Springing Forward

As we celebrate the arrival of the Spring Equinox in the northern realms of our planetary home, many of us find ourselves grateful for the increasing daylight hours.  We are in a time of balance of light and darkness, moving toward increasing light.  Longer daylight hours bring a springing forth of newness in the birthing cycles of so many plant and animal species, and I think we respond in a similar fashion.

In the United States we are also approaching Earth Day, officially celebrated on April 22. Here at CEJ and Barry Law School we are celebrating a series of Earth Day events this week, focusing on water issues and conservation.  We are aware that World Water Day was just marked on March 22 with events worldwide.  We are also aware that the sixth World  Water Forum, organized by the World Water Council, which represents the interests of transnational companies and the World Bank, was held last week in Marseilles, France.  At the same time, the Alternative Water Forum was also held in Marseilles.  The focus of the Alternative Water Forum is to advocate for water conservation and citizen management of water and to fight the global market movement to privatize access to water.  I encourage you to read the report of Linda Sheehan, Executive Director of the Earth Law Center, who attended the Alternative Water Forum.

Of great concern is that some developed countries, such as Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, are seeking to remove language recognizing the “Human Right to Water and Sanitation,” adopted by the General Assembly and Human Rights Council in 2011, from the Zero Draft text which is being prepared for the Rio+20 conference to be held in Rio de Janeiro the end of June.  It is critically important that UN Member States not back away from their legally-binding obligations to respect, protect and fulfill the Human Right to Water and Sanitation as embodied in the two adopted resolutions.  It is also important that the negotiations for Rio+20 and the proposed “Green Economy” not lead to increased violations of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation through the introduction of mechanisms designed to implement markets, property rights, and trading regimes for water.

True sustainability for current and future generations must not only include respect for water as a human right, but also adoption of the public trust and protection of the commons doctrines to insure water’s right to exist, as well as the ability of other species and entities to have access to water.  

Obviously there is much work to be done to protect the steps we are taking to protect water as one of the primary sources for sustaining life.  At CEJ and Barry Law School, we remain committed to deepening our appreciation of water and its conservation.

Finally, we invite you to “spring forward” in checking out our new CEJ Facebook page at facebook.com/earthjuris and to “like” us!  We have many options for partnering with us.

Photo by Jane Goddard