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A UN Declaration for Rights of Mother Earth ORAL PRESENTATION

Humans have rights
Corporations have rights
But Nature is treated as a commodity

With our global petition we are asking the UN to adopt a Universal Declaration of Rights of Mother Earth to complement the Human Rights Declaration.
We are part of Mother Earth and are interrelated with the entire web of life on Earth. It is not possible to honor only the rights of humans without honoring the rights of all species and Mother Earth, without causing a misbalance in the ecosystem.

Please sign and share the global petition for a UN Declaration of Rights of Mother Earth at: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/826/567/703/

Rights of Nature in a nutshell: Under current law, Nature is treated as a commodity and has no legal rights. This loophole in the law contributes greatly to the exploitation and destruction of Mother Earth. Western laws in a way promote and legalize the destruction and harm people inflict on Nature, by considering activities such as mining and industrial pollution as legal.

Why it is more urgent than ever to respect the rights of Nature
Some crucial global boundaries have already been crossed, such as greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere and biodiversity loss (we have lost over 60% since 1970). We have destabilised the ecological balance. Climate change and the loss of biodiversity for example, are some of the symptoms. Learn more about the Planetary Boundaries: https://stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html

Mrs Doris RAGETTLI, Rights of Mother Earth, Switzerland, www.RightsofMotehrEarth.com

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Territory as a victim: Rethinking the right to reparation through Colombian indigenous territories ORAL PRESENTATION

Reparations are a fundamental pillar of Transitional Justice (TJ). They aim to address the needs of the victims who suffered harm and alleviate their suffering in order to achieve durable peace, justice, and reconciliation. Until now, the dominant underlying assumption has been that the victims must necessarily be human beings. Consequently, reparations have been conceived in anthropocentric terms, focusing solely on the needs of and harm to humans.

Colombia is the first country to, in its TJ process, have recognized a non-human element, a territory, as a victim of the internal armed conflict. By doing so, the Colombian peace process embodied indigenous views, transforming territory from a mere object into a legal subject that can suffer harm and is entitled to reparations. This legal recognition challenges the anthropocentric assumptions of the right to reparation and invite us to rethink the categories of harm and reparations, within Colombia and beyond.

Mrs Nina Bries Silva, PhD research in International Law at the European University Institute (EUI)

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INTERNATIONAL VIRTUAL COURSE ON NATURE RIGHTS AND THE HARMONY WITH NATURE UNITED NATIONS PROGRAM (HwN UN) ORAL PRESENTATION

A Brazilian team of judges and professors presents the video of the pioneering experience in the world of the virtual "International course Nature’s Rights, theory and practice, and the United Nations Harmony with Nature Program" specially prepared for judges. (https://ead.cjf.jus.br/moodle/)

The course is a joint initiative of the Brazilian Justice System and public universities, based on the Cooperation Agreement signed between the Center for Judicial Studies of the Brazilian Federal Justice Council (CEJ/CJF) and the Federal Universities of the Ceará (UFC), Goiás (UFG) and Santa Catarina (UFSC), to support the United Nations Harmony with Nature Program (HwN UN).

It was organized by Doctor Maria Mercedes Sanchez, coordinator of this UN HwN Program. The course was developed in the virtual environment of the Center for Judicial Studies of the Brazilian Federal Justice Council and the National School for Training and improvement of magistrates (ENFAM), under the coordination of the Judges João Baptista Lazzari (CEJ/CJF) Vladimir Vitovsky dos Santos (ENFAM) Germana de Oliveira Moraes (CEJ/CJF and UFC) and Professors Fernando Antônio Carvalho Dantas (UFG) and Cristiane Derani (UFSC). The tutors were the professors Vanessa Hasson (MAPAS, Geovana Cartaxo (UFC), Adriana Caguana (UASB) and the federal judges Bruno Leonardo Carrá, Gilson Jacobsen, Paulo Afonso Brum Vaz and Simone Schreiber. Now, all of them are experts of United Nations Harmony with Nature Knowledge Network (HwN UN).

From April 22 to October 22, there were 2 webinars, 12 classes and 8 workshops. Forty 40 (forty) experts from all continents did their lectures. At the opening, it took place the second edition of the Webinar "Dialogues between Judicial Courts and the UN Harmony with Nature Program".

The general objectives of training and updating judges to resolve legal demands based on the non-anthropocentric paradigms of Harmony and Rights of Nature and and to multiply the theory and practice about them was successfully achieved.

In addition, in order to make the goal 12.8 of the SDG of the Agenda 2030 more concrete and to promote greater awareness of lifestyles in Harmony with Nature and to achieve greater effectiveness of Nature’s rights : those of Mother Earth and the rights of all living beings, including human rights, the course participants elaborated 20 (twenty) proposals, aimed at national and international entities.

We are pleased to announce that next year, the classes and the lectures of the "International Course Rights of Nature, theory and practice and the United Nations Harmony with Nature Program" will be available in Portuguese, Spanish, French and English on the website of the United Nations Harmony with Nature Program (http://www.harmonywithnatureun.org/).

Mrs Germana MORAES, Professor Geovana CARTAXO and al., CENTER FOR JUDICIAL STUDIES/FEDERAL JUSTICE COUNCIL, Brazil, https://ead.cjf.jus.br/moodle/

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Hug our town ORAL PRESENTATION

Abrace a cidade ( “Hug our town”) is a university project related to Environmental Law and people’s Rights to the City. This project’s purpose is to encourage students and members of our society to find solutions for urban and environmental issues in our city and take actions to help on those matters.

The Rights of Nature is a founding principle that guides each action taken by the group.

Leaded by the belief that it is possible for humans to live in harmony with Nature, Abrace a Cidade, in 2019, was able to make contact with one of the most vulnerable communities in the city of Fortaleza and, by interacting with local leaders and residents, conduct activities of social and environmental interest, such as educational workshops, revitalizing needy areas by introducing greener and sustainable small spaces and also collecting seeds to help design a sustainable future of that neighborhood.

Mrs Geovana Maria FREIRE, Samuel Fonseca CARVALHO and Carmelia SUYANE Duarte Alves Leitão, Dean Geovana CARTAXO, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Brazil, www.ufc.br

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Rights of nature in freshwater and marine ecosystems REMOTE ORAL PRESENTATION

This research looks into the emerging global and regional norms on the rights of nature in the context of water ecosystems and identified the common patterns and organizing principles in different countries to determine how these norms can contribute to a more sustainable water governance. Using empirical case studies from the Philippines and Bangladesh, this study describes how these cases from these two countries in the Global South compare with the global norms, how these rights unfold on the ground and the possibilities that these cases may offer to wider water governance framework.

Mr Rhomir YANQUILING, IHE Institute of Water Education, Netherlands, https://www.un-ihe.org/

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Creating Novel Ecosystems for Urban Areas: The Innovative 3R Freshwater Mangrove Biotechnology based on Ecological Engineering for Environmental SDGs REMOTE ORAL PRESENTATION

Ecological engineering using freshwater mangrove has potential in addressing a problem of local lake wastewater and, at the same time, global issues such as water pollution and its health concerns, natural habitat loss, climate change, greenhouse gas emissions as well as typically unattractive aesthetic appearance of urban areas. The biotechnology turns the problem of wastewater flowing into lake from adjacent restaurants into solutions including use of nutrient rich water as a fertilizer for smaller macrophytes and mangrove trees in a novel urban ecosystem. This 3R freshwater mangrove biotechnology comprises hardware (blue component, green component, and brown component) and software or processes (biotransformation, carbon sequestration, waste recycling, and enhancing ecological trophic chain). The waste organic load helps increase biomass accumulation and carbon fixation (sequestration) of mangrove trees. In addition, freshwater mangroves enhance microbial communities responsible for bioconversion of organic pollutants in water and sediments.

This research will create opportunities in urban areas in terms of (1) a ‘wastes to riches’ approach in landscaping, (ii) cheaper food production within urban areas, (iii) combating climate change and ecological crises, (iv) providing health and well-being to community and nature alike, (v) natural processes to create a foundation for healthier habitats for people and wildlife, (vi) providing business opportunities. Therefore, this 3R biotechnology can be an additional perspective to urban planning for green and sustainable urbanization to achieve sustainable development goals. This can be proven by the positive improvement of water quality of the study site for 3 years along with the estimation of the potentially sequestered carbon of this novel ecosystem of freshwater mangroves which is almost similar to coastal mangroves. These are among the few potential contribution areas by the proposed method of enhancing mangrove ecosystems which potentially inform urban planning through the integration of ecosystem-based development of cities.

Mrs Arlene GONZALES, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, www.ait.ac.th

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Eco Krathong , the cultural SDG Product from natural for friendly Environments in Ecological REMOTE ORAL PRESENTATION

According to the research topics : The bakery loop for tomorrow, of which was presented at Geneva Forum 2017 (https://www.osi-genevaforum.org/Rights-of-Nature-for-Peace-and-Development.html), Switzerland and Eco Bakery for Friendly Environments in Ecological - case study from Thailand.

TOJSAT The Online Journal Of Science And Technology in July 2018 at Harvard University of which mentions to the contributions the practice SDG 2030 topic 14 is about "Life below water" to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development to complete achievement in economic, social and especially in environmental.

Those were mentions the “Loy Krathong Festival” that is the key cultural in Thailand traditional yearly festival that has created the water pollution for long times. it’s has applied the solution by SDG concept by produced them from natural material modification to conserve the rivers and oceans, safe for the life below and friendly environment in ecological along with culture conservation in the same time. They have tested in several rivers, oceans and lakes around the world, we found the results of statistical has accepted the hypothesis at level with significance.

For this research, the conduct study has focused on a new food ingredient for eco Krathong. It’s made from Tapioca starch which could be easily found in the local markets , that can be decomposed naturally in the water. It can be food for underwater animals such as fish, turtles, jellyfish, shrimp ,plankton. and aquatic animals such as seagulls, egrets, pigeons, sparrows and other birds. It is the most biodegradable decomposition Krathong in just a few hours when placed in the water. Krathong texture is made from Tapioca starch like bread, which has a faster decomposition rate and high amount of oxygen used by microorganisms to decompose organic matter.

To ensure the products efficiency, the experimental research has test in rivers and sea in Thailand. The results of statistical of water qualities has accepted the hypothesis at level with significance analyzed by laboratories.

Therefore the Eco Krathong , the cultural SDG Product from natural for friendly Environments in Ecological, can be optional to practice professional, which has supported the sustainable development goal 2030 : Goal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources (River) for sustainable developments. It is a solution to the problem of waste water that is affected by traditions due to cultural inheritance. Along with preserving Thai culture inherited from the ancestor’s time in Loy Krathong Festival to pay respect to the river that has nourished Thai cultural life for decades at the same time.

Mr Pathawit CHONGSERMSIRISAKUL and Dr. Siripen IAMURAI, SiPa Research Organization, Thailand, https://www.facebook.com/people/Siripen-and-Pathawits-Research-Citing-and-References/100063519369860/?ref=py_c

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Nature Rights: The Indian Experience REMOTE ORAL PRESENTATION

Laws have to be atleast a step ahead of the times in which they exist, lest they become obsolete, and Earth Laws are no exception. Although Earth Laws or Rights of Nature have carved a niche for itself in a relatively short span of time, various jurisdictions have faced many a problem in properly implementing it - which in turn warrants a relook.

By highlighting the Indian experience in re reading into law Nature Rights, the paper tries to delve into the hurdles that exist in its recognition and implementation, and aims at charting a new path whereby communitarian practices and customs, with better recognition and protection by law, can help foster this new line of jurisprudence.

Mr Manjeri Subin SUNDER RAJ, UN Harmony with Nature, India, http://www.lien-organisme.com

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From Earth Jurisprudence to the Whole Legal System : Social Ecology and the Relational Approach to Law REMOTE ORAL PRESENTATION

This presentation is based on the question : What does Earth Jurisprudence mean our legal systems as a whole ? Earth Jurisprudence and Rights of Nature are vitally important, but primarily relate to relationships between humans and the rest of Nature. Yet we cannot transform only the part of a system, and nor can we address any ecological problems without addressing the social systems causing these problems. By combining Earth Jurisprudence with other ideas in a holistic paradigm, such as Jennifer Nedelsky’s relational approach to law or Capra and Luisi’s Systems View’ or Murray Bookchin’s social ecology, we can develop ideas about transforming our legal systems in their entirety. This presentation will look at developing a core conception of how we understand humans and how we understand law which expands from Earth Jurisprudence to the entirety of our socio-ecological relationships.

Mr Alex MAY, United Kingdom, www.interconnectedlaw.com ; https://interconnectedlaw.com/geneva2021

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The fight against environmental crimes in international law : reality or fiction ? REMOTE ORAL PRESENTATION

Faced with global warming and the multiplication of natural disasters, climate advocates do not hesitate to point the finger at the responsibility of States as well as transnational corporations whose behavior in relation to industrial and economic activities is deemed inadequate with the international obligation to protect the environment, some facts are even qualified as crimes against the environment engaging in this sense the criminal responsibility of the alleged perpetrators of these crimes.

If the notion of criminal liability in environmental matters seems cumbersome to some, it is nevertheless important to accept that it is the cornerstone of a strong and effective environmental law.

In the absence of binding international law, and in the face of the refusal of some to integrate the notion of criminal liability for environmental crimes into international law, all attempts to do so outside of a binding legal framework will have no effect on reducing environmental crime. Even worse, the reliance on ISO standards, despite their great importance and impact, risks dethroning the role of international law and replacing it with lesser standards of environmental protection. Therefore, the ISO standards as well as the concept of corporate social responsibility must be supports to international law and not rules that replace it.

Mr Ibrahim BESSAT and Aziza HAMDI, Association pour la protection de la dignité humaine-APDH, France

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OSI DRONE CONNEXION REMOTE ORAL PRESENTATION

Support mobile au service de projets environnementaux.

Mise au point de drones durables et de protocoles adaptés aux contraintes terrain et aux besoins des projet de recherche.

Mr Stephane RODE, ONG Objectif Sciences International - OSI DRONE CONNEXION, France, www.osi-ngo.org

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Universe ORAL PRESENTATION

In this lecture, we will talk about the different methods of detecting exoplanets, particularly the photometry that we learned to master during the OSI Star Finder stay.

We also quickly saw the technical terms of astrophotography, the different instruments and the types of objects that can be photographed in the sky.

Mr Mickaêl FRANDON, Maël TORRE-GLASSON, and Tristan VALENTINO, NGO Objectif Sciences International (OSI), France, https://www.osi-univers.org/

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Food security indicators in deltaic and coastal research: a scoping review POSTER PRESENTATION

Deltaic and coastal regions are often strategically important both from local and regional perspectives. While deltas are known to be bread baskets of the world, delta inhabitants often face the risk of food and nutritional insecurity. These risks are highly exacerbated by the impacts of climate and environmental change. While numerous regional studies examined the prevalence and the determinants of food security in specific delta and coastal regions, there is still lack of a systematic analysis on the most widely used by scientist food security indicators. In order to fill this gap, a systematic review was carried out using Covidence, a Cochrane adopted systematic review processing software. Papers included in the review were selected from the SCOPUS, Thomson Reuters Web of Science, Science Direct, ProQuest and Google Scholar databases. Both scientific papers and grey literature (e.g. reports by international organizations) were considered. The results were analyzed by food security components (access, availability, quality and strategy) and by world regions. Suggestions for further food security, nutrition and health research as well as policy-related implication are also discussed.

Mrs Sylvia SZABO, Indrajit Pal, Seree Park and Ms. Thilini Navaratne, Dongguk University, Department of Social Welfare Counselling, College of Future Convergence, South Korea, and Department of Development and Sustainability, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, Republic of Korea, www.dongguk.edu

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Restoring Relationships Between People and the Earth: Environment, Politics and Governance ORAL PRESENTATION - ABSENT

Political, economic, social and cultural regeneration is an essential condition for the regeneration of natural and built environments. Earth recovery and mankind recovery are complementary aspects and should be dealt with simultaneously, in space and time, for their mutual support.

Environmental problems should be defined through an integrated, ecosystem approach: nature restoration cannot be achieved without human restoration. New spaces for enlightened participation and discussion should be opened in the socio-cultural learning niches, both in the academia and in society in general. Grappling with the political, economic and cultural contexts will be a key factor to unlocking more of the potential impact of these efforts.

Mr André Francisco PILON, University of São Paulo / International Academy of Science, Brazil, https://www5.usp.br/english/institutional/

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Thinking and Acting in a Disrupted World : Governance, Environment and People ORAL PRESENTATION - ABSENT

The asymmetry of political and economic power between common people and corporations has led to natural devastation, biodiversity loss, precarious housing, lack of sanitation, fatal epidemics, high levels of crime and violence, with severe environmental, political, economic and social impacts. Changing the paradigms of development, growth, power, wealth, work and freedom embedded into the political, technological, economic and educational institutions ; requires the development of institutional capacity, judicial neutrality, informational transparency, social spaces for civic engagement and enlightened political participation.This includes conservation units, the media, faith leaders, advocates, experts, decision makers, activists, political leaders, organisations, groups and communities. Earth and People retrieval (regeneration) should be dealt with simultaneously, in space and time ; since they depend on each other : problems and the contexts in which they occur should be re-interpreted and restructured through an ecosystem lens, thus altering the ways to address them. An ecological civilization cares for the natural and built environments, the cultural heritage, the collective bonds, education, health, ethics, aesthetics, equity and justice. New socio-cultural learning niches could generate awareness, interpretation and understanding beyond established stereotypes, from a thematic (“what”), an epistemic (“how”) and a strategic (policies) point of view. Thinking of this moment as an opportunity for a Great Reset and implementing long-awaited infrastructure and systemic change in areas such as inclusion, sustainability and innovation, an ecosystem theoretical and practical approach is posited to elicit the events, cope with consequences and contribute to change (potential outputs).

In this sense, advocacy, communication, public policies, research and teaching programmes would,
1) define the problems in the core of the “boiling pot”, instead of reducing them to the bubbles of the surface (fragmented issues, reduced academic formats, segmented policies, effects) ;
2) consider, as donors and recipients, all dimensions being in the world (intimate, interactive, social and biophysical), assessing their deficits and assets, as they combine to elicit the events and organize to change ;
3) promote the singularity of (identity, proper characteristics) and the reciprocity (mutual support) between all dimensions, in view of their complementarity and dynamic equilibrium ;
4) prepare the transition to an ecosystem model of culture, for consistency, effectiveness and endurance.

Mr André Francisco PILON, University of São Paulo / International Academy of Science, Brazil, http://www5.usp.br/english/?lang=en

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Factors Affecting Global Fisheries and Aquaculture Trade: A Global Panel Regression Analysis ORAL PRESENTATION - ABSENT

Fish and seafood are one of the most internationally traded cultured and wild food commodities (Tveterås et al., 2012), and their production has grown rapidly in the last decades, with the bulk coming from aquaculture (FAO, 2018). The contribution of fishery activities to national economies is multifaceted. Aside from supplying food and contributing to the gross domestic product (GDP), the fishery sector also provides livelihoods for local fishers and processors. It is also a source of hard currency and boosts government revenues through fisheries agreements and taxes (FAO, 2014). The growing aquaculture activities provided the means to increase overall fish production to feed the world’s population, enhanced employment opportunities in the food sector, absorbed fishers displaced from capture fishing, augmented regional economic growth; and provided a means to improve foreign exchange through international trade (Subasinghe et al., 2009; OECD, 2010).

In 2014, global export of fish, crustaceans, and molluscs reached a historical peak in value of US$146 billion (FAO, 2016). Developing countries export 56 per cent of all fish and fish products, while developed countries and transition economies account for 44 per cent (FAO, 2016a). UNCTAD (2016) projects that developing countries will dominate fish export by 2035 (UNCTAD, 2016). Global fish supply per capita reached a record high of 20 kg in 2014 (FAO, 2016), meeting the global demand driven by rising income and urbanization. This contribution is expected to continue to grow through enhanced productivity and modernization, expansion and intensification, and increasing economic and geographic access and availability to nutritious farmed aquatic products.

While almost all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and many associated targets are relevant to aquaculture development, aquaculture’s role in the SDG achievements has not yet been clearly identified or communicated, resulting in relatively weak inclusion in sustainability dialogues. It is therefore imperative to identify potential socioeconomic factors in promoting business ideas behind aquaculture systems without compromising the environment even as this sector increases its contribution to food security and socioeconomic welfare. Addressing the demand of farmed fish and other aquatic-based products means utilizing more land to expand the operations. This needs an analysis on the potential impact in the environment and the contribution to the total volume and value of production, import, and export of these products. If aquaculture technology being utilized does not bring alarming effects to the environment and balances the global trading ecosystem while alleviating the economic status of the local farmers and processors, then the ultimate goal for sustainable development will be achieved.

Given this background, the present study aims to identify the effects of the socioeconomic factors on aquaculture and fishery production and trade globally at the country level. The annual data were collected from FAO (2021a, 2021b), FAOSTAT (2021) and World Bank (2021a, 2021b) for the decade from 2010 to 2019 for 217 countries. The outcome variables include the volume and value of production, import, and export of farmed aquatic organisms, aquatic-based products, and fishery commodities. The independent socioeconomic variables include the GDP, GDP per capita, ratio of working age population to nonworking population, and percentage of graduates from tertiary education in allied field related to fisheries and aquaculture. In addition, the total coastline and aquatic land use are included as covariates. The study will also determine the land use relevant to fisheries activities and aquaculture operations at national, regional, and global level.The panel regression method was employed to estimate the effects of the socioeconomic variables.

Preliminary results suggest that the total volume and value of production, including the import and export of farmed aquatic organisms and aquatic-based products are significantly associated with the total land use relevant to the fisheries and aquaculture operations. This also shows that the trading of fishery and aquaculture products has a notable effect on the GDP and GDP per capita in some nations, thus alleviating the socioeconomic status of local fishers and processors. The study concludes with several policy and programmatic recommendations at national and regional levels.
<docMMMM|left>References:

FAO. (2016). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2016 (SOFIA): Contributing to food security and nutrition for all. FAO. https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/2c8bcf47-2214-4aeb-95b0-62ddef8a982a/

FAO. (2018). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018: Meeting the sustainable development goals. FAO. http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I9540EN/

FAO (2021a). Fisheries & Aquaculture—Fishery Statistical Collections—Global Aquaculture Production. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/global-aquaculture-production/en;

FAO (2021b). Fisheries & Aquaculture—Fishery Statistical Collections—Global Fish Trade and Processed Products Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/global-commodities-production/en

FAOSTAT. (2021). Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RL

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2014). The state of the world fisheries and aquaculture 2014: Opportunities and challenges. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

OECD. (2010). Globalisation in Fisheries and Aquaculture: Opportunities and Challenges. Globalisation in Fisheries and Aquaculture: Opportunities and Challenges, 1–157. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264074927-en

Subasinghe, R., Soto, D., & Jia, J. (2009). Global aquaculture and its role in sustainable development. Reviews in Aquaculture, 1(1), 2–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-5131.2008.01002.x

Tveterås, S., Asche, F., Bellemare, M. F., Smith, M. D., Guttormsen, A. G., Lem, A., Lien, K., & Vannuccini, S. (2012). Fish Is Food—The FAO’s Fish Price Index. PLOS ONE, 7(5), e36731. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036731

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2016). Trade in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. In United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Trade and Environment Review 2016 (pp. 21–62). UN. https://doi.org/10.18356/6a19440a-en

World Bank (2021). Education Statistics—All Indicators | DataBank. (2021). Retrieved October 15, 2021, fromhttps://databank.worldbank.org/source/education-statistics-%5E-all-indicators/Type/TABLE/preview/on#

World Bank (2021b). World Development Indicators | DataBank. (2021). Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world-development-indicators?savedlg=1&l=en

M Jaynos CORTES, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, http://www.ait.ac.th

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« Enjeux de la gestion de la terre et Développement Durable en Afrique ». ORAL PRESENTATION - ABSENT

<docNNNN|left> La gestion durable de la terre ou la gouvernance foncière, maîtrisée de façon équilibrée favorise dans certaines conditions le développement durable. Le foncier, à travers son caractère social et ses retombées économiques et écologiques, influence sans nul doute le processus de développement économique et de développement durable. Pourtant actuellement, c’est tout le contraire qui se passe en Afrique où le droit foncier est le lieu d’expression d’un pluralisme juridique ayant des impacts incontestables sur le développement du continent. La pluralité des règles régissant le foncier se traduit concrètement par la coexistence de règles de nature et d’objectifs différents. Celles-ci sont, d’une une part les règles de gestion coutumière de la terre et des ressources naturelles, qui sont séculaires et qui jouissent d’une très grande légitimité auprès des populations rurales. Ces normes continuent, de fait, de régenter le foncier en milieu rural et même parfois en milieu urbain. Elles sont porteuses des spécificités socioculturelles dans lesquels la majeure partie des africains subsahariens se reconnaît. Ces valeurs ainsi légitimées font de la résistance depuis la période coloniale aux règles modernes de gestion du foncier.

D’autre part, officiellement, la vision africaine de la Terre est toute autre. Elle est constituée de lois modernes ou de principes issus principalement du système foncier de la période coloniale. . La loi foncière elle-même n’échappe pas à cette référence à la coutume. Bien au contraire, la matière foncière peut être considérée comme le terrain de prédilection de la coutume. Le foncier Africain a en effet un visage de JANUS se traduisant par la superposition des normes traditionnelles et des normes modernes. Cependant, cette juxtaposition n’est pas automatiquement synonyme de contradictions, mais elle a tendance à affaiblir le foncier en Afrique dans la mesure où elle instaure une très grande insécurité juridique notamment vis-à-vis des populations et des investisseurs étrangers que le pays s’applique pourtant à attirer.et cela même si nous sommes conscients que cette superposition a ses revers.

Vue sur un autre prisme, la superposition et la coexistence de règles modernes et traditionnelles doit être prise comme un facteur contribuant à démontrer la richesse du droit foncier africain. Celui-ci peut être un pilier qui va de l’exploitation accrue des ressources naturelles au développement de l’agriculture à large échelle en passant par les infrastructures devraient entraîner des bouleversements qui, si on n’y prend garde, pourraient affecter de manière significative et positive la qualité de vie de nombreux africains, et entrainer par là une gestion concertée de la terre qui respectent les spécificités socio culturelles africaines. Ceux-ci se traduisent par l’émergence de nouvelles pratiques suis generis qui ne trouvent véritablement leur essence ni dans l’une ni dans l’autre de ces catégories de normes. Cette dialectique se complexifie encore depuis l’apparition, suite à la crise alimentaire et énergétique de 2008, du phénomène d’accaparement des terres et des ressources naturelles par les pays riches mais également par certains pays émergents.

Véritables menaces à la sécurité alimentaire, au droit à l’alimentation et aux ressources naturelles, ces accaparements qu’on doit qualifier d’ailleurs de fonciers, entraînent un bouleversement des normes constituant le régime foncier de même qu’ils impliquent une nouvelle perception de celui-ci. Cette dernière est exclusivement financière. Ainsi, la terre, l’eau et les ressources naturelles qui devraient être inaliénables font désormais l’objet d’enjeux économiques mondiaux.
La marchandisation de la terre marque une nouvelle ère où les enjeux fonciers sont perçus sous leur seul angle économique. Ce qui tranche clairement avec les visions foncières qui prédominaient jusque-là, à savoir celle officielle moderne et celle traditionnelle. En effet, dans la vision traditionnelle, la terre n’est pas un « bien » commercialisable. Dans la vision moderne, la terre est certes un bien dans le commerce, mais sa commercialisation n’avait encore pas atteint une très grande échelle comme c’est le cas aujourd’hui. Quelle option l’Afrique, notamment au sud du Sahara fait-elle ? La terre est-elle un bien, une marchandise ? Ou la terre est-elle une ressource communautaire ?

Tiraillée entre passé et modernité quant à la gestion de la terre d’un côté, et de l’autre,entre l’envie d’atteindre l’autosuffisance alimentaire et une prospérité économique, quelle qualité de développement l’Afrique peut-elle espérer atteindre aujourd’hui ? Autrement dit, quel type de foncier pour quel développement ? Les différentes contradictions qui émaillent la gestion opportune du foncier africain e la vision développement qui sous-tend cette gestion sont pertinentes à cet égard.

Mots clés : Régime Foncier ; Droits Foncier ; Développement durable ; Tradition ; Modernité

Mr Jean Paul TAM, Ministère des Domaines, et des Affaires Foncières-Diplomate, Cameroon

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PANGOLIN RIGHTS OF SURVIVAL UNDER HUMAN IMPACTS : THREATS AND TRAFFICKING POSTER PRESENTATION - ABSENT

INTRODUCTION:
Pangolin are harmless, easygoing and toothless mammal of Africa and Asia having a body covered with horny scales and a long snout for feeding on ants and termites. Pangolins look like reptiles but they are actually mammals because they are wholly-covered in scales from head to tail.

These Pangolin scales provide protections to the animal when under threat from predators in the wild. As part of their defense tactics Pangolins curls in to a tight ball or cycle like and use the very tick and shape scaled tails to defend themselves when attacked, it does this in self-defense. During this process a pangolin will cover its head with its front legs like Kangaroo, exposing its scales to any potential predator. If touched or grabbed it will roll up completely into a ball as earlier said, while the sharp scales on the tail can be used to lash out.

The name “Pangolin” was coined out of the Malay language word “Pengguling” meaning the one that rolls up, equivalent to peng- agentive prefix + guling roll up or around; so called from its habit of curling into a ball when threatened. The Malay language is an Austronesian language officially spoken in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore and unofficially spoken in East Timor and parts of Thailand by approximately population of 300 million people. So the Malay people first called this animal pengguling in their language because of its characteristics of cycling when under attacked and Pangolin was later known with this name across the globe. Pangolins are the ultimate underdog: harmless to humans and friendly to the ecosystem, yet poached and sold by the thousands each year and while its demands are on the increase geometrically each year.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PANGOLIN:
1. On the average Pangolin Males can grow up to 55 inches long while the Pangolin females can grow up to 50 inches long. Fully grown Pangolin can be Up to 70 pounds.

2. Pangolins have large, curved claws that they use for excavating ant and termite nests, as well as for pulling bark off trees and logs to find their insect prey.

3. Pangolins are solitary and active mostly at night. Most live on the ground, but some, like the black-bellied pangolin, also climb trees.

4. Physically pangolin is marked by large, hardened, overlapping, plate-like scales, which are soft on baby pangolins, but get hardens as they grow older. These Pangolin body armored like scales are made of keratin, the same material from which human being fingernails and tetrapod claws are made, and are structurally and compositionally very different from the scales of reptiles like crocodiles, alligators or dinosaur scales.

TYPES OF PANGOLIN:
Presently eight different species of pangolins are known to man out of which four different species are found in Asia; these includes the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis), Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) and the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). These Asian species are found in China, Indian, Bangladesh, Nepal and some few islands of the Philippines including Palawan and the Culion islands among some other very few countries where it lives in Asia. The Asian pangolins are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) as critically endangered species.
The other four are the African species and these includes the Black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla), White-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), Giant Ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) and the Temminck’s Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). The World listed two of the African species as vulnerable while the other two including the White-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) and the Giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) as Endangered.

SOME BASIC FACTS ABOUT PANGOLIN:
1. Pangolin regulates the termite population which if left unchecked has the potentials of destroying crops and houses.

2. Pangolin helps in the fight against climate change as it restricts termites from destroying and reducing the population of the wild trees which absorbs greater percentage of the Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air.

3. Pangolins save us millions of Dollars ($) a year in pest destruction because Pangolins play a critical role in their ecosystems. They provide the earth with all-natural pest control and are fantastic tenders of soil, and they do these things simply through their everyday behaviors.

4. Pangolin provides foods to the hunters not poachers.

5. Generally, Pangolins have an extremely important ecological role of regulating insect populations. One single pangolin can consume around 70 million ants and termites per year. If pangolins go extinct, there would be a cascading impact on the environment.

6. Sources of income for governments and private sectors keeping reserves for tourists.

Mr Babagana ABUBAKAR, Kanuri Development Association, Nigeria

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Peace, Development and Humans rights POSTER PRESENTATION - ABSENT

<docNNNN|left> souligner l’importance que revêt le respect des droits fondamentaux dans la construction de la paix, il importe de mettre en évidence le rôle et la fonction des conventions internationales s’appliquant aux droits humains et au développement des organes internationaux chargés de leur application. Le scepticisme manifesté à cet égard par l’opinion publique n’est pas justifié et ne s’explique que par le défaut d’information et aussi par l’indifférence de la presse et des médias lorsqu’il s’agit des institutions internationales et des organisations non gouvernementales se consacrant à leur promotion. Trop souvent on oublie que 67 instruments internationaux et régionaux, conventions générales et spécialisées recouvrent le domaine de la protection des droits humains. Certes tous les États membres des Nations unies n’ont pas ratifié tous ces instruments, mais l’entrecroisement des signatures assure suffisamment le tissu des engagements interétatiques et permet leur mise en œuvre. Pour la première fois, dans l’histoire des sociétés humaines, des juridictions supranationales condamnant des États pour avoir violé les droits fondamentaux des hommes et des femmes, mettent fin à des siècles de toute puissance étatique basée sur les principes de souveraineté et de non ingérence dans les affaires intérieures de l’État. Un deuxième motif de la connaissance difficile ou imparfaite du développement des droits humains dans le respect de la dignité de la personne tient à ce que le droit international public n’est plus le seul domaine des politiques, mais qu’il est, depuis 1948 en particulier, conçu et mis en œuvre par les juristes et les institutions internationales ayant des compétences et pouvoirs, au-delà de ceux des gouvernements et diplomates.

La complexité des mécanismes de protection d’organisation économique du développement, la multiplicité des problèmes d’application font que ce champ conventionnel devient «domaine réservé» des juristes et des économistes internationaux. Il en résulte une compréhension plus difficile par l’opinion et une communication imparfaite car une telle œuvre paraît hermétique et n’intéresse presque pas les médias.

Mrs Nadege Carine TIEKOUE KEUNGNI, Réseau Camerounais des Organisations des Droits de l’Homme, Cameroon

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The Impact of Agro-Industrial Rice Cultivation : Case Study of Challenges Facing Rice Farmers in Upper Nun Valley Development Authority, Cameroon POSTER PRESENTATION - ABSENT

Agriculture is considered as a potential sector to revive the Cameroonian’s economy as well as it has been hailed by the Head of State in his message to the Nation as a crucial technique for the economic vision planned for the year 2035.
This project depicts the impact of Agro-industrial1 rice cultivation in Cameroon. In addition, it illustrates the challenges facing rice farmers in Upper Nun Valley Development Authority (UNVDA).

Moreover, the finding of this research will be significant for foreign direct investment in the Cameroonian’s rice sector as well as important concepts in business management.

Mr Joseph ZAMBO MOOH, ETS AGRICAM, Cameroon

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PROTECTING NATURE BY GIVING IT LEGAL RIGHTS POSTER PRESENTATION - ABSENT

In 2020, during the pandemic and all attention was on Covid, my NGO called Social Gospel Movement embarked on a campaign to draw awareness to acknowledge our dependence on nature and the importance of living in harmony with nature.

At Social Gospel Ministry (SGM), we recognize species and ecosystems not as a resource for human depletion to humans but as allies in our ecosystem
In 2020 February, SGM pushed for the legislation for the Ghanaian Government to enact rights for the river bodies in Ghana, which has been destroyed by operators of illegal mining popularly known as GALEMSEY. These illegal miners use chemicals that are poisonous to water bodies, which serve as drinking water to some local communities. There have been serious implications for these activities.

Subsequently, communities like Amenfi-East, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Prestea Huni-Valley District have established bills of rights that establish the right to local self-government, the right to a healthy environment, the right to clean water, and protection for the local environment. This proves that nature is a property
SGM has been educating the other school of thought who don’t believe the Rights of Nature Approach and over the years and we have been vindicated, as water bodies have been cleared since the termination of illegal mining and water-related diseases like cholera, malaria and its prevalence has been drastically reduced.

At Social Gospel Ministry we pride ourself we this achievement we are ready to educate the world in taking the same course we are on.

Mr Emmanuel NYARKO APPIAH, Social Gospel Ministry, Ukraine

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THE RIGHTS OF TREES POSTER PRESENTATION - ABSENT

Timber Rise Foundation (TRF)

As the executive director of timber rise foundation. In February 2021 I was promoting the awareness of the deforestation process which Ghana is facing currently.

A thoroughly filled analysis was done in a community facing deforestation. My team approach with the local government to initiate laws to protect these trees notably among them are Sapele, Mahogany, Wawa…

This behavior has been going on for decades resulting in serious deforestation in these communities (Benso, Amanten, and Esikuma)

In the Benso community, the unregulated cutting down of trees in community has subsequently caused severe flooding, displacing about 3000 inhabitants causing loss of lives, loss of farmlands, and the outbreak of waterborne disease

As the Executive Director of the TRF, I approached the local government to innate laws protecting the right of these Timbers.

After these laws were initiated, my team took it upon itself to a partnership with the national civil authority to educate and inform the locals who involve themselves in these activities.

With a series of education in the communities individual who was involved in these activities have deserted from it. Since then, there has been a significant growing back of the forest.

We at the TRF are proud to have been involved in the afforestation of these communities.

We are prepared to educate NGOs, governments in undertaking this same approach in their countries and communities to save Mother Earth.

Mr Samuel TUNI, Student, Ukraine, https://www.tdmu.edu.ua/en/

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Mangroves, Charcoal, and Trade: Implications for Achieving the SDGs REMOTE ORAL PRESENTATION

Mangrove forests are among the pristine ecosystems in the tropical region that provide a crucial role either in its local area or in a global context. Among the significantly highlighted functions of the mangrove forest is its role in fighting climate change. Mangroves are the best carbon absorber in the world with a capacity to store up to 10 times more carbon per hectare than forests on land. Mangroves account for approximately 3% of carbon sequestered by the world’s tropical forests, while they occupy less than 1% of the total area of tropical forests. Mangroves are currently being advanced as an essential component of climate change strategies such as REDD+ and Blue Carbon. However, they are under threat nearly everywhere because of human activities. Major threats are activities involving land use change and direct resource harvesting of mangrove forest resources. One of the commonly extracted materials is mangrove wood for fuel (i.e., charcoal). It is less known that charcoal from mangroves has a very high market demand not only locally but also in global markets. Mangrove charcoal is highly preferred as it burns longer, emits less smoke, and has no odor. Historically, mangrove protection and conservation has long been advocated but the problem of degradation and loss remains a persistent problem to date. This study examined the movement of mangrove charcoal in the global markets and investigated the drivers of such livelihood on importing mangrove charcoal.

In Southeast Asia (SEA), charcoal production for export is conspicuous, especially in Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand, and products are exported to Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, and some European countries. Some irregular cases were also uncovered such as the cross-border trade between Thailand and Myanmar. Thailand’s case is uniquely different from the other exporting countries as it does not use its own mangroves for charcoal production since the government banned this practice in the 1990’s. Myanmar supplies the semi-processed charcoal and sends it to Thailand for further processing, which is then exported to the major importing countries. This cross-border trade persists as it is illegal to produce charcoal in Myanmar for commercial use. It is estimated that the annual average value of exported mangrove charcoal is USD 10 million though it can give even par when the long-term valuation of the services is estimated.

While mangrove forests are considered as protected areas, lack of enforcement and oversight in several countries in SEA remains a challenge. Moreover, poverty incidences in charcoal producers are the main driver of mangrove dependent livelihoods despite their awareness of consequences. Other pressing issues such as corruption and lack of human capacity also drive mangrove trade despite being illegal in many countries. In Malaysia and Indonesia, charcoal production from mangroves is a recognized industry with a law indicating specific regulated areas for wood harvesting. In securing export permits, businesses have to clearly declare the source and characteristic of the woods used for charcoal export. However, there is no existing export regulation yet that would moderate the quantity of charcoal for export. The major concern over the industry is the risk of losing large areas of mature mangrove forests as mangrove trees take 30 years to reach full maturity; and harvest for charcoal production can deplete mature mangrove stand at a fast rate.

Exporting mangrove charcoal obviously leads to losses of ecosystem services provided by mangrove forests. Among the major concerns is the collapse of global carbon sink and the accelerated release of GHGs into the atmosphere during the process of charcoal production. In addition, local communities confirmed that they are experiencing localized climate change, reduced marine resources catch and wind impacts from the sea are more intense. Mangrove resources management would contribute to the attainment of SD targets for the environmental and developmental indicators. It is in this regard that more research is required to better account for firewood extraction for charcoal toward informed policy decisions and sustainability related to charcoal industry.

Mrs Arlene GONZALES, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, www.ait.ac.th

Rights of Nature - Projects (Session 1/2)
Tuesday dec 8, 3pm-5pm (Geneva Time)

Impact des investissements chinois au Kasai Oriental, cas de la SACIM ORAL PRESENTATION

Since March 2013, the Congolese government has signed an agreement with an Anhui Foreign Economic Construction, Limited Corporation Group (AFECC) to create a joint venture, a Sino-Congolese mixed company called SACIM (Société Anhui Congo d’Investissement Minier) where the Congolese state owns 50% of the shares and the remaining 50% is held by the Chinese company AFECC for the exploitation of diamonds in the concession which formerly belonged to the Congolese Mining Investment Company (SCIM). This agreement is encountering difficulties in its application with regard to human rights in general, in particular those of local communities.

In addition, the operation of SACIM is dependent on the advent of environmental problems on the one hand and on the other hand on recurring social conflicts internal to labor law and external relating to the rights of local communities impacted or affected by exploitation. . To do this, the communities complain about the failure to take into account the rights recognized to them by the mining code in relation to its development, failure to take into account social responsibility, the future of future generations being mortgaged. Concerning the social of workers. Concerning workers, beyond general violations of the labor code, the right to organize until working hours.

In addition, in terms of environmental protection, soil degradation is accelerated and does not allow the renewal of natural vegetation, thus intensifying the harmful effects of global warming in the area, which has negative impacts on the socio-community level. and environmental.

Moreover, the fear of communities is a function of the poor governance experience of extractive mining companies such as MIBA, SACIM and others. The consequences of this mining contract concluded between AFECC and DRC are far from being implemented in accordance with the agreement and fall short of the results recorded by the exploitation, do not guarantee the rights of affected or impacted communities, in opaque management with less traceability.

It is therefore appropriate to suggest as a possible solution:

• SACIM’s proofreading of the agreement as well as the various national laws to apply them,
• Resume discussions with the communities and comply with the recognized communities in accordance with procedures. In addition, take into account workers’ rights in accordance with the law,
• Enforce environmental measures by keeping the area to be exploited out of danger for future generations,
• Strive for compliance with EITI measures by making essential information accessible with transparency.
  
  Mr Dieudonné TSHIMPIDIMBUA, Democratic Republic of the Congo, www.cnongdrdc.org

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Sustainable cities: Password Green ORAL PRESENTATION

To get to 100% resilient cities is paramount to be aware of the need for a systemic process There is one pillar that has a key role: innovation in technology and architecture in conjunction with the creativity of building new behavioral codes political and individually. Without innovation, all sides of this revolutionary process mean nothing if it is not combined with a strong political will and a smart distribution of resources.In this process of adaptation, Education delivers “adaptive minds” able to become a catalyzer of changes by reforming the system into an holistic way. Therefore politics, economics, finances and civil society must joint together in an effort to change habits and boost creativity towards green minds. Full system reform...

Mrs Mar. INTROINI, The sustainability reader, Spain, http://www.thesustainabilityreader.com

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Creation of an ecological equestrian farm unique in its concept with a holistic approach ORAL PRESENTATION

Passionate about my beloved Haute-Loire and horses, in 2007 I decided to transform a wooden floor devastated by the 1999 storm into an eco-educational and responsible place.
How ? Well :

• By using the materials present on the site - wood, straw, lime, etc...
• By thinking about a production aiming at being autonomous/self-sufficient : Everything that is present is useful.
• Starting from nature itself : the mineral (straw and lime building, rainwater recovery), the plant (meadow, permaculture garden, reed sanitation), the animal (ponies, hens, goats) each pole feeds the other and has an impact. The waste is food. The aim was to find a balance at all levels in the running of the farm.
• By teaching a different kind of riding based on a better knowledge of oneself through the animal. Becoming aware of one’s emotions, the pony is the mirror of the human being (at last those who accept the challenge !!!). Working hours for them, conditions resembling their natural environment living in a herd with a healthy diet.
• By inviting hikers and nature’s lovers to discover how the farm works through itineraries path on foot or on ponies to become aware of the eco-sustainable operation of the farm.
• By offering to come and sleep at the rhythm of nature in a teepee or tent among the ponies.
• By setting up educational projects with the national education system to work with schools throughout the year and according to the seasons.
  The farm is a microcosm in the fragile balance that is our nature. The closer we are to this natural and respectful cycle, the more we become a responsible actor of our life and our planet.
  
  Mrs Claire GRANGER, I.U.P.P.N., France

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The issue of soil pollution solved using organic farming#2: tried-out research of soil biodiversity ORAL PRESENTATION

According to the research of the issue of soil pollution solved using organic farming#1, the case study from Thailand (Pathawit and Siripen, 2019). The work is part of the Bakery for tomorrow and ECO Bakery for Friendly Environments projects, which focus on producing safe food, achieve zero hunger and a healthy environment to support the SDG 2030. Which has focusing on the way to retain and recover the soil for rice planting from the destroyed by agrochemical’s usage. The agricultural methods as organic agriculture and crop rotation by legumes planting for organic fertilizers instead.

For this tried-out research, we focusing to studied the soil biodiversity, which are the contribution from this organic farming, which is essential to the production and sustainable agricultural productivity including to be the nutrition for the rice such as the soil macro-fauna biodiversity. The organic farming where used legumes plant as the crop rotation method in rice planting.

Those chemical properties of the soil include to the cation exchange of the organic and the physical properties, soil moisture and organic degradation have related with the number and type of the soil macro-fauna biodiversity. We found that the highest value index of biodiversity was the phylum arthropoda order acari family oribatidae as Mites and also: Collemboly, Springtails, Caterpillars and Ants.

From studying biological diversity of fauna in the soil of rice paddy organic farming by legumes as corps cultivation. It has created the fauna in the soil, which has useful for the rice in the next corps. It’s made and transformed organic decomposition, cation exchange, effected to the soil’s physical properties such as increase soil humidity for degradation rate organic objects, adjust pH values, which have related to the increasing of number and type of those fauna in the soil.

Keywords: The Issue of Soil Pollution Solved Using Organic Farming, Research of Soil Biodiversity, the Bakery for tomorrow, safe food, the achieve zero hunger research, ECO Bakery for Friendly Environments projects, The soil biodiversity fauna from organic farming.

Mr Pathawit CHONGSERMSIRISAKUL, Panyapiwat Institution of Management, Thailand, www.pim.ac.th

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e-Fishency - Revolutionize artifical reproduction in aquaculture and conservation ORAL PRESENTATION

We join our passion for the aquatic life and our scientific expertise to improve artificial reproduction practices. We believe that science can help people and nature to thrive together. Together, we help managers to improve their restocking practices to restore the health of our aquatic ecosystems. We want to stand by fish producers that want to build the aquaculture of tomorrow, using evolutionary principles to improve yields without artificial selection. Together, with science, we move along with Nature, not against

Mr Christian DE GUTTRY, Mr David NUSBAUMER ; University of Lausanne, Switzerland, https://www.e-fishency.ch/

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Candide pedagogy : an openness to life so that knowledge of the animal world leads to better intelligence and incruised understanding between species ORAL PRESENTATION

Through our six years of experience in the heart of a school group that is totally unique, we were able to verify the impact of ronrontherapy on reducing student stress, increasing their feeling of happiness and improving their academic results.
Since our last participation in the Geneva Forum in December 2018, we have created a new association: "animal intelligence at the heart of Candide pedagogy", in order to offer the world our discoveries through concrete actions of creations of high-level schools authorizing the animal as a primary vector of interest, curiosity and passion.
It is above all not a question of using the animal as an object but of sharing the space so that the young human being will reconnect with this animal intelligence and communicate with it. It is by understanding the needs of living species that humans will help protect the Earth in the ecological and climatic emergencies we are experiencing.

From now on, we have chosen to orient our activity towards these less fortunate countries than ours, often located on other continents, certain that through instruction, discovery and physical encounter with animals, children progress in their innate qualities of love, respect and tolerance for the living world.

Mrs Céline BRUSA and Michèle BOURTON, Association ’l’intelligence animale au coeur de la pédagogie Candide’, France, http://www.lien-organisme.com

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Meetings of Excellence and Rights of Nature : a program to develop leadership and awareness for young people ORAL PRESENTATION

Since 2009, this OSI program has been teaching transversal skills to young people between 13 and 18 years old, enabling them to improve their public speaking skills, to understand and exercise their leadership skills by carrying out a project of their choice, to conduct surveys on proposed topics. Since 2014 the awareness to the Rights of Nature and ecosystems related to a problem are the field of their adventures. I will tell you about the adventures of 2020.

Mrs Michèle EGLI-WACHS, Objectif Sciences International, France http://www.rencontres-excellence.com/

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From Pandemic to Harmony: an essay ORAL PRESENTATION

Today’s Pandora has a new form. It took the form of the new coronavirus, which generated Covid-19’s disease. Like Pandora, it reopens the box of evils increasingly covered up today by daily distractions. Pandora, with the mask of the new coronavirus, emerges at the moment when humanity was inclined to choose the path in which they would neglect their human condition. Humanity was inclined and can continue to incline to dehumanize itself more and more by the distorted use of digital technology and artificial intelligence, to the point of trying to restrain the free expression of the “senses” through hyper vigilance, and to delude itself with the existence of life beyond Nature. In times before the pandemic, there was already a strong disdain of the infinite potential of life and intelligence as a condition of being human, with the capacity to “read between the lines”: to understand, discern and make conscious choices.
The Covid-19 pandemic, Pandora’s new mask, highlights the most hidden conflicts of human existence. It forces us to return home. To the inner home; to the home where we live; to Mother Earth, our common home, and to our cosmic home. It shows us the paths that lead to our ancestral roots and to life in community. It heralds the triumph of brotherhood, cooperation and solidarity over selfishness and competitiveness. It brings issues such as the need of the State, combined with the limits of its sovereignty and social organization in community. It places us at crossroads that we do not want to see, such as between self and others, between nationalism and globalization, up to the point of revealing the conflict underlying the conflicts: the choice between Eros and Thanatos, between life and death. This conflict becomes more evident in the false dilemma between economy and life and in the drama of Sofia’s choice, experienced by health professionals, compelled to select which patient will receive medical care, insufficient for all.
  With the unveiling of the buried conflicts, the "coronaworld", a new Pandora’s box, also brings with him the hope, that he cries out for free... Hope that, in the future, every being and humanity may awaken from the veil of illusion. May we, in the present pandemic, free ourselves from the world of various enclosures in which we had chosen to live before the pandemic and trust to follow new and more human paths. Social isolation represents the ends of this self-created world. It highlights deep disruptions and shows the possibility of a reset in lifestyles and the co-creation of a new world, where all beings can have rights and live in harmony. A post-Pandemic world where the conflicts uncovered by it can be overcome by humanity, where every being can reach life in fullness and all beings, human and non-human, are subjects of law. The pandemic of the new coronavirus, by provoking a sudden stop in the world, allows many people to establish it as a milestone for a life in harmony with Nature, as advocated by the United Nations Harmony with Nature program (www.harmonywithnatureun.org).

Mrs Germana de Oliveira MORAES, Federal University of Ceará, Brazil, http://www.ufc.br

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Nature with capital N ORAL PRESENTATION

Nature, Naturaleza, la Nature, Природа, 性質, الطبيعة. It is no coincidence that in the documents of the UN’s Harmony with Nature Program, published in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Mandarin and Arabic, Nature is written in capital letters.
Proper nouns by grammatical rule are spelled with an initial capital letter. In this way, identity and importance are attributed to the nominee, emphasizing its meaning, and allowing it to be assigned a specific one.
In a context that has as a paradigm an Earth-centered vision, designating Nature as its own name strengthens the cause of this UN Program for the legal recognition of the same rights among all beings of Nature.
Nature, our Mother Earth, not as an object or property, but as a legal subject with legal personality, whose intrinsic value is recognized in all reports of the Harmony with Nature UN program, must be represented by the word Nature written with a capital N.
The Educational Organization Farias Brito supports this cause and fully embraces the proposal of the Harmony Manifesto published in Brazil in June 2020 (http://files.harmonywithnatureun.org/uploads/upload943.pdf) of spelling, in Portuguese, Nature with initial N capital. Therefore, on the same 5th of June 2020, Farias Brito launched the “Nature with a capital N Campaign”.
The “Nature with a capital N Campaign” has been developed, in Brazil, with professionals of Literature and Linguistics, professors, grammarians, philologists, writers, journalists, advertisers, translators, proofreaders, Literature and Linguistics Institutions, Literary Academies, Academies of Portuguese Language, Academies of Rhetoric and other representatives from academia and civil society.
The objective, actions and plans of the “Nature with a capital N Campaign” will be presented on video, with the intention of also sensitizing other Nations of the World to the cause of Nature Rights and, in particular, to the spelling of the word Nature, as a proper noun, with the initial letter N capitalized.
It is already possible to verify the term spelled as a proper noun in the publications of the documents of the HwN UN Program, simultaneously published in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Mandarin and Arabic.
A small change, but with great symbolic value: changing a letter to certify a change in the world view in relation to Nature and the rights defended by the program.
Valuing Nature should be a rule. Grammar and conduct-wise.

Mrs Danielle Cabral, ORGANIZAÇÃO EDUCACIONAL FARIAS BRITO, Brazil, https://www.fariasbrito.com.br/

Rights of Nature - Law (Session 2/2)
Tuesday dec 8, 6pm-8pm (Geneva Time)

Rights of Nature, Representing Nature in Law, Some Reflections ORAL PRESENTATION

This presentation reflects on representing Nature. It starts by observing that we are destroying our life-support systems but still have time to act if we move fast. We must place Nature and Mother Earth at the centre. COVID-19 has proved health comes before wealth. Nature works in partnership and it is a matter of management, eco-management. An important element involves representing Nature in law by humans.
The presentation reflects on how Nature is conceptualised in terms of wildness or other, and asks about the rights for each being in Nature. Nature is to be seen as a stakeholder in legal texts, an actor, subject and partner. Human – nature partnership has always existed, think of agriculture and horticulture. Seeds are at the centre of life and there is the industrial vision and Nature’s vision through population diversity. Nature needs to be represented by humans in legal texts, and there is a variety of ways to achieve that. However, finance and funding is crucial. The key question is whether there is a political will to act.

Mr Colin ROBERTSON, Personal Researcher, Luxembourg

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Global Petition asking the UN to adopt a Declaration of Rights of Mother Earth ORAL PRESENTATION

We are working on a global signatre campaign, asking the UN to adopt a Universal Declarataion of Rights of Mother Earth to complement the Human Rights Declaration. By doing so the UN would acknowledge Mother Earth and Nature as a living entity, which is the source of all life, rather than being treated as a resource for the economy. A proposed first step of implementation is that Nature needs to be included in all National legal systems as a rights bearing entity with legal standing in court. You can find the peition here: www.RightsofMotherEarth.com.

Ms Doris RAGETTLI ; Rights of Mother Earth, Switzerland, https://www.RightsofMotherEarth.com/

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From environmental law to mother’s rights earth (from the environmentalism-sustainability paradigm to Harmony with Nature) ORAL PRESENTATION

The present article intends to expose the paradigm transition of Environmental Law since its emergence, as a critical attitude towards developmentalism, succeeded by the attempt to equalize the concept of sustainable development until the most recent change to ecocentrism, under the framework of the Program Harmony with Nature of the United Nations and the perspective of publishing the International Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, Pachamama or Nature. These three phases will be analyzed in three 20-year jumps (1972-1992-2012): from the emergence of environmentalist thinking, with a landmark at the 1st UN Conference on the Environment, in 1972; the idea of sustainability with a consolidated landmark in 1992 at Rio-92; and ecocentrism with its recognition at Rio +20 and implementation of the United Nations Program, Harmony with Nature “Harmony with Nature” (www.harmonywithnatureun.org). In addition to the milestones in international documents, cultural aspects will be discussed, scientific, political and legal principles that underpin these transformations, illuminating the key points for the understanding and diffusion of the new legal paradigm “Harmony with Nature” in Brazilian Environmental Law theory. For this analysis will be used a qualitative methodology of analysis of international documents, the theory of the main thinkers and some actions of movements that feed the evolution of the environmental thought.

Mrs Geovana FREIRE and Germana de Oliveira MORAES, UFC - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Brazil, www.ufc.br

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Recognizing Nature Rights at the EU Level : pathways for change ORAL PRESENTATION

How could the rights of nature be implemented under European Union law? How can the European Union guarantee its economic, democratic and social objectives and values in a collapsing natural world?
As a Greens/EFA member of the European Parliament, I will present the work I am doing at the EU level to work towards a European recognition of the rights of Nature, and present why working at the EU level is crucial to recognize the rights of Nature.
I will present the initiative I have recently launched, with the support of the Greens/EFA group, to work, together with all EU actors, institutional or from civil society, towards the recognition of Nature rights, discussing the limits and opportunities of this recognition, and how to adapt the concept in the EU context. Through research work and a series of conference, we have already gathered thousands of people in this discussion.
Overall, the goal of my presentation will be to identify the key stakes around a European recognition of Nature rights, the role of the European Parliament in this crucial process, and my perspectives for the future of this initiative.

Mrs Marie TOUSSAINT, European Parliament, France, https://www.marietoussaint.eu/

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The Emergence of Earth Jurisprudence in Africa ORAL PRESENTATION

Across Africa, a network of Earth Jurisprudence Practitioners is accompanying traditional and indigenous communities in the revival and enhancement of their Earth-centred customary governance systems. In Kenya, Uganda, Benin, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Cameroon, communities are reviving traditional knowledge and practices, restoring sacred natural sites and associated rituals, re-establishing indigenous seed diversity and food sovereignty, and strengthening ecological governance systems derived from the laws of the Earth. These civil-society-led initiatives to re-establish Earth-centred governance on the continent are founded on Africa’s rich indigenous legal traditions and cultural heritage and inspired by Earth Jurisprudence – a legal philosophy and ethical framework conceived of by eco-theologian Thomas Berry in the late twentieth century.
This presentation will explore the emergence of Earth Jurisprudence in Africa as at once innovative and ancient, radical and rooted: a revival and enhancement of time-honoured, Earth-centred human traditions offering a fresh orientation with which the continent might navigate its way into a flourishing, life-sustaining future.

Mrs Carlotta BYRNE, The Gaia Foundation, United Kingdom, https://www.gaiafoundation.org

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Droits de la Nature : L’Appel du Rhône ORAL PRESENTATION

The Rhone Appeal is a citizen, popular and transnational initiative to demand the recognition of a legal personality for the Rhone River.

The association id-eau, sustainable imagination for fresh water is convinced that Nature’s right to maintain life on Earth is a prerequisite for that of humanity. To make as many people as possible aware that humanity depends on the vital functions of the Earth and especially on its fresh water (an essential resource, recyclable but not inexhaustible), is a necessity. For us and the generation to come.

To call for the recognition of a legal personality for the Rhone is to ask for a modification of the current French and Swiss laws and to participate in its evolution for a right of anticipation and protection.

Each year, throughout the planet, to enable humanity to respond to ever more alarming ecological challenges, more ecosystems, animal or plant species have been given legal personality to protect our vital resources from devastating threats. Over the last ten years, several of these actions have already enabled rivers and streams to be granted legal status, including :

• The Vilcabamba River in Ecuador (2011)
• The Atrato River in Colombia (2016)
• The Whanganui River in New Zealand (2017)

These decisions had a decisive legal impact.

Our approach is popular. It is based on the signing of an Appeal, public meetings and artistic events and aims at a collective awareness to turn it into citizen pressure and awaken opinions. Through the Appel du Rhône, scientists, entrepreneurs, associations, organizations, artists, men and women will mobilize around free events.

Playing our role as an association means raising awareness, explaining, presenting new common stories and proposing concrete actions. Federating energies, encouraging action in order to decide together how to change our daily lives to preserve this essential resource, fresh water, through a transnational river: the Rhone.

The Appeal of the Rhone is at the same time, to give the river the possibility to defend its integrity and to protect itself from aggressions and also, a real tool to defend our fundamental rights and the conditions of existence of future generations.

Mr Frédéric PITAVAL, Association id·eau, imagination durable pour l’eau douce, Switzerland, www.id-eau.org

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Water/human rights beyond the human? Indigenous water ontologies, plurilegal encounters and interlegal translation ORAL PRESENTATION

To what extent can international human rights law come to grips with plurilegal water realities? This is the central question of the 5 year research project called "RIVERS- Water/human rights beyond the human? Indigenous water ontologies, plurilegal encounters and interlegal translation", supported by a Starting Grant of the European Research Council (ERC) (2019-2024), developed at the University Carlos III de Madrid (Spain) This project, which brings together legal anthropology and human rights, engages with one of the most pressing questions of this century: the relationship between humans and nature, but does not take for granted what water is.

RIVERS tackles two intertwined core objectives: 1) analysing different ways of knowing and relating to water and life among indigenous peoples and their understanding of its (potential) violation by extractive projects; 2) discussing the contributions, challenges and pitfalls of interlegal translation of differing water natures in plurilegal encounters at domestic and international levels. RIVERS will develop a multi-sited analysis and empirical case-studies in four contexts: Guatemala, Colombia, Nepal and the UN human rights protection system. Through the lens of legal pluralism, this will foreground competing political and legal water realities that interrogate dominant understandings of the modern world. RIVERS will pioneer new ways of thinking about water beyond the modern divides of "nature"/culture, providing clues about future paths towards reconceptualising human rights.

Ms Lieselotte VIAENE ; ERC RIVERS project, University Carlos III de Madrid, Spain ; https://rivers-ercproject.eu/

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The Terra Mirim Case and the Right to be of the Earth: Nature and Human Rights from a Decolonial Perspective ORAL PRESENTATION

Concerning Brazil unstable and precarious political context, it is essential to realize that, even with the end of colonialism (1500 – 1822), the structures of colonial domination persist within independent Latin American states disguised by power relations and discursive strategies presented as neutral and universalist – what is known as coloniality (Quijano). It is part of the ongoing Decolonial process and embedded in complex Brazilian context that an innovative initiative emerges (1992): Terra Mirim, a sustainable shamanic community, and its community-based Foundation, Terra Mirim Foudantion – Light Centre (FTM-CL). Fruit from Brazilian rich and diverse cultural heritage, Terra Mirim comes answering in “human-scale” urgent calls and addressing global challenges and goals. At this point in time, it is threatened.
It is founded on the rescue of ancestral native spiritual Tradition, Shamanism of the Mother Goddess, and the Four Sacred Elements Lineage (carried out by XamAM, Alba Maria). Building bridges between civilizations to respond to contemporary challenges, Terra Mirim aims to enable, stimulate and collaborate with the awakening of humanity to its natural-cosmic reality, planting seeds of ’sustainable community development’ in its territory and other places in Brazil and the world. During its 28 years of existence, Terra Mirim has dedicated itself through various fronts to promoting sustainability through a transformative culture, in harmony with nature, of human healing as a path to planetary rebalancing and, in this trajectory, it has drawn the lines of a genuine and libertarian environmental citizenship, a planetary citizenship.
Its headquarter is located in Bahia, where modern/colonial Brazilian history begun. It is part of an Environmental Protected Area (APA Joanes-Ipitanga) – responsible for 40% of the water supply for the Metropolitan Zone of Salvador (RMS), the capital of Bahia. Terra Mirim is located in the remaining area of the Atlantic Forest (less than 7% of the original Forest), a hotspot of the planet, source of very rich biodiversity, and also, in one of the largest Aquifers in Brazil - the Aquifer of São Sebastião. The main economic and industrial axes of the state of Bahia and the largest industrial complex in the Global South (Camaçari Industrial Pole - PIC) are located around it. Its territory reflects the complexities, historical and structural challenges existing in the RMS, a high level of inequality in income distribution and to access fundamental and human rights.

Today, the FTM-CL is a living laboratory of life in harmony with Nature. The multidimensional actions promoted by the FTM-CL weave a network of solidarity and environmental citizenship that fecundate the dream of making human and nature rights a reality and, the socio-environmental management democratic and participatory. It is an example of innovation, local action, and solutions based on Nature. It demonstrates, through its history, how sustainable settlements and community foundations are key pieces for the necessary transition. However, the Territory is under major threats. We have been confronted with diverse struggles which led to an aggravation of situations of risk. The health of the environment is threatened, leaderships threatened in their material and immaterial integrity, and so on (Binho do Quilombo, leader of an indigenous Quilombola community has been murdered during the active social movement against projects that want to be implemented on the territory).
Drawn from our local context and facing our common global challenges, we come to understand in Harmony we may weave pathways of truly and effective international support and cooperation. Advocating and investing over borders on securing our fundamental human and Nature rights – understanding we are one, Nature and us. It is a time for seeding the real transformative changes we want to harvest in the future. This can be done by committed cooperation for the protection and security of communities and initiatives like Terra Mirim (diversity, indigenous and local communities). Spread around the globe, they are centers of light/information, points of culture, diverse seeds that at this moment live or reclaim the right to live in Harmony with Nature. Safeguarding the right of these seeds to exist and to thrive we may make it possible to secure pathways through which life may regenerate itself, in us and outside of us.
It’s about creating effective means for guaranteeing human and Nature rights as a priority on the global agenda. It is about a (still to be recognized) human right to live in Harmony with Nature, to live connected in harmony with reality and not to a deviation that has been seeded through manipulation and violence, imposed upon denial of fundamental human rights.
States may fall, wars might tear us apart, internal and international laws may fail and disappear… but, scientifically understanding that Nature is Sovereign and integrating this knowledge into our lives, are some fundamental steps we need to face at this time. It is human’s role to live in harmony with the Laws of Nature, to let it flourish, let it be… so that we may live our full potentials. If we cannot impose this on anyone, may we secure the right to those who are struggling defending it so it may flourish and spread in Time access to Natural Matrix to all? It is time to seed human liberation. Believe it, we can do it.
This is an invitation.

Ms Dahvii SHIVA ; Terra Mirim Foundation - Centre of Light, Brazil ; www.terramirim.org.br

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How do we represent plants? Implications for the evolution and implementation of international legislation ORAL PRESENTATION

(Copyright : Michèle PERRIN-TAILLAT)
How do we represent plants in legislation?
In addition to the diverse and varied verbal representations whose context determines their meaning, there is increasing recourse to digitalized representations (ISNs), which are not without problems when it comes to negotiating or implementing necessary reforms.
Phyto-legislation has direct implications for human well-being and health, especially for ensuring healthy and sufficient food around the world. It concerns the three pillars of the United Nations: human rights, peace and development.
How can we adopt an inclusive discourse that respects both plants and the right of every human being to participate in matters that concern them? This is the question we must ask ourselves if we want to avoid a minority taking over the word of all.

Ms Michèle PERRIN-TAILLAT, France

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’Wild Law’ - Making Environmental Laws More Eco-centric and Less Anthropocentric ORAL PRESENTATION

Despite an increase in the development of environmental laws and legislation in many jurisdictions over the decades, and the existence of many environmental laws which have been enacted to protect nature and ecological systems, there is still widespread and wholesale negative impact and destruction upon the global environment leading to rapid species loss and irreparable damage, not withstanding the fact that there is now a decrease in actual environmental protection.
Environmental laws have failed to protect the environment because they are mainly based upon anthropocentric reasoning rather than a more eco-centric perspective. The concept of Wild Law draws on the view that everything within nature and eco-systems is connected and should be respected and protected for its own intrinsic value, not just for the benefit of human interests. By implementing a Wild Law ethos into Environmental legislation, a new system of how the environment can and should be protected can be implemented to enhance the wellbeing of our planet, and ultimately ourselves. This is a radical approach, but it is an essential one to mitigate the continuing ecological destruction.
As current environmental laws are mainly structured along an anthropocentric world view, the human interest is considered paramount being placed firmly and centrally within this world view. This has led to a detrimental impact upon the environment, animals and nature. It is now time to rethink this position and consider the concept of Wild Law within environmental legislation to give Nature the rights to exist for its own benefit and not solely for the benefit of human interest. This presentation will provide some case studies and examples of how this is being achieved.

Ms Julie Elizabeth BOYD, United Kindgom

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Anthropocentrism and ecocentrism in the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ORAL PRESENTATION

On this presentation I will analyze the presence of the anthropocentric and ecocentric argument in the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights related to environmental issues. To this effect, at first, it presents the content of these two approaches. Hand in hand with the above, it rehearses arguments in favor of the incorporation of an ecocentric approach to human rights. With this theoretical framework, identifies four stages in the Court’s jurisprudence. These stages show the gradual transition from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism within its reflections on human rights. Finally, the results of the analysis offer light on the possible development of the right to a healthy environment as an autonomous right in the inter-American system.

Mr Digno José MONTALVAN ZAMBRANO ; Research Group on Law and Justice (Uc3m), Spain

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Ecocide as an international crime - uppdate on the process ORAL PRESENTATION

Including Ecocide, mass damage and destruction of nature, as an international crime at the International Criminal Court in the Hague was proposed by Polly Higgins ten years ago. The last year has seen as incredible increase in interest in this idea, with actors like the Pope, the French president Macron, the Belgian government and the swedish labour movement expressing support. A panel with top international lawyers have just been put together to draft a definition of ecocide. A presentation of the latest developments.

Ms Pella THIEL, End Ecocide Sweden /Rights of Nature Sweden, Sweden, www.endecocide.se

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Applying the principles of latin american constitutionalism in conflict management: the Nature as a victim of armed conflict. ORAL PRESENTATION

Venezuela’s constitution is seen as the starting point for the new Latin American constitutionalism, followed by Ecuadorian (2008) and Bolivian (2009) constitutions. The analysis of the “buen vivir” paradigm contains an harmonious inclusive vision of political, legal, economic and environmental axes, which can contribute to changing the context of social exclusion and irrational exploitation of nature by men.

As a result, this new constitutionalism presents a development of the concept of environmental protection through law and in this sense, it complements universal declarations such as the Stockholm Convention of 1972. For example, the Ecuadorian Constitution grants Pachamama the full respect for its existence and the maintenance and regeneration of its vital cycles, its structure and its evolutionary processes (article 71); the sustainable development as a state duty (Article 3, point 5); and the participation of the population as protector of nature (article 74).

In the case of Colombia, which has suffered more than 50 years of conflict against the FARC-EP has recently recognized nature as a victim of armed conflict. Our research work will analyze the protection of natural heritage in the context of conflict and post-conflict management, taking the Colombian case as an example. For this, and through the perspective of legal anthropology, we will study the case 02 of the Special Justice for Peace (In Spanish "Justicia Especial para la Paz - JEP", a Colombian mechanism of transitional justice) which deals with nature as a victim of armed conflict and considers the importance of protecting the natural heritage for reconciliation and the establishment of a stable and lasting peace in Colombian territories of Tumaco, Ricaurte y Barbacoas, which population are predominantly formed by indigenous, Afro-Colombian and peasant communities.

The victim status granted to nature in these territories changes the way of treating natural heritage as well as the way of seeing transitional justice and reconciliation between armed actors and victims (which in this case also extends to non-human beings) during post-conflict. It will be an analysis of the challenges of social and state participation in the reconciliation between humans (victims and aggressors) and non-humans (nature, natural heritage) in the context of armed conflicts.

Mrs Alice BRITES OSORIO, Université de Limoges, France, http://www.theses.fr/s190126

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Economy of Francesco - a new economy for a new world in respect of Nature´s Rights ORAL PRESENTATION

From 26 to 28 March 2020 the city of Assisi hosted The Economy of Francesco, an international online and presence event aimed at young economists, entrepreneurs and change-makers engaged in thinking and practising a different type of economy. The invitation to participate has come directly from Pope Francis, who has issued a letter in which he invited to the City of St. Francis, which is symbol of humanism and fraternity, young economists and entrepreneurs from all over the world, without distinctions of creed or nationality, to initiate with them a process of global change so that today’s and tomorrow’s economy is fairer, inclusive and sustainable, without leaving anyone behind. The event was organised by a Committee composed of the Diocese of Assisi, Assisi City Council, the Seraphic Institute of Assisi and the Economy of Communion.
The event intended to discuss the most complex problems in today’s world, from safeguarding the environment to justice for the poor, need courageous commitment to rethink the economic paradigms of our time. In the Encyclical Letter Laudato si’, the Holy Father recalled that everything is intimately connected and that the Earth is our "common home", and therefore launched an appeal to defend it and all of humanity that inhabits the Earth.
He warned us against the careless exploitation of resources and short-sighted policies that look to immediate success without prospects for the long-term. Starting from the example of St. Francis, it is therefore necessary to rebuild a new integral ecology, one that is inseparable from the concept of the common good.
As a expert member on Harmony with Nature Platform, we was accepted as a senior, to attend the meeting to offer the Knowledge of Rights of Nature to contribute with the young debates. See the principal moment of the contributions in this video: https://youtu.be/TLWtxexOwb0
As a result, the first principle registered in the final report was the recognition that "the great world powers and the great economic and financial institutions slow down their race to let the Earth breathe. COVID has made us all slow down, without having chosen to do so. When COVID is over, we must choose to slow down the unbridled race that is suffocating the earth and the weakest people who live on earth".
So, we have to include this amazing result as part of development of the Nature´s rights recognition in all over the world.*
See the Final Statement and Common Commitment:
"We young economists, entrepreneurs and change makers of the world, summoned to Assisi by Pope Francis, in the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, want to send a message to economists, entrepreneurs, political decision makers, workers and citizens of the world, to convey the joy, the experiences, the hopes and challenges that we have gained and gathered up in this period by listening to our people and to our hearts. We are convinced that a better world cannot be built without a better economy and that the economy is so important for the lives of peoples and the poor that we all need to be concerned with it.
For this reason, in the name of the young people and the poor of the Earth, we ask that:
1-the great world powers and the great economic and financial institutions slow down their race to let the Earth breathe. COVID has made us all slow down, without having chosen to do so. When COVID is over, we must choose to slow down the unbridled race that is suffocating the earth and the weakest people who live on earth;
2-a worldwide sharing of the most advanced technologies be activated so that sustainable production can also be achieved in low-income countries; and that energy poverty – a source of economic, social and cultural disparity – be overcome to achieve climate justice;
3-the subject of stewardship of common goods (especially global ones such as the atmosphere, forests, oceans, land, natural resources, all ecosystems, biodiversity and seeds) be placed at the centre of the agendas of governments and teaching in schools, universities and business schools throughout the world;
4-economic ideologies should never again be used to offend and reject the poor, the sick, minorities and disadvantaged people of all kinds, because the first response to their poverty is to respect and esteem each person: poverty is not a curse, it is only misfortune, and it is certainly not the responsibility of those who are poor;
5-the right to decent work for all, family rights and all human rights be respected in the life of each company, for every worker, and guaranteed by the social policies of each country and recognized worldwide by an agreed charter that discourages business choices based solely on profit and founded on the exploitation of minors and the most disadvantaged;
6-tax havens around the world be abolished immediately, because money deposited in a tax haven is money stolen from our present and our future and that a new tax pact be the first response to the post-COVID world;
7-new financial institutions be established and the existing ones (the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund) be reformed in a democratic and inclusive sense to help the world recover from poverty and imbalances produced by the pandemic; sustainable and ethical finance should be rewarded and encouraged, and highly speculative and predatory finance discouraged by appropriate taxation companies and banks, especially large and globalized ones, introduce an independent ethics committee in their governance with a veto on the environment, justice and the impact on the poorest;
8-national and international institutions provide prizes to support innovative entrepreneurs in the context of environmental, social, spiritual and, not least, managerial sustainability because only by rethinking the management of people within companies will global sustainability of the economy be possible;
9-States, large companies and international institutions work to provide quality education for every girl and boy in the world, because human capital is the first capital of all humanism;
10-economic organizations and civil institutions not rest until female workers have the same opportunities as male workers because, without an adequate presence of female talent, businesses and workplaces are not fully and authentically human and happy places;
11-Finally, we ask for everyone’s commitment so that the time prophesied by Isaiah may draw near: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is 2, 4). We young people can no longer tolerate resources being taken away from schools, health care, our present and our future to build weapons and fuel the wars needed to sell them. We would like to tell our children that the world at war is finished forever.
All this – which we already experience in our work and in our lifestyles – we ask knowing that it is very difficult and that perhaps many consider it utopian. Instead, we believe it is prophetic and therefore that we can ask, ask and ask again, because what seems impossible today will seem less so tomorrow thanks to our commitment and our insistence. You adults who control the economy and businesses have done a lot for us young people, but you can do more. Our times are too difficult to ask for anything but the impossible. We have faith in you and that is why we ask much of you. But if we asked for less, we wouldn’t be asking enough.
We ask all this first of all from ourselves and we are committed to living the best years of our energy and intelligence so that the EoF can increasingly bring salt and leaven to everyone’s economy."
* this resume was written with the basis of the press release of the event published in may-2019

Ms Vanessa HASSON, MAPAS, Brazil, https://www.mapas.org.br

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Importance of pollinators in Agriculture for sustainable development: example of the Algerian experience. POSTER PRESENTATION

Two-thirds of all flowering plants depend on animals, largely insects, for pollination. For these plants, the pollinator may be as critical as light and water. Pollination is a vital link in natural communities, connecting plants and animals in key and essential ways. Pollination is a service that is key to agriculture as well. Insect pollinators are essential for many fruit and vegetable crops, and the demand for pollinators grows as the need for agricultural productivity increases. The contribution of pollinators to food security in Algeria may have both tangible and intangible values in reducing wide disparities in production levels and dependence on imported foods. The present study is a compilation of work carried out in the agricultural and natural ecosystem on the diversity of pollinators and their pollinating efficiency through six different bioclimatic stages on fruit trees of different varieties and vegetable crops.

As such, the study of pollinators focused particularly on the importance of Apoidea Apiformes or wild bees on fruit species such as apple and apricot, and vegetable plant species such as tomatoes, broad beans, beans, chickpeas, zucchini.

With regard to the natural ecosystem, the study of the diversity of pollinators involved more than 120 species of flowering plants belonging to more than 70 botanical families. However, work remains fragmentary given the large area of Algeria which is 2,382 million km². Few studies on wild bees have been published up to now. The works conducted so far are those of Saunders (1901, 1908), Alfken (1914), Schulthess (1924) and Roth (1923, 1924, 1930), and were based on small areas of the country. After them, a long time passed before the publication of new works dealing with particular groups (Louadi et al., 2008; Bendifallah et al., 2013; Maghni et al., 2017) or natural floral resources (Louadi and Doumandji (1998a, 1998b), Louadi et al. (2007) and Bendifallah et al. (2012a, 2012b, 2015, 2018, 2020).

Mrs Leila BENDIFALLAH, Algeria, http://www.univ-boumerdes.dz

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Thinking and Acting in a Disrupted World : Governance, Environment and People ORAL PRESENTATION

The asymmetry of political and economic power between common people and corporations has led to natural devastation, biodiversity loss, precarious housing, lack of sanitation, fatal epidemics, high levels of crime and violence, with severe environmental, political, economic and social impacts. Changing the paradigms of development, growth, power, wealth, work and freedom embedded into the political, technological, economic and educational institutions ; requires the development of institutional capacity, judicial neutrality, informational transparency, social spaces for civic engagement and enlightened political participation.This includes conservation units, the media, faith leaders, advocates, experts, decision makers, activists, political leaders, organisations, groups and communities. Earth and People retrieval (regeneration) should be dealt with simultaneously, in space and time ; since they depend on each other : problems and the contexts in which they occur should be re-interpreted and restructured through an ecosystem lens, thus altering the ways to address them. An ecological civilization cares for the natural and built environments, the cultural heritage, the collective bonds, education, health, ethics, aesthetics, equity and justice. New socio-cultural learning niches could generate awareness, interpretation and understanding beyond established stereotypes, from a thematic (“what”), an epistemic (“how”) and a strategic (policies) point of view. Thinking of this moment as an opportunity for a Great Reset and implementing long-awaited infrastructure and systemic change in areas such as inclusion, sustainability and innovation, an ecosystem theoretical and practical approach is posited to elicit the events, cope with consequences and contribute to change (potential outputs). In this sense, advocacy, communication, public policies, research and teaching programmes would,
1) define the problems in the core of the “boiling pot”, instead of reducing them to the bubbles of the surface (fragmented issues, reduced academic formats, segmented policies, effects) ;
2) consider, as donors and recipients, all dimensions being in the world (intimate, interactive, social and biophysical), assessing their deficits and assets, as they combine to elicit the events and organize to change ;
3) promote the singularity of (identity, proper characteristics) and the reciprocity (mutual support) between all dimensions, in view of their complementarity and dynamic equilibrium ;
4) prepare the transition to an ecosystem model of culture, for consistency, effectiveness and endurance.

Mr André Francisco PILON, University of São Paulo / International Academy of Science, Brazil, http://www5.usp.br/english/?lang=en

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Sustainability issues and consumption requirements, agricultural land production practices POSTER PRESENTATION

Expectations regarding the sustainability of the agricultural system have a long concern, what we propose is that at the same time we maintain local traditions, keep the balance of the biosphere beyond establishing the nutritional regime of plants which is a prerogative, we must analyze depending on climate and soil characteristics .
Not infrequently we tend to analyze statistical indicators to ensure the growth and development of cultivated plants according to optimal production. In the research we analyzed some of the vulnerabilities, in the sense that if agricultural practices and tradition must have a common denominator when we talk about fertilizers. depending on the four elements, the properties of the soil, the nutrients necessary for the production analyzed by culture, the climate but also by the tradition of the place.
Together these elements can be sources of environmental protection.Food and lifestyle influence even the best tastes of consumers, elements such as necessity, price or why not the distance from which traditional products are purchased, which are often seasonal due to the products they contain, hence the tradition.
As the legislation is the one that ensures the balance of interests, it must organize the fast means of procuring state revenues, but also simple ways for the citizen to defend his interests, limiting the easements of state contribution to his own powers must ensure the right path and easy to force the State to comply with the legislation on fertilizers applied to soil and plants through the agricultural techniques used.

Ms Safta ADELA SORINELA, Ms Lavinia POPESCU ; The University of Economic Studies, Romania

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Rights of Nature: Developments in India ORAL PRESENTATION

Laws need be at least a step ahead of the times in which they exist, lest they become obsolete, and Earth Laws are no exception- albeit it being relatively young! Earth Laws or Rights of Nature, have been able to bring about a paradigm shift which fosters an eco-centric approach; but with varying degrees of success, across various jurisdictions. Having carved a niche area of jurisprudence, it has had its fair share of criticisms as well, which warrants a thorough inspection as regards the ways in which its effectiveness can be bettered. The presentation proposes to look into hurdles that exist in re implementation of such laws, taking clues from India, where this branch of law, albeit in a nascent stage, has attracted the attention of the judiciary.

Mr Manjeri Subin SUNDER RAJ, India