[Debate] (Fwd) More Durban COP reportbacks:: Global Justice Ecology Project, Rights of Nature

Tue Jan 17 04:27:31 GMT 2012

http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/programs/grassroots-report-back-durban-disaster-2011-un-climate-change-negotiations

  Grassroots Report Back from the Durban Disaster: "2011 UN Climate
  Change Negotiations"

    Summary

  * Production Date: 01/11/2012
  * Length: 02:08:21
  * Town: Burlington <http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/town/burlington>

    Description

Presentation organized by Global Justice Ecology Project 
<http://globaljusticeecology.org/>. Five presenters who covered the 
Durban, South Africa, climate talks in December 2011.

***

http://therightsofnature.org/rights-of-nature-cop17-durban/?utm_source=Rights+of+Mother+Earth&utm_campaign=5bb59b17a7-Rights_of_Mother_Earth1_8_2012&utm_medium=email

  Rights of Nature advocates at COP17 Durban, South Africa

UN COP17 Climate Change Conference was held in Durban, South Africa 
starting Monday, November 28. The Conference was officially scheduled to 
end on Friday December 9. However, marathon negotiations continued for 
30 hours after closing.

As representatives of government and non-government organizations 
gathered both inside the UN Climate Change Conference and in the outside 
Peoples Space to negotiate and explore proposed solutions to climate 
issues, the *Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature* advocated a 
systemic alternative that balances the rights of human communities with 
the recognition of the rights of the ecosystems of which we humans are 
apart and which sustain us. Implementing the Rights of Nature framework 
requires the redesign of legal governance systems to recognize the 
rights of Mother Earth, the Rights of Nature.

Rights of Nature Strategy Session - Tom GoldtoothThe Global Alliance, in 
partnership with Global Exchange, EnAct International, Fundacion 
Pachamama, CJN!, Indigenous Environmental Network, South Durban 
Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), and Women's Earth and Climate 
Caucus presented a series of rights based educational and action events 
both inside COP17 and outside in the Peoples Space.

Starting December 1 Global Alliance and aligned advocates presented 
daily in numerous venues.

Rights of Nature Strategy Session
December 1 a group of 17 international leaders in the Rights of Mother 
Earth/Rights of Nature movement gathered at Stainbank Wildlife Preserve 
for a strategy planning meeting.

December 2 */The Earth Bears Witness: Who Should Stand Trial?, 
/*Diakonia Center -- Cormac Cullinan & Pat Siemen

"The law is inadequate to deal with the environmental destruction that 
is taking place.  Earth's voice must be heard for us to survive," 
environmental lawyers Cormac Cullinan from Cape Town and Pat Siemens 
from Florida, USA told a gathering of about 100 people of different 
faiths at a COP17 side event organised by the Southern African Faith 
Communities Environment Institute (SAFCEI) in Durban's Diakonia Centre.

More information at*'Earth's voice must be heard'* 
<http://safcei.org/earths-voice-must-be-heard/>

December 2 /*Rights of Nature and Climate Politics*/ -- Pablo Solon

For highlights of Pablo's message, visit Pablo Solon on Rights of Nature 
and Climate Politics ... 
<http://therightsofnature.org/pablo-solon-heart-of-society-is-mother-earth/>

Shannon Biggs and Cormac Cullinan at MarchDecember 3 *Global Day Of 
Action March*

The Global Alliance for Rights of Nature participated along with some 10 
-- 12,000 people in the Global Day of Action March to the beach in 
Durban.  Beach balls painted and printed with Earth Rights Now! in 5 
languages bounced above our heads.  The balls took on a life of their 
own as the members of the crowd delighted in bouncing them all the way 
to center stage of the closing!

December 5 *"We've got to find our ecological niche" COPpuccino at COP17 
*interview of Cormac Cullinan as part of daily "COP"puccino video series.

Cormac speaks for COPpuccino <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8M1djakKzE>

Click to view

Click to view *"We've got to find our ecological niche"* <http://>

December 5 *Rights of Nature Panel Discussion with Pablo Solon, Tom 
Goldtooth, Cormac Cullinan, Natalia Greene, and Shannon Biggs, 
*moderated by Osprey Orielle Lake.

Click to read what people are saying about the Panel Discussion:

UNFCC COP17 Climate Change Conference by Andrea Solazzo 
<http://andreasolazzo.blogspot.com/2011/12/under-capitalism-mother-earth-is.html>

December 6 Rights of Nature Press Conference

COP17 Rights of Nature Press Conference 
<http://therightsofnature.org/events/rights-of-nature-press-conference-cop17/>For 
excerpts and video of Press Conference on Why to Bring Rights of Nature 
to the Table at Climate Change Conferences 
<http://therightsofnature.org/events/rights-of-nature-press-conference-cop17/>

December 6 South Durban, SA Toxic Tour to South Durban and Call for 
Rights of Nature at Engen Refinery

Video by Shannon Biggs, Rights of Nature advocate with Global Exchange 
and International Advocacy co-chair for the Global Alliance

December 7 *Sustainable Capacity Building -- Empowering Individuals and 
Communities to Act *- Living in Harmony Cormac Cullinan

For more information visit COP17, UN's Climate Change Conference in 
Durban, South Africa -- 7th Dec 
<http://environment.brahmakumaris.org/news/latest-news/115-cop17-uns-climate-change-conference-in-durban-south-africa-7th-dec>.

Robin MilamDecember 9 *Rights of Nature, An Idea Whose Time Has Come -- 
*Global Alliance members Robin Milam and Osprey Oreille Lake presented 
Rights of Nature in an official side event inside COP17.

Thank you to Randy Hayes, Shannon Biggs, Santiago Lopez, Natalia Greene, 
and Robin Milam for videos and photos.

A special thank you to *Beyond War* <http://beyondwar.org/> for their 
partnership at COP17!

***

http://therightsofnature.org/pablo-solon-heart-of-society-is-mother-earth/

  Pablo Solon -- At the heart of our society is Mother Earth

Pablo Solon on Rights of Nature and Climate PoliticsPablo Solon, 
speaking on*"Rights of Nature and Climate Politics" *at a Harold Wolpe 
Lecture at the UKZN Centre for Civil Society in conjunction with COP17 
on Friday December 2 in Durban South Africa opened with "at the heart of 
our new society is Mother Earth."

To an audience of approximately 200 participants, the former Bolivian 
Ambassador to the UN advocated that it is time to change how we relate 
with nature and restore harmony with nature. We must respect the 
integrity of our ecosystems. Capitalism is based on a relationship with 
humans that is similar to our relationship with nature. Over time we 
humans have expanded rights of humans from landed men to blacks, 
minorities, women, children, etc.

The UN says don't speak about rights because it creates conflict between 
nature and corporations and those who control economics of the world.  
It is not only anthropocentric it is "capitalpocentric". The first 
dimension of this thinking is that most legal systems preserve private 
property of the wealthy -- corporations and wealthy capitalists who 
protect private property of 1% of the world.

The second dimension is the concerns of the ecosystems.  We need to 
change how we relate with nature.  We treat nature as a slave and do 
whatever we want with nature. When we ask 'What does the river think 
about this project?', it changes how we relate to nature."

With respect environmental impact, Solon noted that last year the UN 
declared the human right to water. That took 60 years to achieve because 
it will affect what Bechtel and others can charge for drinking water.  
The next step is the recognition that the river water itself has 
rights.  Water ecosystems have vital cycles we need to respect. We must 
change the way we think the way we relate to nature. Snow has memory.  
If you want to know what was happening 500 years ago look to the glaciers.

He went on to add, "We all have indigenous roots. Indigenous peoples 
respect nature.  They ask for permission and forgiveness.   We must 
reclaim and remember what we have lost."

At COP we are talking about /green economy/. Environmental services 
presents a new model , a new consensus on making profit with 
environmental services.  Unfortunately, the basis of this new model is 
the market. Some say let's have green economy. The challenge we have is 
we need to come out of Durban with a clear call that we promote a new 
economy based on the recognition that Nature has Rights and oppose this 
market based green economy. Rights of Nature does not solve all problems 
but Rights of Nature says that a new world is possible.

We must fight the appetite against nature.  It is an appetite against 
science and spirituality.  The appetite against children and old 
people...the last years are very lonely. We must change the system and 
provide an alternative of new society.

Durban results will be worst than Copenhagen by 4 times.  The impact on 
Africa will be the worst.  Nature is suffering ecocide.

The current relation with nature is through the market. You have to buy 
it. The problem with green economy is that they are saying capitalism 
has failed because we have not put a price on nature. The logic is that 
you do not take care of what does not have a price.

We must change the paradigm of how we relate with Mother Earth.  It is 
not a problem of compensation it is of restoration.  That is true.

The /green economy/ will include insurance so that if your environmental 
property is damaged you will be compensated.  We need a citizens 
tribunal for the environment.  We have to mobilize.

The planet can exist without humans but we are part of the system.   
Regarding temperature, scientists are saying that this has not happened 
in the last 800,000 years.  We must preserve the biodiversity of the planet.

Universal Declaration of Rights of Mother Earth is not written for 
humans ... It is written for /*all life */including the mountains, 
glaciers, everything. Why is it human rights have to be protected and 
the laws of nature can be ignored? When we speak about rights of Mother 
Earth we are also talking about human rights. There must be balance. We 
need a social movement that has a clear vision of both human rights and 
rights of nature.

The worst thing that could come out of Durban is an agreement with such 
weak numbers.  We need to come out of Durban with a clear proposal of a 
new alternative. And we must develop more actions.  Look at the Occupy 
Wall Street proposal.  Oct 15 Occupy Wall Street made an appeal and so 
many people responded.  It is very significant.  When we are fighting 
for employment we must also fight for Mother Earth.

***

  The Rhythm of South Africa Holds Rights of Nature

by Robin Milam

      UN Climate Change Conference COP17 -- Durban, South Africa
      November-December 2011

The rhythm of South Africa is deep, sweet, rich, soulful. It is one of 
joy and dignity.

Arriving in Durban I was continually greeted with friendly offers of 
assistance. Our requests for directions usually meant that a local was 
about to walk with us happily talking and laughing until we could see 
our destination. At one point I actually asked the volunteers at the UN 
COP17 Climate Change Conference if they had been given happiness 
training in preparation for the conference. That question resulted in 
laughter and assurances of "No -- we are happy people. We have beautiful 
sunshine in Durban, you are here, how can we not be happy?"

The latest UN Climate Change Conference (COP17) was held in Durban, 
South Africa earlier this month. I attended with colleagues from around 
the world who are advocating for Rights of Nature as a positive 
alternative to the compromises coming out of the COP negotiations. We 
are a diverse grassroots group representing the Global Alliance for the 
Rights of Nature and other aligned organizations.

Our message is clear and was presented to a wide audience:

Our current economic system is an environmental apartheid. Our current 
system treats nature as property to be bought, sold and consumed. We are 
treating nature as our slave. The rules of the game are written against 
us. The time is NOW to rewrite the rules recognizing that the ecosystems 
that sustain us have the right to exist, replenish, and thrive.

We need a cultural transformation of our relationship with nature to 
recognize that we are part of her ecosystem. We need to recognize that 
Nature has legal rights in our governance systems. Imagine the 
difference if culturally we are standing in a place of honoring the 
rights if nature versus dominion and exploitation when we are making 
decisions related to sustainable development.

The final negotiations from COP 17 came some 30 hours after the 
scheduled end of the conference. Unconscionably, the final COP17 
agreements are projected to leave our planet on track for warming 3 -- 4 
degrees Celsius (5.4 -- 7.2 F) by the end of this century; and Africa is 
heating up at an even faster rate.

The hope for Africa, for our planet, is rising from outside the UN and 
corporate states. Outside -- and interrupting the inside negotiations -- 
rallies led by young emerging leaders demanded that politicians and 
world leaders listen to the people. Six Greenpeace activists were 
arrested and deported for attempting to hang a banner with that message 
from a building. In the December 3 Day of Action, 8,000 people from 
around the world marched the streets of Durban chanting and signing 
earth freedom songs to familiar African rhythms. Above our heads, we 
bounced 4-foot diameter beach balls emblazoned with Earth Rights Now! In 
5 languages.

Mbali Vilakazi - Is there a Xhosa word for Climate Change 
<http://therightsofnature.org/stories/is-there-a-xhosa-word-for-climate-change/>In 
the weeks leading up to Durban COP17, the Climate Train organized by 
artists and activists left Cape Town winding its way through South 
Africa to Durban. Stopping in townships and cities along the way, 
organizers presented the draft People's Charter for Africa. 
(http://therightsofnature.org/the-peoples-charter-for-africa/) 
<http://www.rightsofmotherearth.com/rhythm-south-africa/%28http://therightsofnature.org/the-peoples-charter-for-africa/%29> 
Written in the spirit of the 1950?s Freedom Charter which imagined a 
post-apartheid world, the Peoples Charter embraces at its core the 
Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth and calls for 
recognition of Rights of Nature. Around South Africa and in Durban, 
people crafted compelling responses to the Peoples' Charter through art, 
music and poetry. I was deeply moved by Mbali Vilakavi's "Is there a 
Xhosa Word for Climate Change?" 
<http://therightsofnature.org/stories/is-there-a-xhosa-word-for-climate-change/>

The rhythmic joy and dignity of Africa resonates with me as I return 
home. I share a deeper confidence that our hope truly is in a new 
paradigm of relating to Mother Earth and each other. intuitively it 
seems obvious that Nature has Rights. Now IS the time to recognize in 
our hearts and in our systems of governance that Nature does have Rights!

Join us by signing our petition in support of Rights of Nature 
athttp://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/yes-to-rights-of-nature/

For more information on Rights of Nature at COP17 visit Rights of Nature 
Advocates at COP17. 
<http://therightsofnature.org/rights-of-nature-cop17-durban/>

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