The Waggle
Issue 81 Unprecedented legal ruling in Brazil is “making waves”
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A male American darter (Anhinga anhinga) in the Everglades National Park, Florida.
blickwinkel / Alamy Stock Photo
NW to SE Co-Stewardship • Anna Steltenkamp
What is meant by federal and Indigenous co-stewardship of national lands? Two distinct landscapes in opposite corners of the United States demonstrate what this collaboration can look like. The Northwest Forest Plan, a thirty-year-old landscape management blueprint that covers roughly one-third (24.5 million acres) of the nation’s old-growth forests, is about to get a major update. The US Forest Service convened an advisory committee this year to determine a set of recommendations to address the urgent issues of wildfire and climate change. The result includes 113 recommendations for tribal inclusion, as Indigenous knowledge and perspectives were absent from the original plan. The committee advised the Forest Service to promote Indigenous co-management while respecting tribal sovereignty and treaty rights such as cultural burning and access to vital cultural resources. Meanwhile, down in Florida, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians recently signed a historic agreement with the National Park Service regarding the co-stewardship of Everglades National Park. This partnership establishes cooperative administration of fire and water resources and visitor services at the park. Across the United States, all national parks exist on traditional Indigenous lands, and in some cases, Native communities were directly evicted to create the parks. Do you have a favorite national park? Learn who the original stewards of those lands are and advocate for their rights to co-stewardship.
First Wave of Ocean Rights • Amy Boyer
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Linhares, Brazil, now has its waves legally recognized as "living beings."
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Ocean waves now have legal personhood in Linhares, Brazil, in a law that gives the waves of the Doce River Mouth, along with connected tributaries, protection from development and pollution. The city has also appointed guardians to watch over the waves and act as their representatives in public decision-making. This rights of nature landmark protects the ocean and an inorganic process like wave formation for the first time. Why waves? In 2015, the worst tailings dam disaster ever recorded dumped toxic mining waste into the Doce River, contaminating the local ecology, devastating a town, and reshaping the river mouth, causing a world-famous surf break to disappear. Residents felt abandoned; their water and livelihoods lost. Grassroots organizers, among them a group of permaculturists and artists called Aliança Rio Doce, stepped in to rebuild communities, regenerate the river, and find a way to recognize its importance. Preserving the waves also safeguards the ecosystem and the surrounding neighborhoods along the river. Expanding the rights of the ocean provides a framework for regulating the high seas and respecting the interconnectedness of bio-networks. To that end, the Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights has been presented to the UN with the goal of having ocean rights established by 2030.
Challenging the Palm Oil Industry • Scott Hannan
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Aspiring Dayak journalist Emmanuela Shinta emerges as a human rights activist in Indonesian Borneo amid the massive palm oil expansion in her native land (3 mins.).
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A new feature documentary by Indigenous filmmaker Emmanuela Shinta entitled “In the Land of Palm Oil” exposes the industry's devastating effects on the local ecology of her homeland of Borneo. Through intimate collaboration with Shinta’s native Dayak community, the film chronicles the egregious environmental and human rights abuses connected to palm oil plantations. Commonly used for cooking in tropical regions, palm oil has also found its way into many global consumer goods, such as toothpaste, lipstick, and candy. The industry has become notorious for clear-cutting rainforests, polluting waterways, and destroying delicately balanced ecosystems that support human communities. Through activism and efforts like “In the Land of Palm Oil,” the global community is beginning to take action. Starting in December, a new law in the EU will go into effect, banning imports of anything linked to deforestation, including palm oil. Eyes of the World Films, the nonprofit organization that produced the documentary, pairs environmental films with campaigns to promote solutions. They are spearheading an effort to purchase degraded land in the Talekoi Forest of Indonesian Borneo, aiming to create a protected national park. For more information on the issue and how to take action, see our Palm Oil Nexus.
A Turning Point for Ecocide? • George Biesmans
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The Blue Lagoon in Port Vila, Efate, Vanuatu.
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Imagine a world where the mass destruction of nature was criminalized under international law. That world is one major step closer to becoming a reality after the International Criminal Court received a proposal to amend its founding document, the Rome Statute. The change would make Ecocide the fifth international crime, alongside crimes against humanity and genocide. A burgeoning global campaign spearheaded by Stop Ecocide International is behind the milestone. Co-founder Jojo Mehta explained how the main goal of enshrining Ecocide in international law is primarily protective: “It's deterrence.” The amendment also creates “powerful moral as well as legal boundaries, making it clear that extreme levels of harm are not just unlawful but totally unacceptable.” Led by the low-lying island nation of Vanuatu, the move comes hot on the heels of a study surveying people across G20 countries, which revealed that 72% believe that causing environmental damage should be a criminal offense. National Ecocide laws have been adopted - or are currently being discussed - in parliaments around the world, from Belgium to Brazil, signaling increasing global support for criminalizing the destruction of nature. If you want to keep up to date with Ecocide’s journey to becoming an international crime, sign up to Stop Ecocide’s newsletter and, if you are able, consider donating to support their campaign.
Music for Impact • Jonathan Hawken
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AY Young’s Music for Impact Concert in Time Square kicks off at 11:30 a.m. this Saturday, September 21st (19 secs.).
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Project Regeneration is thrilled to announce its renewed partnership with AY Young, a talented and innovative musician, entrepreneur, and UN Young Leader. He is the first artist to power his concerts with 100% renewable energy– check out the Battery Tour. He’s done over 900 shows worldwide and will perform live in Times Square during NY Climate Week on Saturday, September 21st, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. EDT. Music for Impact will unite global leaders, youth and indigenous activists, and business leaders to inspire action in service to our planet. In-person and virtual tickets are available (if possible, please donate). There is also a Fireside Chat and Panel on Tuesday, September 24th, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. EDT to discuss Project 17, which is producing one song for each UN Sustainable Development Goal featuring 17 famous recording artists. The project includes impact partners implementing initiatives to further each goal. If you’re unfamiliar with AY Young, I’d recommend listening to We Can Change The World (The Regeneration Anthem). You can also check him out on Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Mobilizing Student Climate Activists • Juliana Birnbaum
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An international cohort of high school and college students around the world are about to embark on a monthlong climate action journey through the Project Green Challenge (PGC), and I’m excited that my teenage daughters will be among them! Over the past 13 years, PGC has mobilized over 335,550 students on more than 14,840 campuses in all 50 U.S. states and 169 countries. Students motivated to take action on climate, environmental justice, and public health participate virtually in daily challenges centered around topics like water, waste, food, energy, and biodiversity. Participants have a chance to attend an eco-summit in San Francisco and win $5,000. Students can sign up now at ProjectGreenChallenge.com and follow @TurningGreenOrg to find out more about #PGC2024. If you’re looking for more resources to activate young people around climate solutions, check out our new Environmental Education Nexus written by Janna Hockenjos, founder of Earth Friends, a framework for eco-education.
Take Action on Nexus
Find out how to cultivate compassion across all levels of society to catalyze the shifts in consciousness and human relationships needed to address the planetary emergency in our Compassion Nexus.
Photo Credits
1. blickwinkel / Alamy Stock Photo
2. Octavio Campos Salles / Alamy Stock Photo
3. Martin Valigursky / Alamy Stock Photo
4. Project Green Challenge
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