ERADICTING ECOCIDE

Law can close one door nd open another.LAW CAN CHANGE ONE VALUES AND UNDERSTANDING.

My theme is ecocide as crime - in fact ecocide is in essence the very anthethesis of life - it can be the outcome of external factors,of a force majeur or an "Act of God" such as flodng and earthquake. It can also a result of human intervention and t requires legislation of internatonal scope.When destruction arses out of the action of mankind, ecocide can be regarded as a crime against peace, against the peace of all who reside therein.The destruction of large areas of the environment and ecosystems can be caused drectly or indirectly by activities such as nuclear testing, exploitation of resoutces,use of defoliants,emmission of pollutants or war.

Ecocide ia unlawful damage to a given environment and as a crime is not restricted to the confines of war alone - the categorization of ecocide as a crime aginst peace is appropriate.

By incorporating ecocide as a fifth crime against peace under the Rome Statute the nternatonal Criminal Court as a permanent tribunal will proseute individuals for crimes against peace.

IT IS PROPOSED THAT ECOCIDE BE A CRIME OF STRICT LIABILITY which places the focus on exercise of preventing the harm, not on the blame of the accused.This regulatory legislation moves the emphasis from the protection of individual interests to the protection of public and social interests.As an international crime it must be an imprisonable offence with required restoration.

The extablishment of the crime of ecocide creates obligation to act responsibly before damage or destruction of a given territory takes place.In doing so the burden shifts dramatically and we have to send a powerful global message to the world to take resposnibility for the well being of all life.

LOBBYING is a legitimate,transparent andpublic exercise in rational persuassion and information provisions has a role in all political decision-making,a process used by all who seek to influence issues of importance.A LOBBYIST'S job is in some respect akin to a court advocate,he or she has an arguement to present and has anat his or her disposal various tools to assist - primar evidence,witnesses,justification - inthe pursuit of exerting influence. LOBBYING HAS NO RULE-BOOK, and nocode of condust.THOSE WHO ARE LOBBIED ARE RARELY TRAINED IN THE ART OF EXERCISING INDEPENDENT and impartial judgement.
CORPORATE LOBBYING DOES NOT WORK FROM THEPREMISE OF CARING FOR THEWELLBEING OFTHE COMMUNITY - so lobbying for eradicating ecocide and holding business and governments to account deserves great courage and belief,devotion to that cause.
Evasion ofenvironmental responsibilty is dictated by financialconsiderations and where conflict between business and environmentalconcrens arise the voices of concern are often drowned by even louder vioce of profit.
WE CANCHANGETHERULESOFTHE game following the next princiles:
1.Ammend all compromise treaties,laws,rukes and regulations
- replace with prohibition of all damaging and destrutive practices and include provisions to enable restoration of damaged territeries to be prioritised over existing practices that are premised on financial penalty alone.
2. COMMUNITY INTERESTS to be placed over private and corporate decisions.
3.Accountability of business practices must be scrutinised by indepndent bodies and mdde public available
4.HOLD all governing odies to account. IF DAMAGING policies are being promoted, call for them to be halted with immeduiate effect
5.HOLD community meetings and ensure proper democratic and true consultation is seen to be done
6.Transition to cleaner solutions must be rapid and effective.
IT is our heads os state that can take the crime of ECOCIDE to the UNITED NATIONS, FOR IT TOBE MADE INTO INTERNATIONAL LAW - but everyone has a role toplay inthenewgame of life.
Universal declaration of mother earth rights

This declaration will be an important starting point for international engagement on the rights of nature.

Universal declaration of mother earth rights

1.MOTHER earth is a leaving being

2.MOTHER earth is unique, indivisibleq self-regulating community of interrelated beings that sustains,contains and reproduces all beings.

3.Each being is defined by its relationships as an integral part of mther earth.

4.THE INHERENET RIGGHTS OF MOTHER EARTH ARE INALIENABLE IN THAT THEY ARISE FROM THE SAME SOURCE OF EXISTENCE.

5.MOTHER EARTH AND ALl THe beings are entitled to all the inherent rights recognized in this declaration without distinction of any kind such as may be made between organic and inorganic beingsqspeciesqoriginquse to human beings or any other status.

6.JUST AS Human beings have human rightsqall other beings also have rights which are specific to their species or kind and appropriate for their role and function within the communities within which they exist.

7.The rights of each being are limited by the rights of other beigs and any conflict between their rights must be resolved in a way that maintains the integrity,balance and health of mother earth.