Wednesday, November 18, 2020

An international Right has come to Florida

In 2008, Ecuador provided constitutional protection to its mountains, waters and land - it was the first country to do that.

That got tested in 2010: "The Vilcabamba river was being filled in by a road building project and the court ruled on behalf of the river’s right to flow freely."

The provincial government building the road had to change the route of the road.

The Rights of Nature: Patricia Siemen TedX Talk at Jacksonville


In 2010, Bolivia hosted the world’s people conference on the Rights of Mother Earth and climate change 2010 -- leading to a Universal Declaration on the rights of Mother Earth

The Declaration came to the UN and some of its language is beginning to show up in UN documents and resolutions.

New Zealand became the second country to provide legal rights to Nature -- the same rights of Legal Personhood now enjoyed only by corporations in the US.


Ichetucknee Springs


In Florida, Siemen told her Jacksonville audience, start with the St. Johns, the Ichetucknee and the Suwannee. Let’s give the Rights of Nature to our springs

"We can work to bring a Bill of Rights for water to the State of Florida," she added.

On Nov. 3, 2020, Orange County Florida became the first jurisdiction in the state to adopt a Bill of Rights for two rivers.

To learn more, connect with the Rights of Nature efforts in Florida:

Florida Rights of Nature Network


Below: Live Webinar on the Rights of Nature held Thursday, Nov. 19


             


1 comment:

  1. The proposed amendment of the Florida constitution has garnered approximately 100,000 signatures of registered Florida voters in the first leg of the campaign for the Florida Right To Clean Water. It used to be a five-year allowance to gather 400,000 signatures in order to put such a question to the voters on a ballot. When the rights of nature charter change for Orange County passed with the approval of 82% of the voters, the Florida legislators paniced. In response they outlawed passage of any rights of nature by local governments or voters for local governments and they changed the requirements for citizens to get a proposal for a constitutional amendment on the ballot for all voters to decide. The changes they made now require 900,000 valid signatures be submitted within a two-year. The current initiative will close without having reached the new high bar, not surprisingly. However, pretty good organizing has come about in the process and as soon as allowed after the turn of the year — the second leg will be launched with a better chance of gathering the number needed. The initiative must start from scratch for gathering signatiures — thanks to our mistakenly elected legislators — but all learned in the first leg and the contacts for a network of volunteers is in place and expectations are that we have a chance at gathering those 900,000 signatures for 2026 ballot. That would be one year less than the traditional allowance — wouldn't that be "nice"? Look for the new initiative in February. Our region was among the top counties gathering signatures — help us put the question before all Florida voters to decide whether they want the right to clean and healthy waters. The hurtle is getting the proposed amendment on the ballot, voters already have shown that they support clean water. Please help again.

    ReplyDelete