephan Schmidheiny on the forestry industry, and Daniel Esty and Maria Ivanova on global environmental governance.

Edited by one of the world’s leading experts on international environmental issues, the book brings together the most respected thinkers and actors on the world stage to offer a compelling set of perspectives and a solid introduction to the social and environmental dimensions of globalization.

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Here you will find honors and awards given to Maurice Strong.