I wrote recently about an upcoming event in Trinidad, organised by the Institute for Small Islands, which took place under the evocative heading: “The Tide Is Rising.” It was diverse, moving, and as intensely thought-provoking as you could imagine; however, it had a specific goal – to use Ecocide Law as a weapon (or should I say, a shield) to protect the ocean and those who depend on it, in the Caribbean. Work began afterwards on a Declaration to protect the ocean in our Small Island Developing States, as we have been labeled.
I attended the panel discussion virtually on September 7. I was so impressed by the solidarity from the Pacific Island of Vanuatu, which was equally supportive of the campaign against deep sea mining (ongoing) during the International Seabed Authority.
An Open Letter has been posted by one of the partners involved, the Gallifrey Foundation, on LinkedIn. Please read, and I hope you will also sign and share on social media using the hashtag #Ocean4EcocideLaw https://lnkd.in/e8Uq6neG or this URL: https://www.stopecocide.earth/ocean-open-letter
So, to recap, what is Ecocide (“Killing our Home”)? As I explained in my recent post, the legal definition of Ecocide, as formulated by the Independent Expert Panel convened by the Stop Ecocide Foundation in 2021, is:
“unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts.”
The panelists were moderated by lawyer and international environmental law specialist Caroline Mair-Toby, who founded and directs the Institute for Small Islands, and who wrote the following:
What a week! The Institute for Small Islands would like to thank the Gallifrey Foundation, Stop Ecocide International and Mair and Company for making this event possible, and to the participants who came online and in person despite traffic and rain.
It began on Wednesday 6th September with a lunch at Fondes Amandes, then to the site of the historical whaling station in Gaspar Grande with Iya Akilah Jaramogi, Paramount Chief of the Merikins and Director of United Maroon Indigenous Peoples and P’yai Cristo Adonis, Santa Rosa First Peoples Community.
Both Elders gave moving offerings, prayers and deep blessings for the ocean. This was followed by a musical lament to the Ocean performed by Sharda Patasar on sitar, Ajibola on djembe drums and vocals by Caroline Mair-Toby.
The next day, Thursday 7th September, we held a less conventional approach to conferencing – a hybrid in person and online session with prayers and blessings by Nadège Robertson in Haiti to set the state of mind to remind us we are all connected to nature and the ocean.
Leaders in the Ecocide Law movement described how #EcocideLaw is a powerful tool to protect the ocean and those who live and thrive by it.
His Excellency, Ambassador Odo Tevi – Permanent Representative of the Republic of Vanuatu to the UN and Jojo Mehta – Executive Director Stop Ecocide International spoke first.
This was followed by a panel discussion on how Ecocide Law could be a mechanism to protect the ocean and coasts in the Caribbean with inputs from:
Alexander Girvan – on how the links of Ecocide to Ocean rights and Rights of Nature;
Emma Carmody PhD – on the vital importance of blue carbon, in particular mangrove, as a means of protecting the ocean;
Iya Akila Jaramogi – As an Afro-Indigenous environmental leader, speaking with wisdom of how we are an intrinsic part of the ecosystem, how “Instead of raising sea level we must raise our voices!
Sarika Maharaj on transboundary fisheries crimes and the vital importance of Ecocide law in protecting not just illegal fishing but unsustainable and over excessive fishing – on being better stewards of what we have.
John Vermilye – on the importance of protecting our coastal vegetation such as mangroves and seagrasses which sequester carbon 400% more effectively than land vegetation.
Gary Aboud – on the immediate and pressing challenges facing the Caribbean island states vis a vis fishing abuses and lack of legal protections or even enforcement
After a networking lunch, a workshop was held to draft a Declaration on protecting the ocean in the Small Island States. This was a fascinating discussion as the nuances and differing perspectives were important issues that are unique to the Caribbean but could be applied elsewhere. This is robust and diverse input to create a strong document. This work will continue till the end of the year.
Finally we continue to seek signatures for the Open Letter. Please sign and share
https://lnkd.in/e8Uq6neG
