SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
On Earth Day, Recognize the Rights of Mother Earth
This Earth Day, we need to start envisioning a future based not on exploiting nature but on recognizing that nature has inherent rights.
Ironically, this week also marks the one-year anniversary of the BP oil spill, the worst one in U.S. history.
Beyond headline-grabbing catastrophes, every day we dump 2 million tons of toxic waste into the world's water, the equivalent of the weight of the entire human population.
Every day we literally blow the tops off of mountains to release hidden coal.
Apr 22, 2011
This Earth Day, we need to start envisioning a future based not on exploiting nature but on recognizing that nature has inherent rights.
Ironically, this week also marks the one-year anniversary of the BP oil spill, the worst one in U.S. history.
Beyond headline-grabbing catastrophes, every day we dump 2 million tons of toxic waste into the world's water, the equivalent of the weight of the entire human population.
Every day we literally blow the tops off of mountains to release hidden coal.
And it's all legal, because under current law, nature is nothing more that human property, like a slave.
But thanks to some innovative thinking by governments, municipalities and indigenous peoples, a wiser mindset is taking hold. And the United Nations has also begun to consider the rights of nature.
This may be the first step toward the adoption of a Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth. A companion piece to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, this emerging declaration -- which would be backed by enforceable laws around the world -- seeks to redefine our human relationship with all other species from one of dominance to one of harmony.
Many places have already begun to change their laws in accordance with this new way of thinking.
On November 16, 2010, Pittsburgh became the first major U.S. city to recognize the legally enforceable rights of nature. Faced with dangerous "gas-fracking," Pittsburgh's city council unanimously passed a cutting-edge law that stops gas-shale drilling by elevating the rights of communities and nature above the interests of energy corporations.
Nearly two-dozen other U.S. municipalities have passed similar ordinances, finding that existing laws cannot protect their local ecosystems and, by extension, their human health, safety and welfare.
Canadian communities are also wondering if legally recognizing rights for nature can stop the privatization of their public water systems and halt dangerous tar-sands drilling in the fragile Alberta region.
And these bold municipalities are not alone.
In 2008, Ecuador became the first nation in the world to rewrite its constitution to include rights for nature to exist, flourish and evolve.
This year, Bolivia is set to pass 11 separate laws recognizing the rights of Mother Earth.
These laws do not give rights to individual bugs or trees. Rather, they stop the kind of development that interferes with the existence and vitality of local ecosystems.
A worldwide movement, led by indigenous peoples, has emerged to support this cultural and legal shift.
Einstein said that problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.
Every now and then in history, the human race takes a collective step forward in its evolution. The earth, and all its inhabitants, urgently needs this to be one of those times.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Maude Barlow
Maude Barlow is the national chairperson of the Council of Canadians, chairperson of Food and Water Watch in the U.S., and co-founder of the Blue Planet Project, which is instrumental in the international community in working for the right to water for all people.
Shannon Biggs
Shannon Biggs is director of the community rights program at Global Exchange.
This Earth Day, we need to start envisioning a future based not on exploiting nature but on recognizing that nature has inherent rights.
Ironically, this week also marks the one-year anniversary of the BP oil spill, the worst one in U.S. history.
Beyond headline-grabbing catastrophes, every day we dump 2 million tons of toxic waste into the world's water, the equivalent of the weight of the entire human population.
Every day we literally blow the tops off of mountains to release hidden coal.
And it's all legal, because under current law, nature is nothing more that human property, like a slave.
But thanks to some innovative thinking by governments, municipalities and indigenous peoples, a wiser mindset is taking hold. And the United Nations has also begun to consider the rights of nature.
This may be the first step toward the adoption of a Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth. A companion piece to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, this emerging declaration -- which would be backed by enforceable laws around the world -- seeks to redefine our human relationship with all other species from one of dominance to one of harmony.
Many places have already begun to change their laws in accordance with this new way of thinking.
On November 16, 2010, Pittsburgh became the first major U.S. city to recognize the legally enforceable rights of nature. Faced with dangerous "gas-fracking," Pittsburgh's city council unanimously passed a cutting-edge law that stops gas-shale drilling by elevating the rights of communities and nature above the interests of energy corporations.
Nearly two-dozen other U.S. municipalities have passed similar ordinances, finding that existing laws cannot protect their local ecosystems and, by extension, their human health, safety and welfare.
Canadian communities are also wondering if legally recognizing rights for nature can stop the privatization of their public water systems and halt dangerous tar-sands drilling in the fragile Alberta region.
And these bold municipalities are not alone.
In 2008, Ecuador became the first nation in the world to rewrite its constitution to include rights for nature to exist, flourish and evolve.
This year, Bolivia is set to pass 11 separate laws recognizing the rights of Mother Earth.
These laws do not give rights to individual bugs or trees. Rather, they stop the kind of development that interferes with the existence and vitality of local ecosystems.
A worldwide movement, led by indigenous peoples, has emerged to support this cultural and legal shift.
Einstein said that problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.
Every now and then in history, the human race takes a collective step forward in its evolution. The earth, and all its inhabitants, urgently needs this to be one of those times.
Maude Barlow
Maude Barlow is the national chairperson of the Council of Canadians, chairperson of Food and Water Watch in the U.S., and co-founder of the Blue Planet Project, which is instrumental in the international community in working for the right to water for all people.
Shannon Biggs
Shannon Biggs is director of the community rights program at Global Exchange.
This Earth Day, we need to start envisioning a future based not on exploiting nature but on recognizing that nature has inherent rights.
Ironically, this week also marks the one-year anniversary of the BP oil spill, the worst one in U.S. history.
Beyond headline-grabbing catastrophes, every day we dump 2 million tons of toxic waste into the world's water, the equivalent of the weight of the entire human population.
Every day we literally blow the tops off of mountains to release hidden coal.
And it's all legal, because under current law, nature is nothing more that human property, like a slave.
But thanks to some innovative thinking by governments, municipalities and indigenous peoples, a wiser mindset is taking hold. And the United Nations has also begun to consider the rights of nature.
This may be the first step toward the adoption of a Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth. A companion piece to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, this emerging declaration -- which would be backed by enforceable laws around the world -- seeks to redefine our human relationship with all other species from one of dominance to one of harmony.
Many places have already begun to change their laws in accordance with this new way of thinking.
On November 16, 2010, Pittsburgh became the first major U.S. city to recognize the legally enforceable rights of nature. Faced with dangerous "gas-fracking," Pittsburgh's city council unanimously passed a cutting-edge law that stops gas-shale drilling by elevating the rights of communities and nature above the interests of energy corporations.
Nearly two-dozen other U.S. municipalities have passed similar ordinances, finding that existing laws cannot protect their local ecosystems and, by extension, their human health, safety and welfare.
Canadian communities are also wondering if legally recognizing rights for nature can stop the privatization of their public water systems and halt dangerous tar-sands drilling in the fragile Alberta region.
And these bold municipalities are not alone.
In 2008, Ecuador became the first nation in the world to rewrite its constitution to include rights for nature to exist, flourish and evolve.
This year, Bolivia is set to pass 11 separate laws recognizing the rights of Mother Earth.
These laws do not give rights to individual bugs or trees. Rather, they stop the kind of development that interferes with the existence and vitality of local ecosystems.
A worldwide movement, led by indigenous peoples, has emerged to support this cultural and legal shift.
Einstein said that problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.
Every now and then in history, the human race takes a collective step forward in its evolution. The earth, and all its inhabitants, urgently needs this to be one of those times.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.