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.

(…)
www.TheRightsofNature.org

Full submission here

2. 1. GREEN DEVELOPMENT

Paraguay advocates the innovative concept of green development, which is much broader than the concept of a green economy. Green development incorporates economic aspects (green economy), social aspects and ecological/land use aspects in a fully synergistic manner respectful of the interplay between the different aspects. Participation is essential to green development, with workers, women, peasants, indigenous people, young persons, scientists and all sectors of society making their contributions to a new form of social coexistence, with diversity and in harmony with nature, in order to achieve the goal of “buen vivir” (“collective well-being”), respectful of nature of which we are all part and which is vital for our existence.

Green development is in harmony with the fundamental principles of sustainable development. It is mistake to assert that the only things that matter are those which have a price, are owned and generate profit. Market mechanisms have proven to be incapable of promoting an equitable distribution of wealth among human beings. A market approach cannot be used to address social and environmental imbalances.

The two central challenges for sustainable development in this century are to overcome poverty and inequality, and to restore the equilibrium of the planet. The two objectives are intimately intertwined and neither one can be attained separately.

It must be recognized that uncontrolled development is neither possible nor sustainable, since the regenerative capacity of ecosystems imposes limits. However, the developing countries, especially the least developed among them, need to attain higher levels of development in order to meet the basic needs of their peoples and guarantee their human rights.

(…)

2.2. COMMON BUT DIFFERENTIATED RESPONSIBILITIES:

In connection with the common but differentiated responsibilities established in the 1992 Rio Declaration, the countries referred to as developed must pay the historical debt they owe as a result of the greater role they have played in causing the deterioration of the environment. Payment of this ecological debt towards the countries referred to as developing and the hardest hit segments of their populations must take the form of financial resources from public sources and the effective transfer of appropriate technology which the developing countries may in their sovereign judgement consider necessary. The so-called developed countries must reduce their consumption in order to restore harmony between human beings and nature, thereby making sustainable development possible in all developing countries.

The developing countries must adopt patterns and models different from those followed in the developed countries in order to meet the fundamental needs of their populations and restore harmony with nature; that is why Paraguay advocates implementation of the “Green Development” model, which contrasts with an economy based on unsustainable practices and the use of capital exclusively for profit-making activities. Capital should instead be channelled to sustainable practices based on the ideals of solidarity and redistributive justice, which make poverty eradication, along with the right of future generations to the equal enjoyment of natural resources, a priority.

The environmental pillar of sustainable development can be achieved only through a global approach, with strong support from triangular cooperation, which operates as a means of linking South-South and North-South cooperation.

2.3. TOOLS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Restoring equilibrium with nature requires a recognition of the values inherent in nature, a clear definition of the obligations of human beings toward nature and a recognition of the human right to live in a healthy and ecologically balanced environment (Art. 7 of the National Constitution of Paraguay). Nature has rights that must be respected, promoted and defended; Earth has a right to its vital cycles, a right to regenerate itself, a right not to have its structure modified and the right to interact with the other parts of the biosphere. Unless the rights of nature are respected and safeguarded, it will not be possible to guarantee human rights and achieve sustainable development.

States must guarantee the human right to water, education, health, communication, transport, energy and sanitation through efficient social management that ensures access to these benefits for the poorest and most disadvantaged members of society.

(…)

Click here for the full submission

2. New and urgent issues

17. The Conference should encourage recognition of the rights of nature, that is to say, the right to full respect for its existence, maintenance and regeneration of its life cycles, structures, functions and evolutionary processes. States should be urged to take precautionary measures and restrict activities that could lead to the extinction of species, the destruction of ecosystems or permanent changes to natural cycles.

18. We hereby call for a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Nature, as a response that would ensure that present and future generations can live well.

19. Ecuador proposes living well as an alternative to development, as a new paradigm to replace the prevailing model based on endless economic growth, which has led to overexploitation of natural resources and to poverty, inequality and exclusion of the majority of the population. Living well is a work in progress, borrowed from the ancestral knowledge of the indigenous peoples and nationalities, which involves living in harmony with oneself, nature and others to build democratic, inclusive, plurinational and multicultural States.

(…)

27. The green economy cannot be considered an alternative to sustainable development or a new model. Contemplating a “green economy” without modifying production and consumption patterns is a way of greening protectionism; the speculation that led to the crisis of the capitalist system; disregard of the rights of ancestral peoples; appropriation and privatization of environmental services; and technological dependence of developing countries.

Click here for the complete submission

The Climate Change Conference ended two days later than expected, adopting a set of decisions that were known only a few hours before their adoption. Some decisions were even not complete at the moment of their consideration. Paragraphs were missing and some delegations didn’t even have copies of these drafts. The package of decisions was released by the South African presidency with the ultimatum of “Take it or leave it”. Only the European Union was allowed to make last minute amendments at the plenary.

Several delegations made harsh criticisms to the documents and expressed their opposition to sections of them. However, no delegation explicitly objected the subsequent adoption of these decisions. At the end, the whole package was adopted by consensus without the objection of any delegation. The core elements of the Durban Package can be summarized as follows:

1)     A Zombie called Kyoto Protocol

• A soulless undead: The promises of reducing greenhouse gas emission for the second period of commitments of the Kyoto Protocol represent less than half of what is necessary to keep the temperature increase below 2°C.
• This Zombie (second period of the Kyoto Protocol) will only finally go into effect next year (COP 18).
• It is not known if the second period of the Kyoto Protocol will cover 5 or 8 years.
• United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Australia and New Zealand will be out of this second period of the Kyoto Protocol.
• This will be known as the lost decade in the fight against climate change.

2)     New regime of “Laisser Faire, Laisser Faisser”

• In 2020 a new legal instrument will come into effect that will replace the Kyoto Protocol and will seriously impact the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• The core elements of this new legal instrument can be already seen due to the results of the negotiations: a) voluntary promises rather than binding commitments to reduce emissions, b) more flexibilities (carbon markets) for developed countries to meet their emission reduction promises, and c) an even weaker compliance mechanism than the Kyoto Protocol.
• The new legal instrument will cover all the States, effectively removing the difference between developing and developed countries. The principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” already established in the Climate Change Convention will disappear.
• The result will be the deepening of the “Laisser Faire, laisser passer” regime inaugurated in Copenhagen, Cancun and Durban which will lead to an increase in temperature of more than 4°C.

3)     A Green Fund with no funds

• The Green Fund now has an institutional structure in which the World Bank is a key player.
• The 100 billion is only a promise and will NOT be provided for by the developed countries.
• The money will come from the carbon markets (which are collapsing), from private investments, from credits (to be paid) and from the developing countries themselves.

4)     A lifesaver for the Carbon Markets

• The existing carbon markets will live regardless of the fate of the Kyoto Protocol.
• Also, new carbon market mechanisms will be created to meet the emissions reduction pledges of this decade.
• It is a desperate attempt to avoid the loss of the carbon markets, which are collapsing due to the fall of the carbon credits, from 30 Euros per ton to 3 Euros per ton of CO2.
• Developed countries will reduce less than what they promise because they will buy Emission Reduction Certificates from developing countries.

5)     REDD: a perverse incentive to deforest in this decade

• If you don’t cut down trees you won’t be able to issue certificates of reduction of deforestation when the REDD (Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) mechanism comes into operation.
• CONSEQUENCES: deforest now if you want to be ready for REDD.
• The safeguards for indigenous peoples will be flexible and discretionary for each country.
• The offer of funding for forests is postponed until the next decade due to the fact that demand for Carbon Credits will not increase until then because of the low emission reduction promises.

¡Amandla! ¡Jallalla!

In the actions and events of the social movements in Durban, two battle cries emerged: “Amandla” and “Jallalla”. The first one is a Xhosa and Zulu word from South Africa which means “power”. The second word is an expression in aymara which means “for life”. “¡Amandla¡ °Jallalla!” means “¡Power for life!”

This is the “power for life” that we must build, that transcends borders, from our communities, neighborhoods, workplaces and place of study in order to stop this ongoing genocide and ecocide.

(*) Pablo Solón, international analyst and social activist. United Nations Ambassador and Chief Climate Change Negotiator from the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

http://pablosolon.wordpress.com/(*)

Almost a year has gone by since the results of the climate change negotiations in Cancun were imposed with the objection of only Bolivia. It’s time to take stock and see where we are now.

In Cancun, the developed countries listed their greenhouse gas emission reduction pledges for the 2012-2020 period. The United States and Canada said they would reduce emissions by 3% based on 1990 levels, the European Union between 20 and 30%, Japan 25%, and Russia from 15 to 25% [1]. Adding up all the reduction pledges of the developed countries, the total reduction in emissions by 2020 would be 13-17% [2] based on 1990 levels.

These greenhouse gas emission reduction “pledges,” according to the United Nations Environment Programme [3], the Stockholm Environment Institute [4], and even the Executive Secretary of the Climate Change Convention [5], would lead us to an average increase in global temperature of around 4°C or more.[6] That is double the amount they established in Cancun: a maximum temperature increase of just 2°C.With an increase of 2°C, the number of deaths per year attributed to climate change-related natural disasters, which was 350,000 in 2009 [7], could skyrocket into the millions. Some 20-30% of animal and plant species would disappear. Many coastal zones and island states would end up below the ocean, and the glaciers in the Andes – which have already been reduced by one third with a temperature rise of just 0.8°C – would disappear entirely.Can you imagine what would happen with an average global temperature increase of 4°C or more? [8]

Nobody at the climate change negotiations defends or justifies an increase of that magnitude. However, Cancun opened the door to it.

When Bolivia opposed this outcome, the negotiators told us that the important thing was to save the diplomatic process of negotiation, and that the climate would be saved in Durban. Now we are just days away from the start of Durban, and it turns out the reduction pledges have not risen by a millimeter. Worse yet, some countries are announcing that they may stick toward the lower range of their pledge amounts.

Sadly, throughout 2011, the climate change negotiations held in Thailand, Germany and Panama have focused on form rather than content. What is being negotiated is not how the reduction pledges can be increased, but rather, how they can be formalized.

The Cancun “agreements” meant going from an obligatory system with global greenhouse gas reduction goals to a voluntary system with no global goals at all. It is as if one said to the inhabitants of a small town about to be washed away by a flood: “bring whatever stones you may have and let’s see how high a dam we can build!” In reality, you must first determine how high the dam should be to stop the flood, and based on that, each family should be told how many stones it must bring to help save the whole town.

In Durban, they are talking about two different paths for formalizing the voluntary regime of “anything goes”: one is to end the Kyoto Protocol  and list in a COP-17 decision the greenhouse gas reduction pledges each country wishes to make. The other path is to do the same thing by hollowing out the content of the Kyoto Protocol. In both cases the agreement is to undo the Kyoto Protocol before 2020.To better understand the second path, let me point out that the Kyoto Protocol currently includes a global goal of 5.2% emission reductions for the 2007-2012 period. According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in order to limit the rise in temperature to the 2°C they have established, we must reduce 25-40% of emissions for the 2013-2020 period.[9]Those that advocate for maintaining the Kyoto Protocol as an empty shell are the countries that fear the reaction of public opinion, those that believe they have to at least pretend that the Kyoto Protocol will continue in order to placate voters. But the other reason why they would want to maintain a Kyoto Protocol that is empty of emission reductions are its collapsing carbon market mechanisms.The Kyoto Protocol has many weaknesses, but to turn it into an empty shell or make it disappear in Durban would be suicide. The only responsible alternative is to preserve the Kyoto Protocol with an emissions reductions goal that allows us to avoid incinerating the planet.
(Second part: The emerging countries and the carbon budget)

* Pablo Solón is an international analyst and social activist. He was chief negotiator for climate change and Ambassador to the United Nations for the Plurinational State of Bolivia from 2009 until June 2011. http://www.facebook.com/solonpablo

[1] Document UNFCCC FCCC/SB/2011/INF.1
[2] A minimum emissions reduction of 13% and a maximum of 17% for the 2013-2020 period.
[3] http://www.unep.org/publications/ebooks/emissionsgapreport/
[4] http://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/sei-comparison-of-pledges-jun2011.pdf
[5] http://cancun.unfccc.int/cancun-agreements/significance-of-the-key-agreements-reached-at-cancun/#c45
[6] 4° C is a global average, but some continents such as Africa will see a temperature rise 8° C.
[7] Data from the Global Humanitarian Forum presided by former UN General Secretary Kofi Annan.

“In order to have success at the UN climate conference in Durban in December we need to have a clearer willingness to increase the emissions reduction pledges that are on the table.” Ambassador Solon said.

“We have seen in these two weeks not much engagement in science but a lot of engagement in business. There has been no movement on the big issue of reducing emissions but instead a proliferation of proposals on new market mechanisms.” Ambassador Solon said.

“All the reports show a problem of science and a problem of leadership. We need deep cuts and we need developed countries to take the lead That is why we propose an ad-hoc high level meeting dedicated to the issue of increasing targets.” Ambassador Solon said.

Reflecting on the two weeks of talks the Ambassador outlined concerns regarding the future of the Kyoto Protocol, with new market proposals, and hope for consideration of the rights of nature.

“The lack of ambition for Kyoto Protocol worries us very much. Countries are abandoning the international rule based system. Some developed countries are proposing effort for the second period that is even less per year than they are doing now.” Ambassador Solon said.

“We have seen proposals for markets for the oceans, so called ‘blue carbon’ we are surprised and concerned by these. The problem with the reference level for markets such as these is that it is based on assumptions that are not real. And there is the great possibility that the new market mechanisms will just create more hot air.” Ambassador Solon said.

“With parameters that are not real countries try to get a bigger share of certificates of reductions and in that way instead of developing new sources of finance we will develop new sources of deterioration of our natural systems.” Ambassador Solon said.

“Many of the proposals that we have had advanced have had interesting discussions such as the issue of the rights of nature an the integiry of ecosystems. This is key for us because we are all part of a system and until now we have not recognized the limits to our exploitation of natural resources that will affect precisely that system.” Ambassador Solon said.

“The key issue at these talks is the gap between how much climate pollution we need to reduce and how much countries are committed to reducing. We call that the “gap” and it’s the difference between 4C of warming and 2C of warming. The Cancun outcome sets us on a path to 4C.” Ambassador Solon Said.

“Some countries want to talk about the ‘rules’ first, instead of this gap in commitment, but we know that rules will not reduce this gap. Fixing rules will simply prevent the gap from increasing, it won’t set about actually reducing emissions. The heart of the matter is the depth of pollution cuts.” Ambassador Solon said.

“More incredible is the suggestion by some countries that they want the market mechanisms from the Kyoto Protocol but do not want to have the legally binding targets of the Kyoto Protocol. You can’t say I’m not coming to the party but please send all the gifts to my house.” Ambassador Solon said.

Ambassador Solon made a presentation that showed the effect of temperature rise on the Chacaltaya glacier in the Andes. Chacaltaya has already receded significantly with only 0.8C of recorded warming.

“If you talk about 4C of temperature rise, which is what the Cancun outcome sets us up for, then you talk about a catastrophe for the Andes. This why it is important to us, to small island states, to Africa to close the gap so we don’t end up with 4C.” Ambassador Solon said.

Ambassador Solon provided data from workshops at the UN talks last week which highlight that in terms of gigatonnes of emissions the world must collectively emit 42-44 gigatonnes of C02e in 2020, down from a business as usual prediction of 56 C02e gigatonnes.

“We need to reduce 12-14 gigatonnes but we are currently, in the best case scenario only at 7 gigatonnes. More concerning is that developing countries are doing more than developed countries – an incredibly unfair state of affairs given that each person in developed countries emits four times as much as those in developing countries and in historical terms have emitted over 10 times as much.”  Ambassador Solon said.

Ambassador Solon highlighted Article 4.2 (a) of the UN Convention on Climate Change, which all countries had agreed to in 1992, which required developed countries to ‘peak’ their emissions by the year 2000.

“Yet that peaking has not yet begun. Globally we know we need to collectively peak before 2020 but if developed countries to do not peak first it becomes impossible to ask developing countries to reduce their emissions more severely, given the historical contribution of developed countries.” Ambassador Solon said.

To respond to the current deadlock in talks Ambassador Solon proposed a six-step path:

1.    Agreement on the size of the gap (12-14 Gigatonnes of C02e)

2.    Recognise that developed countries will need to take a larger share of the reduction.

3.    Agree on parameters for sharing the burden, based on historical responsibility and capacity of the parties.

4.    Have developed countries’ emissions peak immediately.

5.    Represent every countries’ target in terms of gigatonnes, defined as reductions from domestic emission levels and without the use of ‘offsets’.

6.    Agreement on legal actions for parties that do not fulfil their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol (for a second commitment period) and under the Convention.

In response to a question regarding the abuse of the consensus rule at the Cancun talks the Ambassador said:

“We are at this moment in a process of analysing the different options. We are currently considering the amendments proposed by Mexico and Papua New Guinea to change the rules on voting and consensus. We note that the fact they are asking for such a change suggests they were acting incorrectly at the time. If you they were following the rules in Cancun then why would they need to change them now?”

In response to a question regarding consultations with South Africa in preparation for the African hosted UN Climate Conference in December the Ambassador said:

“Most parties have come to an understanding that a new legally binding agreement is not going to happen by Durban. That is not possible, there is no time. So the option from Bolivia and G77 [a group of 131 developing countries] is a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol with targets that close the gap. Others are saying something we don’t understand – ‘let’s have a political commitment’  – to be clear without the continuation of Kyoto what does this mean? It means there will be a legal gap as well as a scientific gap in the pledges, a very bad scenario.”

In response to a question regarding the breach of legal commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, the Convention and other international treaties, including human rights treaties, the Ambassador said:

“Developed countries will not breach their Kyoto targets. The problem is that there is such a big amount of “hot air emissions” [over allocated emissions to former soviet economies who had their industrial capacity collapse since 1990] that any party not making their targets can simply buy carry-overs and say they had ‘achieved’ that goal even though it didn’t happen.”

“The legal problem for developed countries is that they have an obligation to a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol under its Article 3 (9). This is the breach to watch out for.”

“We believe the issue is much bigger than just commitments and targets, and that those considering human rights breaches are correct. For example, it is estimated that 47 million people will have to migrate because of climate change. We have been advocating for an international court of climate justice. This would monitor the impacts and the suffering not only of people but of mother earth because of climate change.  For the glaciers in the andes, desertification in Africa, disappearing small island states – they need to present demands and find justice and we are proposing it to these talks under work going forward.”

Amb. Pablo Solón

Bonn, Germany, June 13, 2011

CLICK HERE to watch via UNFCCC Website

Ambassador Solon in a press conference addressed :

·               Possible outcomes from the annual climate conference, to be held in Durban, South Africa in December;

·               the importance of forest protection to negotiations;

·               the need to recognize the rights of Mother Earth; and

·               proposed an international financial transaction tax.

Durban Outcomes

“In Durban we cannot repeat the mistakes of Cancun. In Durban we need a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, that is the only possible concrete outcome. There is no time for a new legally binding treaty. The choice is binding targets in the Kyoto Protocol or a non-binding decision that odes not resole the issue of reducing emissions in developed countries.” Ambassador Solon said.

“We cannot come out of South Africa with the targets we have now, the UNEP has showen they will lead us to 4C of global warming. We must have targets that limit temperature rise to between 1C and 1.5C to preserve life as we know it.” Ambassador Solon said.

Forests at Bonn Negotiations

“We also need a clear position in relation to the issue of forests. We cannot spend the money that we have now, a very small amount of money, trying to measure the amount of carbon that forests store in order to prepare the conditions for a future carbon market in the forest.” Ambassador Solon said.

“What we need to do is direct that small amount of resources that we have to preserve forests now. The key issue is to develop and implement key actions now, and not in 8 years when there might be a carbon market, but right now in order to preserve the forests today.” Ambassador Solon said.

Rights of Mother Earth

“When we consider climate change we are not just talking about floods, rains, and droughts but more holistically but the Earth’s systems as a whole. It’s not just about the number of emissions but how we are affecting the whole system – of individuals eco-systems and the system of planet Earth.” Ambassador Solon said.

“We must recognize that we are a part of a system and we cannot commodity and transform this system without consequences. All countries, in all their policies, must respect the natural boundaries of the Earth’s systems. The rights of the other parts of this system must be considered and we need to develop international rules and laws to preserve the integrity of the Earth’s system. Bolivia has made submissions to develop these rules at the climate negotiations.” Ambassador Solon said.

International Financial Transaction Tax

“Developing countries are very disappointed and concerned about the status of the proposed fast start climate finance ($30B) from Copenhagen. There hasn’t been an official review and it needs a concrete and official report.” Ambassador Solon said.

“Civil society analysis shows that most ‘fast start finance’ is not new. It’s just recycling of official aid that was already agreed for projects that were already being financed. Before they were under agriculture or infrastructure but now they are called climate finance. But real, actually new funds, the famous $30B promised in Copenhagen, has not come to developing countries.” Ambassador Solon said.

“Instead of waiting for this promise of fast start finance to materialize we have put forward a proposal for a tax on International Financial Transactions. This would be a mechanism that can generate real funds and we will have the funds to act immediately to address the protection of forests and fight climate change.” Ambassador Solon said.

“The tax would be voluntary, each country could decide to be involved, but the revenue raised would go into a common fund to fight climate change. It could be scaled up quickly and is a decisive response – experience shows we cannot rely on private finance to generate nearly enough to take effective action.” Ambassador Solon said.

Rights of Mother Earth

“When we consider climate change we are not just talking about floods, rains, and droughts but more holistically but the Earth’s systems as a whole. It’s not just about the number of emissions but how we are affecting the whole system – of individuals eco-systems and the system of planet Earth.” Ambassador Solon said.

“We must recognize that we are a part of a system and we cannot commodity and transform this system without consequences. All countries, in all their policies, must respect the natural boundaries of the Earth’s systems. The rights of the other parts of this system must be considered and we need to develop international rules and laws to preserve the integrity of the Earth’s system. Bolivia has made submissions to develop these rules at the climate negotiations.” Ambassador Solon said.

International Financial Transaction Tax

“Developing countries are very disappointed and concerned about the status of the proposed fast start climate finance ($30B) from Copenhagen. There hasn’t been an official review and it needs a concrete and official report.” Ambassador Solon said.

“Civil society analysis shows that most ‘fast start finance’ is not new. It’s just recycling of official aid that was already agreed for projects that were already being financed. Before they were under agriculture or infrastructure but now they are called climate finance. But real, actually new funds, the famous $30B promised in Copenhagen, has not come to developing countries.” Ambassador Solon said.

“Instead of waiting for this promise of fast start finance to materialize we have put forward a proposal for a tax on International Financial Transactions. This would be a mechanism that can generate real funds and we will have the funds to act immediately to address the protection of forests and fight climate change.” Ambassador Solon said.

“The tax would be voluntary, each country could decide to be involved, but the revenue raised would go into a common fund to fight climate change. It could be scaled up quickly and is a decisive response – experience shows we cannot rely on private finance to generate nearly enough to take effective action.” Ambassador Solon said.

Thanks to this surprising mindshift by UN leaders and participants, the day also ended in an emergency call to action where the Indigenous, kids, renewable energy, and teamwork play key roles to veer us off our current path toward extinction. Fortunately the UN is not alone.(www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/2011/04/general-assembly-interactive-dialogue-on-harmony-with-nature-english.html).

“WE NEED TO PROTECT THE HABITAT THAT SUSTAINS US” – Pope Benedict XV1

Pope Benedict’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences came to the same conclusion in May, not just for their 1.8 billion Catholics. But as a result of alarming new evidence found by his 80 international scientists of diverse faiths, that global warming is increasing much faster than expected and in some areas gone over the tipping point, the German Pontiff made this bold “call to action for all people in all nations:”

“If we as inhabitants want to ensure our rights to daily bread, fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink, and want justice and peace, we need to protect the habitat that sustains us,” said the German Pontiff. Now called the “Green Pope” for also switching to solar energy at the Vatican, he urged everyone to help reduce the cause of climate change.” (www.kpbs.org/news/2011/may/10/catholic-church-goes-green-counter-global-warming/ ).

“WE NEED A WARTIME MOBILIZATION SHIFT FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO RENEWABLES”

Lester Brown, founder of World Watch, which holds its annual conference in Aspen, pleaded in March for “a wartime mobilization shift from fossil oil and coal, which are heating up the planet and rapidly reducing our ability to feed the world, to renewable wind and solar.”

The Union of Concerned Scientists, including Stanford’s late shared Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr. Stephen Schneider, partner to the North American Elders, also warned us that “nuclear is NOT clean energy,” and the 400 reactors worldwide are major contributors to heating up our planet. By switching our 2012 Budgets to renewables, we have the power and responsibility to reduce melting of our glaciers, killing our forests, freaky weather, floods, droughts, and oil extraction-related spills, earthquakes and tsunamis that led to the Fukashima meltdown poisoning our whole Earth Family.

America is ranked 7th out of the G8 countries in overall green progress. Yet Brown says that wind power from just North Dakota, Kansas and Texas, could quickly power America! Plus U.S. Secretary of Energy Chu said “our solar energy potential is enough to supply twice as much power as America needs.” President Obama did brilliantly pledge $150 billion in renewable energy projects for developing countries over the next 10 years. A poll shows that most Americans prefer safe renewable energy, since it saves trillions on wars and catastrophes that can instead be used to lift up communities and pay down the national debt. REF: enewschannels.com/2011/05/17/enc13131_173734.php.

All these leaders have been inspired by Indigenous Peoples. For example in 2008, RobertJohn Knapp, a Seneca Elder-scholar, was joined by representatives of six European countries singing and blessing the streams, much like St Francis, as they followed them to their Rome meeting with Pope Benedict. At the end of the exchange Knapp presented the Pontiff with a staff and requested he ask all the religions to help clean up our waters. Shortly thereafter, the Pontiff declared, “It is a sin to poison the water,” as it is suicidal. Also why Popes John Paul 11 and Benedict have urged farmers to follow Nature’s Laws and say “No” to suicidal GMO seeds.

MOTHER EARTH’S RIGHTS

The Pontiff was likely further empowered by the UN taking seriously the Bolivian Law giving our “beloved” Mother Earth Rights, enacted in January by their Indigenous President Evo Morales. The Vancouver Sun reported that “the law recognizes a country’s natural resources as ‘blessings.’ And to grant Earth the rights to life, water, clean air, and to repair livelihoods affected by human activities; and the right to be free from pollution.”

Ecuador’s Constitution of 2008 states that nature’s rights should be taken into account in all planning activities, including the maintenance, regeneration, and restoration of its cycles, structures, functions and evolutionary processes. REF: daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N10/489/57/PDF/N1048957.pdf?OpenElement

Nobel Laureates Eric Chivian, Muhammad Yunus, and Joseph Stiglitz agree that “Human beings are an inseparable part of Mother Earth, and life depends on uninterrupted functioning of Her cycles.”

Together the UN participants painted a holistic picture of a “new world resplendent with life” and urged a shift from an economic system that regards nature as a commodity that we have the right to exploit, to a paradigm that respects Mother Earth’s rights and intrinsic value. Instead of the GNP as the measure of progress, they proposed measuring the “quality of life, well being, and the Gross National Happiness,” pioneered by Ecuador, France and Bhutan.

Humanity is at a crossroads: Why should we only respect the laws of human beings and not those of nature? Why do we call the person who kills his neighbor a criminal, but not he who extinguishes a species or contaminates a river or a system as a whole, if all of us, absolutely all of us, rely on the life of the Earth System? asked Pablo Solon, Bolivia’s Ambassador to the UN.

Hail to the participants who included some of Earth’s deepest thinkers from the member states and renowned authors on the panel: Vandana Shiva (India), Peter Brown (Canada), Cormac Cullinan (South Africa), Riane Eisler (United States), Paul-Bertrand Barets (France), Gilberto Gallopin (Argentina), Ivo Havinga (UN) Mathis Wackernagel (Switzerland). Besides the Bolivians, there was a representative of the UN’s Indigenous Peoples Partnership, as a preview of Native Elders further helping light the way for humanity at RIO-20 next June, which was part of the 2012 prophesy.

A COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIP MODELED AFTER NATURES LAWS

Brown and Eisler explained why our current Neo Classical economics model of dominance at any cost to humanity and Nature is falling apart. Brown said, “Today’s financial paradigm is not scientifically based since the economic indicators are not connected to Earth’s “natural capital,” defined as goods and services from Nature essential for life, which U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Barnaki even admits!”

Eisler explained that politicians worldwide keep this medieval model going because it benefits a few at the expense of the many…virtual slaves. “‘Trickle Down Economics’ comes from peasants getting the crumbs falling off the king’s table. Mainstream economics is unsustainable because it fails to include the critical life-giving, healthy home environment and care giving contributions of women and Mother Earth, which is sacred.” UK researchers estimated that “Housewives should be paid £30,000″ (about $45,000). Malaysian Moderator Martin Khor added, “A maid’s salary is listed on government balance sheets, but when she marries it disappears, though contributing the same work” – why women’s value is discounted. The participants agreed “we need to make a cultural shift to a cooperative partnership system, an Earth Democracy, modeled after Nature’s laws to survive as a species.”

A sign of this economic mindshift is Citibank and Google spending $110 billion on authentically clean wind energy to power 450,000 Southern California homes to help restore its blue sky air quality, its Natural Capital.

REPAIRING OUR GREATEST THREAT TO NATIONAL AND GLOBAL SECURITY

Don’t we need a combination of Earth Rights and Keynesian economics, where governments create full employment, which got America out of the First Depression? It addressed people’s needs, not wants, and spread the wealth more fairly. A green job mobilization could repair our National, and in unity, our Global Security.

Globally, Venezuela, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda were also leaders in supporting the “Mother Earth Rights” initiative, some having similar Nature-protecting laws. Hail to these Latin Nations and the orchestrators of Harmony with Nature Day: UN’s Bolivian Mission, the UN Division of Sustainable Development and the UN Office of the President of the General Assembly. Together they showed humanity what living in harmony with Mother Earth looks like, so She can keep us around!

The acting President of the UN General Assembly, Botswana Ambassador Charles Ntwaagae said, “We must all recognize that we are part of nature and simply living to fulfill our desires at Nature’s expense is not sustainable.”

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro said, “There is much we can learn from the wisdom and philosophy of indigenous peoples”…”A holistic view of environmental, social and economic well-being is indeed the only route to truly sustainable development”.

Khor called ‘Harmony with Nature’ an extremely important phrase that resonates with most of us, and the “Secretary-General’s report on it as quite remarkable and unusual and I encourage the public to read it.” REF: daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N10/489/57/PDF/N1048957.pdf?OpenElement

EGYPTIANS HAD STRICT LAWS AGAINST FOULING THE WATER AND LAND

We all have Indigenous ancestors, and those who kept the tribal ways of living at one with Nature and learning from mistakes, have had the longest Civilization. Next, the Egyptian Civilization lasted 3,000 years because the Pharaohs and Queens had “strict laws against fouling the water and land.” And yet the United States, home to the UN headquarters, is only 400 years old.

Native Elders like Knapp were surprised and happy that speakers in the webcast now agree that “Human beings are an interdependent part of Nature and to keep the balance we must take only what we need and leave the rest for future generations, and take responsibility for doing the right thing.”

PRACTICAL AND SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS KEY TO RESTORING MOTHER EARTH

Renewing Earth also takes spiritual solutions. The African and Venezuelan leaders talked about “the important role that the Indigenous Peoples play with their pool of ancient knowledge.” “By connecting with the ancestral and Nature spirits through their ceremonies they have protected and countered the destruction of their sacred forests and waters, while promoting respect for Nature and living frugally.”

On the road to Rio+20, the UN invites groups to take an active role in the promotion of our shared environment. Given our strong ‘sports bridge’ between the cultures, UN’s Sustainability officer Maria Mercedes Sanchez invited our Native American Olympic Team Foundation to inspire communities around the world to live in more harmony with Nature by reaching out to their Indigenous Elders to lead Gratitude Snowdances (and Oceandances), which we have been spreading across North America and Europe for 16 years. We found that weather miracles do the most to wake people up to remember our earth-honoring Indigenous roots. (snow-riders.org/mir.html)

Scientists in 11 countries and Swiss Nobel Prize winner, Kurt Wuthrich, have verified the tests of Japan’s Water Guru, Dr. Masura Emoto, how giving “love and appreciation” to water clears it. Just as loving prayers, ceremonies and joyful dances of the world’s tribes lift the vibration of the mountains and oceans where toxins cannot exist. Mayan Chief Don Alejandro says that ideally cross-cultural ceremonies led by Native Elders or trusted shaman, which reconnect us to the heart of Mother Earth, are key to smoother 2012. More on these ceremonies in our “UN International Mother Earth Day” story. nativevoices.org/articles/MotherEarthDayInitiative.pdf)

Anytime we express those sentiments to our Mother Earth in thoughts, prayers, ceremonies, we are purifying and restoring Her natural cycles that we have put in painful chaos.

EDUCATING HUMANITY THROUGH THE KIDS

Dr. Emoto says the best way to get this message everywhere is through the children at schools since they then educate their parents who love them. The Venezuelan and Chinese representatives mentioned how they are helping educate their students about this ancient Indigenous view of Earth. Students worldwide watching China’s magnificent ancient drumming section of the Olympic opening ceremonies, and the origins part of the Australia, US, Norway, Japan, Canada…Games, were introduced to that mindshift. IOC President Jacques Rogge intuitively wrote as part of their Eco Agenda 21, “to include more Indigenous Peoples in the Olympics to enhance the Games sustainability.”

Another way we found in the U.S. to bring this feeling of sacredness of Nature to mainstream is through Native Americans leading eco hikes in schools like Telluride and Vail, so children can see Nature through their eyes. (Plus Aspen SkiCo wants the Utes to lead their popular eco tours). Similarly, six year olds in Sweden are taken on hikes and become bonded with Nature and therefore guardians for life. Karmically, we are bound to provide Earth’s children with our best tools for this new partnership way, to help them survive and thrive.

U.S. high schools students just invented an earth-friendly 300 mile per gallon electric car. So imagine if the 192 nation states urged schools worldwide to share highlights of this UN webcast, what it could do to create a wiser, appreciative, vibrantly green partnership with Mother Earth, our only Home. (Plus showing the stunning multi-lingual YouTube video “HOME” and “Water: The Great Mystery”)

Several panelists summed up the feeling of this “enlightening day” in quoting Gandhi. “The world has enough resources for eveybody’s needs, but not to meet the greed of a few.” And theologian Father Thomas Berry who said, “We must go hand in hand with Mother Nature into the future, or not go at all.”

The UN gathering also reached these conclusions: “In agriculture we can meet more needs of more people by following Nature’s laws as proven by UN scientists.” “And the member states and everyone need to help create the political will to recreate our Botanical Garden.”

40 YEARS OF PROMISES BY OUR PRESIDENTS OF ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

Millions of Earth Citizens are rising up to get true democratic rights in the Middle East and Africa, though the new Egyptian military regime tortured and forced female protestors to take virginity tests. (May 31 HuffPostAOLNews.)

On May 29, German DW World TV revealed these rallies have spread to Spain, with massive tent cities protesting their government SERVING THE CORPORATIONS and not the people. Sound familiar to your country? The Germans and the Swiss have risen up and are shutting down nuclear reactors. Thousands of protestors in India and Japan have led the shift from nuclear to renewables in Asia. Most of the protestors are students thanks to getting educated as never before via the internet and teachers inspiring kids in environmental classes.

“FOOLED ME 8 TIMES…” – JON STEWART

Jon Stewart brilliantly revealed on the Daily Show how “eight of our U.S. Presidents spanning four decades, have unkept promises to our people on implementing energy independence through renewables.” All Academy Award winning talk with little or no action while fully knowing we were headed for more and more catastrophic wars, oil spills and meltdowns. Dirty energy and their catastrophes make more profits for the few than a sustainable harmonious world. “Fool me once, shame on them. Fool me twice shame on me. Fool me 8 times…” That is why this kind of education and awareness is key. REF: www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-june-16-2010/an-energy-independent-future

Our Earth Family who mainly wants to live in peace and harmony with each other and Nature, MUST spread the word and create a tsunami of “tough love” to enlighten and insist our political leaders addicted to big oil and nuclear payoffs, fund and implement massive renewable energy projects. Thank heaven that the “Harmony with Nature Day” participants and likely those watching worldwide, came to realize at this 11:59th hour that “Shifting to Green Energy as part of partnering with Mother Earth is no longer an option for our survival, but a condition.”

HOPE FOR A NUCLEAR FREE WORLD

Tribal Elders and Nobel Prize winners agree that war and nuclear radiation (plus Gulf oil spills) are the greatest threat to water, Mother Earth and humanity, having destroyed three worlds/civilizations. See how the UN’s Disarmament Commission is making steps to end this threat. And each of us as Earth Citizens, MUST INSIST that our leaders shift our 2012 Budgets from nuclear energy loans and oil subsidies for off shore drilling, to renewable energy. Both are critical for restoring Mother Earth and her “dying” oceans so She may flourish, and therefore our Right to Exist. More on this UN breakthrough in Part 2.