Overview of the Statement by the Science Council of Japan   At the start of their adopted Statement the Science Council of Japan (SCJ) appeals to all parts and levels of society including national government, local governments, local communities, businesses, and the non-government sector in working together to resolve problems in education and the environment. Indeed, problems in education and the environment are closely linked and are inseperable. The Committee states that we are losing our ability to recognize what it is to be human or our "human dignity and self-worth" and therefore in order to find a comprehensive solutions the SCJ asserts that we must return to the common basis of both education and the environment. In other words they say that we must re-appraise current lifestyles and organizational structures in society that are excessively reliant on materials and energy. In this respect humankind has to reduce its usage of materials and energy to the absolute 'minimum' and set up closed-loop systems that deliver global equality and efficiency - comparable to the WIF's concept of 'Reciprocal Economics'. Considering this new way forward for the future world we must develop a new value system based on human dignity and self-worth and with greater emphasis on human nature and diversity of content. This system has to foster a social climate conducive to the richness of individual spirit and harmonious co-existence of the many peoples of the world - in this respect a world that is not oriented towards materials and the use of energy will provide far greater richness of content than at present.   These new values will be governed by spiritual and emotional values of all types, the rehabilitation of health and physical mental skills, physical and/or individual value in the form of physical and mental fulfillment and finally the associated values such as co-existence, love and compassion.   The SCJ sees the development of a new value system as the key to solving the world's emerging problems and as time goes by our adherance to the present orientation will bit-by-bit generate a desire to adopt these values and build a brighter future		in eternity for humankind. Indeed they say that although Japan may choose to tackle pressing problems in the immediate future, the problems in reality are ones which affect the human race in its entirity and which should be addressed at the global level. This will need the acknowledgement of different values based on the circumstances of individual peoples, regions, and climates, and pay due attention to the diversity and individuality which these entail, predicted on a shift away from the orientation towards the continual drive for more materialistic wants by the peoples of the industrialised nations.   The SCJ states that it is imperative that in future times people clearly understand in their hearts that the problems faced by humankind belong to them as individuals and also to their decendents. Furthermore humankind must re-develop the art of independent and rational thought and conversation as only together can the world solve its problems together. This philosophy is totally in agreement with the very same thoughts for the construction of the vast ORE-STEM Complex with its 1,000 satelite ORE Incubator Centres spread throughout the world, like an ocupuse's tenticles, and where future mankind can create a totally new environment.   This new horizon for humankind must be tackled from a broad-based, long-term perspective and where we must not be content with specific, piecemeal remedies that have delivered the problems we shall all face in the not too distant future.   According to the SCJ in order to achieve our new goals we have to harness 'bottom-up' input from the people themselves by actively promoting public participation through all manner of things but particularily through volunteer groups such as non-governmental organizations and not-for-profit organizations. This will change radically how polititians work and operate for the good of the people, as individuals will count in this new value system.   To achieve a new way of living we must create new industries that the SCJ calls 'new lifestyles industries' and which will provide the driving force for the transition. These new industries will deliver to the world a rapid		expansion in wealth creation that will equate to a three-fold expansion on present global turnover. A prime directive of these new lifestyle industries would be the redistribution of this wealth to all nations so that suffering, famine, diesese and war are a thing of the past. Definitions of the Science Council of Japan: EDUCATION - All processes associaed with education and learning, including school-based education, home-based education (including child-rearing), and community education, as well as the acquisition of virtues and morals, senibility, and knowledge of the body. ENVIRONMENT - Generally refers to the earth's environment, but can also include elements from the personal environment through to the physical, chemical, and biological environment, the psychological environment, and the social, cultural, and economic environment. (SCJ) Overall, a fully-inclusive and holistic system for the future. THE REASONS FOR GREAT CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD 1)  'Our social systems predicated on mass production, mass consumption, and mass wastage have evolved from value systems derived from a fundamental materialism-energy orientation. It is these social systems which have resulted in destruction of the natural environment and now threaten to undermine the future well-being of the human race.' (SCJ) 2) 'It is estimated that the limit of the earth's reserves of resources and of energy consumption will be reached in the mid-21st century due to the increasing global population.' (SCJ) 3) 'If the industrialised countries continue with lifestyles of mass production, mass consumption, and mass wastage, then the underlying supply of resources, energy, and foodstuffs will inevitably start dwindling rapidly by the middle of the 21st century at the latest. In addition to the finite limits of resources, the earth and human society are starting to reach their limits with respect to the ability to absorb waste and harmful substances. The combination of finite resources and natural limitations, together with the rate of acceleration in the world population, will cause a		catastrophe which will rapidly erode the prosperity and well-being of the industrialized countries. Indeed, the second half of the 21st century holds the prospect of a new chapter in the tragedy of mankind, one from which the human race cannot escape.' (SCJ) 'We must overcome these dangers that await us in the near future, and gently but firmly transform our society into one that can be sustainable for generations to come.' (SCJ) The SCJ states that 'the human race must choose between two alternatives: a) do we maintain present modes of production and life styles predicated on an orientation towards materialism and energy and sacrifice much of our world in the process or b) do we strive to ensure the future of humanity by developing new modes of production and life styles that involve a shift away from the materialism-energy orientation?' (SCJ) Indeed, the SCJ says that it is 'our duty now is to develop a new set of basic values for the next generation, one that is not predicated on an orientation towards materialism and energy. In order to ensure the continued existence of the human race in the new century'. (SCJ)   In respect of the global environment, one can clearly say that it is being ravaged at an increasing and unprecidented scale and if this situation is not reversed quickly, we and the governments of the world shall not be able to sustain our planet in a mere few decades from now. The SCJ says that 'until such time as we are able to change the fundamental values that we have embraced thus far, there can be no hope of an improvement in the devastation of the natural environment.' (SCJ)   Indeed, 'there has up to the present time been no awareness that the environment was, in absolute terms, a limiting factor in the development of human civilization.' (SCJ)   The major problem has been seeing the problem although it stares us in the face. In this respect the SCJ explains, 'leading intellectuals around the world have generally considered education and the environment as seperate problems when considering the existence of the human race.' (SCJ)   In this respect, 'at various international conferences on the
2		www.thewif.org.uk - The World Innovation Foundation - April - July 2001