CHANGE THE NARRATIVE,
CHANGE THE SYSTEM
OUR MAIN APPROACH:
ECOLOGICAL LITERACY, STORYTELLING, AND ADVOCACY
ROOTED IN EARTH JURISPRUDENCE
In many countries and human cultures around the world, non-human living systems are seen as human-owned objects whose reason for existence is to be commodified, exploited, and used for human benefit and economic profit. This is today’s dominant narrative and permeates almost all spaces in which economic power is fostered and decision-making occurs.
A pillar within this destructive narrative is how “Nature” is spoken about, through a cognitive disconnect that separates the ”human” from ”Nature” and, arrogantly enough, states that humans are not only separate from but also superior to Nature. This is concerning because the narrative fuels a human governance system that permits anthropocentric violence against all other life on Earth.
If we want to change the system, we must change the dominant narrative. And how do we change it?
We question, we dissect, we reflect, we reshape, and we transform.
EARTH ADVOCACY
Earth Advocacy encompasses the understanding, recognizing, respecting, defending, and co-creating with the living beings with which we share our home on Earth. Underlying this work is the responsibility of human beings to respect and defend all life on this planet. Reconnecting with the biologically diverse Earth system of which we are part, and recognizing that we are simply one out of countless members of a holistic web of life is central to Earth Advocacy.
We are aware of the overwhelming direction that humanity is taking the living planet, threatening the survival and health of all living beings, including our own species. We also recognize that current responses and implementation methods are insufficient in order to address the ecological crises. Cultivating resilient relationships and compassionate coexistence with other living beings requires us to bridge disciplines, movements, and sectors. It calls for the exchange of knowledge, and the fostering of new alliances between stakeholders who might still be strangers to one another.
YOUTH-LED AND BOLD
This paradigm shift requires human societies to dive deeply into the very narratives of today's laws, agreements, and policies to confront the ideas, norms, and values that are giving them their shape and enabling their existence. We also see severe implementation issues with many policies and agreements. To make implementation more effective and impactful, meaningful participation and representation of youth in the creation of new practices and strategies for the protection of life is essential.
Decision-makers cannot keep the world’s youth on the sidelines any longer. It is time to integrate youth into the main fora as equals and have us all work together side by side. In that way only can we begin to transform the dominant narrative, along with the perceptions of our role on Earth.
OUR TOOLBOX
We have chosen to apply various Earth-based approaches in our work! We believe that combining bold and creative ideas can make their impact and application more powerful and transformational. With help from our toolbox and our collective skill set, we aim to contribute to the respect and protection of the delicate balance of all the planet’s living systems. Two of our fundamental approaches are listed below:
Earth Jurisprudence
Earth Jurisprudence is a philosophy and practice of law and human governance that recognizes that the Earth is embedded in a complex system that governs the very web of life. Humans are one member of a wider community of living beings, and the well-being and welfare of each member of that biodiverse community are dependent on the well-being and welfare of the planet as a whole. Earth uniquely sustains life as we know it through a complex system of living processes and laws, as a self-regulating planetary organism. All Earth’s living systems and entities (humans included) are inextricably subject to these laws and processes.
Rights of Nature
Rights of Nature is a legal tool that implements the intrinsic legal rights of non-human living systems (ecosystems, habitats) to exist, thrive, evolve, regenerate, and continue their vital cycles. The Rights of Nature advances a new worldview that respects the aliveness, interconnectedness, and uniqueness of all living beings.
Rights of Nature has the potential to challenge capitalist and extractivist perceptions of the Earth's living systems (or "Nature") and change the fabric of human legal and governance systems because it provides civil society, organizations, governments, and other stakeholders with a tool to proactively defend living systems. Through the legal recognition of inherent rights of living systems in places such as Colombia, Bangladesh, Ecuador, New Zealand, USA, Uganda, etc., the rights of Nature have gained traction in legal practices everywhere.
Living Systems
“Every living organism, from the smallest bacterium to all the varieties of plants and animals, including humans, is a living system. Second, the parts of living systems are themselves living systems. A leaf is a living system. A muscle is a living system. Every cell in our bodies is a living system. Third, communities of organisms, including both ecosystems and human social systems such as families, schools, and other human communities, are living systems.” - Fritjof Capra
