Missed in the mass coverage of the G8, on Monday this week the Ecuadorian assembly approved a draft rewrite of its country’s constitution that would give enshrined rights to its nature and ecosystems within Ecuadorian territory.
This is, potentially, a pretty big story. Read the full draft of the rights given to nature. A couple of highlights:
Every person, people, community or nationality, will be able to demand the recognitions of rights for nature before the public organisms (courts and government agencies).
The State will apply precaution and restriction measures in all the activities that can lead to the extinction of species, the destruction of the ecosystems or the permanent alteration of the natural cycles.
To do so at a national level is unprecedented, but it has happened elsewhere at regional level. For example, the Tamaqua Borough Council in Pennsylvania, which in September 2006 recognised the rights of nature. In the US it’s called ‘Wild Law’.
Here is Lovelock (1994) on the point in relation to climate change: “We must, in our own interest, theorise that the planet is at least as important as we are. If we continue to pollute and destroy for our own interest, we could bring about the end of the Pleistocene and the dawn of a new hot earth. First in our thoughts should be the need to avoid perturbing Gaia and exacerbating its present instability.”
The Ecuadorian vote to ratify the draft will come some time in August/September. A good friend of mine is down there at the moment working on some environmental projects, so I’ll try to get hold of him and get some local views on the issue.
Popularity: 4% [?]
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I am in AWE! This is incredible! I’m so very happy that I’ve decided to RETIRE in Ecuador! I was born in Holland but have practiced in the USA for the past 35 years. Please send me as much information on Retirement in Ecuador as possible as I’m an old holistic doctor who wants to help the indigenous people of Ecuador. I heard freedom of speech might be threatened by all the TV station take-overs – andy truth to that rumor?
Thank you for you informations.
Dr. Van Beveren
You might be interested in looking into the work of the Pachamama Alliance which is working closely with the indigenous communities in Ecuador and is deeply committed to supporting all of the beautiful change that is happening in Ecuador and how can we in the North learn from the wisdom of the south and change the dream of the north. This is at the heart of the Awakening the Dreamer symposium work developed by the Pachamama Alliance.
http://www.pachamama.org/
It’s a very exciting time and there are great lessons to be learned from the south…there is a prophecy called the eagle and the condor…that connects here.
Sheri, thanks for your comment. I’ve been following the Ecuadorian situation since Patricia Granda’s report on the CDM pine forest plantations, back in 2004. I’m very much hoping Ecuador ratify the decision to give rights to ecosystems.