Fascinating article yesterday in The Guardian (04.05.09 -Wild side of the law) describing a new paper by Begonia Filgueria and Ian Mason published by the UK Environmental Law Association.
The paper describes proposals for a new law that would give The Earth rights in the same way that The UN Charter Human Rights gives people rights. In essence this would mean that in law speak, businesses would have a duty of care towards the earth and its eco-systems and that if this duty of care was seen to be broken, then recompense could be sought or action prevented. This would lead to the development of The World Charter for Nature that would enshrine our human duties and responsibilities towards the planet.
Imagine this; In any court of law, where the earth was being substantially impacted then the Earth would have the right to be represented by a lawyer who would fight for compensation and its rights to exist in peace!
Most importantly, the authors argue, such a document would stop us talking about the earth as if it was a resource to be used ( and pillaged) but to treat it as an entity that has its own rights.
“Earth Jurisprudence is the cutting edge idea whose time has come. This report is an essential guide to its possibilities for fulfilling the vision of human nature and harmony through practical law.”
- Satish Kumar, environmentalist, ecologist and educator
I love it!
Guy Battle
5th May 2009
Tags: wild law
