Making Sure the Earth is our Business

[Michael Grove]

The theme of living in harmony with the Earth resonates strongly

with Polly Higgins, a British barrister and award-winning author

of Eradicating Ecocide and Earth is our Business, who insists:

“The New Story Summit is a different kind of conversation – it’s

emergent, from a place of trust and care. To be surrounded by

like-minds who speak from the heart, creates a space for the realm

of potential to open up."

“Like a soup, we get to choose the most delicious of ingredients

 and flavours to cook up a magnificent New Story of our times.”

She is a voice for the Earth and advocates a LAW of Ecocide, and

has defined it as the extensive damage to, destruction of or loss of

ecosystem(s) of a given territory, whether by human agency or by

other causes, to such an extent that peaceful enjoyment by the

inhabitants of that territory has been or will be severely diminished. 

“To ensure ecological justice is to ensure that ecosystems remain intact and functioning,” she explains. “When ecosystems malfunction we have system breakdown and ecocide which in turn leads to resource depletion, and then to conflict and ultimately war. Our human right to life is placed at risk when damage, destruction or loss of ecosystems occurs. Moreover the Earth’s right to life is placed in jeopardy. It may be that the risk to life is not immediately apparent, in so far as people are not exhibiting injury or pain, however the injury to the inhabitants of a given territory can manifest later or in territories elsewhere. Thus, a belching power-plant may cause injury to as yet unborn children… Ecocide can be a crime against the right to life of not only current beings, but also unknown and future generations. Morally we have no choice if we are to uphold the right to life – of both human and non-human beings – for future generations. The Law of Ecocide provides a framework for intervention to stop dangerous industrial activity that causes significant harm, to disrupt ‘business as usual’, to act as a bridge to the green economy and to put in place a legal duty of care."

Along with the objective to end ecocide by 2020, she says: “I’ve set myself a goal – to dare to be great. For me that means 100% in service to something greater than the self. I believe we all have the capacity for greatness within us – all that is required is to set the intent. The challenges that daring to be great brings are the challenges that empower us to step up and speak out."

“Just imagine the world we will be in when many of us dare to be great.”

                                                                              Geoff Dalglish

 

Environmental activist Geoff Dalglish, is a member of the Findhorn Foundation’s LEAP programme. 

This content appeared on the Findhorn New Story Hub website.

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