Submission by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature to Río+20
We urge the organizers of Earth Summit/Rio +20:• to call upon all States, regional bodies, organizations and individuals participating in Rio +20 to adopt the Universal Declaration of the rights of mother earth and to actively support its implementation through law; and
• to include Plenary and working sessions on how to facilitate sustainable development in harmony with Nature by recognizing, implementing and defending the rights of Nature/ Mother Earth.
Rights of Nature – Restoring natural balance for a sustainable future
Sustainable development requires humans to live in harmony with Nature
The objectives of the Earth Summit/Rio+20 are to secure renewed political commitment to sustainable development; to assess progress towards internationally agreed goals on sustainable development and to address new and emerging challenges.
Human development can only be sustainable if the social demands and needs of humanity are balanced against the need to maintain the integrity, health and functioning of natural systems. Our legal systems define parameters of acceptable behaviors and actions, how we humans relate to each other and to the world around us. In most countries, legal systems treat nature as property to be bought, sold and consumed. Under such laws, human concerns invariably prevail over Nature and the carrying capacity of natural ecosystems instead of being weighed against the needs of ecosystems and other beings in order to strike an appropriate balance.(…)
One of the reasons why contemporary legal and governance systems have failed is because they t have been designed to facilitate and legitimate the unsustainable exploitation of Nature.
(…)
An essential step in achieving this natural balance is to create governance systems that see and treat Nature as a fundamental, rights bearing entity and not as mere property to be exploited at will. Breaking out of the human-centered limitations of our current legal systems by recognizing, respecting and enforcing Rights of Nature is one of the most transformative and highly leveraged actions that humanity can take to create a sustainable future for all.
Benefits of recognizing rights of Nature
(…)Legal systems built on the premise of Rights of Nature change the status of natural communities and ecosystems from being regarded as property under the law to being recognized as rights-bearing entities. These laws recognize that natural communities and ecosystems possess an inalienable, fundamental right to exist and flourish. Residents of communities where Rights of Nature have been adopted possess the legal authority to enforce those rights on behalf of those ecosystems. In addition, these laws require the governmental apparatus to remedy violations of those ecosystem rights.
Rights of Nature laws eliminate the authority of a property owner to interfere with the functioning of ecosystems and natural communities that exist and depend upon that property for their existence and flourishing. They do not stop development; rather they stop development and use of property that interferes with the existence and vitality of those ecosystems. Rights of Nature lays the foundation for truly sustainable development to occur.
The time is now for Nations of the world to reexamine the systems that are the underlying cause and reinforcement of unsustainable practices that are undermining our natural systems. Recognizing Rights of Nature offers a viable, framework for sustainable development on our planet.
Full submission here
SO BLIND !
“There’s none so blind as the one who refuses to see”. Scientists may warn us as much as they want about Global Warming, its dangers and its causes, people hear what they will. They continue their lethal emissions of greenhouse effect gases, and even increase these emissions year after years. Out of absolutely no knowledge they decide that the situation isn’t so bad after all and scientists are just stupid fanatics who scream their lungs out for no reason. And those who declare being “green people” are even worse since, instead of tagetting the very poison: fossil energies like Oil and Coal, they target nuclear energy which is the only one which, right now, can efficiently compete with fossil energies. Clean energies like solar or wind, have a future yet, this is NOW that we must stop CO2 emissions since tomorrow will be too late. People are disconnected from Reality and live enclosed into their cognitive and neurotic cocoons, totally identified with their thoughts which interpret the Real World according to their “dreams”. Yet we know the consequences of the ostrich policy …. it doesn’t bring any good. We are facing the worse war Humankind had to face ever during its long history, yet, we continue living as usual our trivial and leisury life as if nothing’s happening. Since Kyoto Summit in 1992 we drag our feet and continue our gadget life as usual. It really seems that nothing can be done to save Humankind from its blindness and maybe we must go through the cataclysm for us to open our eyes, that’s really sad indeed. Patrick Ali Pahlavi
Yes. We have to regain democratic governance over our economies and sideline the existing greed-centred mode where private profit is locked into taking primacy over everything else including Life. (Its called capitalism).
Create our own currencies instead of borrowing from the global pinstripe mafia who have monopolised, with our blindfold acquiescence, our principal means of symbolic enegy exchange (money).
Transition communities and Green Dollars are a good start.
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF ANIMAL RIGHTS
Preamble
Considering that Life is one, all living beings having a common origin and having diversified in the course of the evolution of the species.
Considering that all living beings possess natural rights, and that any animal with a nervous system has specific rights.
Considering that the contempt for, and even the simple ignorance of these natural rights cause serious damage to nature and lead man to commit crimes against animals.
Considering that the coexistence of species implies a recognition by the human species of the right of other animal species to live.
Considering that the respect of humans for animals is inseparable from the respect of man for another man.
IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED THAT:
Article 1.
All animals are born equal and they have the same rights to existence.
Article 2
a) Every animal has the right to be respected.
b) Man, like the animal species, cannot assume the right to exterminate other animals or to exploit them, thereby violating this right. He should use his conscience for the service of the animals.
c) Every animal has the right to consideration, good treatment and the protection of man.
Article 3
a) No animal should be submitted to bad treatment or cruel actions.
b) If the death of an animal is necessary, this should be sudden and without fear or pain.
Article 4
a) All animals belonging to a wild species have the right to live free in their natural environment, and have the right to reproduce.
b) Each deprivation of freedom, even for educational purposes, is in opposition to this right.
Article 5
a) Every animal that usually lives in a domestic environment must live and grow to a rhythm natural to his species.
b) Any change to this rhythm and conditions dictated by man for mercantile purpose, is a contradiction of this law.
Article 6
a) All animals selected by man, as companions must have a life corresponding to their natural longevity.
b) To abandon an animal is a cruel and degrading action.
Article 7
Working animals must only work for a limited period and must not be worked to exhaustion. They must have adequate food and rest.
Article 8
a) Experiments on animals that cause physical and mental pain, are incompatible with animal rights, even if it is for medical, scientific, commercial or any other kind of experiment.
b) A substitute technique must be investigated and developed.
Article 9
In the eventuality of an animal bred for food, it must be fed, managed, transported and killed without it being in fear or pain.
Article 10
a) No animal should be used for entertainment.
b) Animal exhibitions and shows that use animals are incompatible with an- animal’s dignity.
Article 11
Every action that causes the unnecessary death of an animal, is cruel which is a crime against life.
Article 12
a) Every action that causes the death of a lot of wild animals is genocide, which is a crime against the species.
b) Pollution and destruction leads to the extinction of the species.
Article 13
a) Dead animals must be treated with respect.
b) Violent scenes, where animals are the victims, must be forbidden at the cinema and on TV, unless they are for the demonstration of animal rights.
Article 14
a) Protection and safeguarding associations must be represented at government level.
b) Animal rights must be defended by law as are human rights.
The text of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF ANIMAL RIGHTS has been adopted from the International League of Animal Rights and Affiliated National Leagues in the course of an International Meeting on Animal Rights which took place in London from 21st to 23rd September 1977.