The objectives of Earth Dialogues Barcelona include the following:

• Addressing the new and emerging roots of instability and insecurity that overwhelm the Mediterranean region, as well as the world at large.
  
  
• Identifying the new ethical imperatives that must be addressed in order to redress these problems.
  
  
• Examining the critical paths that must be pursued to ensure that the forces of globalisation enable all members of the human family to live a life of dignity as well as spiritual and material well-being.
  
  
• Addressing the challenges for strengthening multilateralism as well as new models of development cooperation, including implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
  
  
• Addressing the challenges in ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of both global economic opportunities and responsibilities.

THE SUSTAINABILITY AND SECURITY CHALLENGES TO BE ADDRESSED BY EARTH DIALOGUES BARCELONA

For the Mediterranean region, the breakdown of the Middle East Peace Process and the war and ongoing conflict in Iraq are serious factors that not only threaten peace and security in the Mediterranean, but destabilise the world at large.

Achieving lasting peace, prosperity, stability and sustainability in the region, as well as the rest of the world, will require fundamental changes in the way that the international community addresses and responds to the multi-dimensional root causes of instability and insecurity. Long-lasting peace requires a new understanding of the expanding frontiers of the global security agenda, in terms of the related human and ecological security dimensions, as well as conventional threats to peace and security.

Emerging Mediterranean and Global Security Challenges:

• Redressing the global security challenges that have emerged since the end of the Cold War, and promoting a wider security agenda to focus more effectively on the many root causes of conflict.
  
  
• Forging new forms of partnership for global progress and peace, and in particular, building an international legal order and strengthening multilateral institutions.
  
  
• Supporting the Barcelona Process for transforming the Mediterranean basin into an area of “dialogue, exchange and cooperation guaranteeing peace, stability and prosperity”.
  
  
• Ensuring that the dialogue between cultures and civilisations instituted by the Barcelona Process contributes to the growth of mutual respect and understanding in the midst of political, cultural, religious and economic diversity.
  
  
• Understanding the consequences for the Mediterranean region of the realisation of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace settlement in the Middle East.

Emerging Mediterranean and Global Sustainability Challenges:

• Understanding the root causes of environmental degradation and development problems such as unsustainable consumption and production, armed conflict, poverty, the widening wealth gap, increasing migration and unemployment.
  
  
• Addressing the new generation of environmental problems, including: climate change, industrial pollution, transboundary air pollution, desertification, water shortages and transboundary water management challenges, marine pollution, unsustainable tourism, natural resources depletion, and the impacts of liberalised trade on the environment.