A citizen of an advanced industrialized nation consumes in six months the energy and raw materials that have to last the citizen of a developing country his entire lifetime.

Rumors of my wealth are greatly exaggerated. I have never been interested in money.

I've got used to criticisms and, naturally, I try to make sure I don't listen to the more extreme ones because most of the people who have taken their rightwing extremist view of my life are people that I've never met.

My belief is that the purpose of economic life is to meet the social needs of people.

I learn something from criticism because when it comes from sources you respect you always examine it and learn.

The Earth Charter is important as an expression of the commitment of people throughout the Earth to evoke their own deepest moral, spiritual and ethical principles in the task of ensuring a sustainable future for those who inhabit the Earth now and those who will follow us on the Earth.

What pleases me most is that sustainable development is on almost everybody's agenda now.