Photo © Isaac Murdoch
Water should be our first concern when it comes to Ecology and Climate Change as nothing survives without it.
The following story of an Ecocide in southern Spain is an exemplary account of the hidden politics behind water access, it stands as serious warning for Europe, showing what happens when water is not well protected, and an ecological area of highest value disappears.
On the 7th of November 2017 La Plataforma en Defensa del Rio Aguas and Acuiferos Vivos will support the case of the Aguas Aquifer del Rio Aguas before the International Tribunal for the Rights of Nature at the Bonn COP23 International Summit.
It will be defended by three members of the Plataforma : Sheila Andion, David Dene and Ion Holban.
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| Valley Del Rio Aguas @ Los Molinos/ Photo © Analucia Feracci |
The sources of the Rio Aguas provide for the needs of 35,000 local people in dozen of villages from the municipality of Almeria.
It also provides for shepherds livestocks and keeps alive endemic animal and plant species.
But it is on the verge of disappearance.
And not because of drought or Climate Change, but because the springwells are being extracted to water 10 millions of genetically modified olive trees in plain Tabernas desert : a process that drains the Aquifer and also destroys the soil rendering it empty of substance.
The extracted source is Fossil water, a body of water which has been contained in the Aquifer for millennia. It is therefore a Non renewable resource impossible to regenerate as it doesn't renew itself at a sufficient rate for intensive extraction.
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| Fossil water in cave sprinwells/ Photo © Analucia Feracci |
The administration of Almeria, led by Jose Manual Ortiz, gave permission to an increase of the agricultural area of the olive plantation, now covering more than 5,500 of acres.
This criminal act is opposed by an ecological movement of dedicated local people and activists from the educational collective Sunseed Desert Technology, the Plataforma en Defenso del Rio Aguas, Acuiferos Vivos and Grupo ecologista Mediterraneo, which can be supported on Facebook.
This criminal act is opposed by an ecological movement of dedicated local people and activists from the educational collective Sunseed Desert Technology, the Plataforma en Defenso del Rio Aguas, Acuiferos Vivos and Grupo ecologista Mediterraneo, which can be supported on Facebook.
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Nos Roban El Agua/ Preparing for an artivist March
Photo © Yada Cashmore |
They denounce it as ecocide via manifestations such as : Nos Roban el Agua (click to view photos) - They Steal our Water ! in Almeria on the 4th of November. If you wish to support this cause here is the link to the petition : https://www.change.org/p/sos-nos-quitan-nuestra-agua-para-el-beneficio-de-unos-pocos-destruyen-el-r%C3%ADo-aguas
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| © Photo taken from Sunseed Desert Technology FB page |
We still can reverse this by opposing the unethical politics of Almeria's administration with new laws. The goal is to implement Water Rights that strongly legitimate local people's access to water to avoid creating precarious conditions that force populations to migrate.
While also protecting the fauna and flora of the whole area.
Nos Roban el Agua/ Design © Daniel Torrego
Because laws are easy to go around : so if we don't consider natural environments, humans, animals and plants as a whole, individual laws become obsolete.
This is where the holistic view of interdependency of species comes into account. This new paradigm, also known as Deep Ecology or Spiritual Ecology, is explored by eco-philosopher Joanna Macy in her Work that reconnects practices.
She uses the healing power of sharing circles to help us re-connect with Nature on a deep level.
Jorge Blanco Abad & David Dene discussing Water Rights/ Photo © Analucia Feracci
A few years ago, I came across the concept of Rights of Nature while meeting Mumta Ito* on a community allotment in London : she was saying that in Law, Nature is treated as property and that the best way to confront big corporations is to use similar laws but to protect Nature.
By treating Nature like big corporations, by creating new laws that defend Nature, Water and Ecosystems, making Nature Rights equal to Human Rights, we could take Ecocide cases to court : Ecuador, like many other countries recognises The Rights of Nature in their constitution.
By treating Nature like big corporations, by creating new laws that defend Nature, Water and Ecosystems, making Nature Rights equal to Human Rights, we could take Ecocide cases to court : Ecuador, like many other countries recognises The Rights of Nature in their constitution.
In her essay In the time of sacred places for the book Spiritual Ecology, the activist and voice for indigenous consciousness, Winona LaDuke links the americans's belittling of the relationship to place to the fact they were preached with an american dream always happening elsewhere, therefore holding no responsability, only a sense of entitlement.
Once we connect to a sense of sacredness of a place, it calls for reverence and conscious care.
The valley del Rio Aguas, Los Molinos, Spain
We all hold stories that connect us to Nature so to mirror Joanna Macy's practices here is one : this summer, I went to visit mountain sources in three european countries. All these waters are sacred because they are original, untouched sources.
By chance, these three sources were under threat of contamination, because they are now being polluted from higher above, which is a first in Europe.
Mountain River in the Dolomites, Italy
It is shocking to me because the holistic view of Nature and humans being inter-related is part of my ancestral legacy.
Our family is from the Restonica valley in Corsica, a place where Nature's laws are embedded in people's souls.
I would never go against those laws as a child.
It was pretty obvious why - especially after spending time in mountain rivers during storms.
Restonica valley, Corsica
I knew that Nature is bigger than us, that the power of the mountain is stronger than us, and that we depend from it. And because I experienced it early, it turned into my belief system, my paradigm.
During a storm, a mountain river can triple its volume within minutes, and dramatically transform a whole landscape.
Flushing away tiny human beings.
Lavu Bastani, 2 092 m high, Corsica
Restonica valley, Corsica
I knew that Nature is bigger than us, that the power of the mountain is stronger than us, and that we depend from it. And because I experienced it early, it turned into my belief system, my paradigm.
During a storm, a mountain river can triple its volume within minutes, and dramatically transform a whole landscape.
Flushing away tiny human beings.
Lavu Bastani, 2 092 m high, Corsica
Due to the secluded geographic situation and specific relationship to the mountain and the sea, Nature is considered sacred in Corsica. Probably also because the beauty of its wilderness forces respect.
People go to great lengths to protect the coasts from over-building, keeping millionaires and heavy industry at bay.
The population is very strict on garbage throwing on beaches and in the mountains so despite tourism, the island is kept pretty unspoilt.
The Water we drink tastes full-bodied because it comes from ancestral mountains, so it's alive.
We bath, wash, drink directly in rivers so children know how to do it sustainably, without polluting.
Restonica valley, Corsica
Shepherds leave their stock graze in the wilderness : if a cow falls dead upstream, the whole city stops drinking from the tap.
There is no doubt then that we have to protect Water.
I already know the feeling of despair when seeing those mountains being destroyed by fire as a child. But I also know the landscape survives the damage after a while.
But it is not as much reversible with water, so I can't bear to imagine corsican rivers being polluted, or the almerian Aquifer to go dry.
People go to great lengths to protect the coasts from over-building, keeping millionaires and heavy industry at bay.
The population is very strict on garbage throwing on beaches and in the mountains so despite tourism, the island is kept pretty unspoilt.
The Water we drink tastes full-bodied because it comes from ancestral mountains, so it's alive.
We bath, wash, drink directly in rivers so children know how to do it sustainably, without polluting.
Shepherds leave their stock graze in the wilderness : if a cow falls dead upstream, the whole city stops drinking from the tap.
There is no doubt then that we have to protect Water.
I already know the feeling of despair when seeing those mountains being destroyed by fire as a child. But I also know the landscape survives the damage after a while.
But it is not as much reversible with water, so I can't bear to imagine corsican rivers being polluted, or the almerian Aquifer to go dry.
Mia Sage Stevens @ Standing Rock/ Photo © Rob Wilson
To indigenous people there is no questioning that an holistic link exists between humans and the natural environment.
As we know they take their relationship to Nature to such a deep spiritual level that all their customs derive from it.
One year ago in november 2016, Women were leading the way at Standing Rock to protect the waters of North Dakota from an oil Pipeline. They brought forth a global indigenous spiritual and ecological movement which honoured the integral health and respect of the Earth and people.
Photo © taken from Kara Maria Ananda's website
They started the NoDAPL grassroots protest and Sacred Stones Camp as prayer.
Under the mantra : Mni Wiconi - Water is Life !
Special Thanks to David Dene, Jorge Blanco Abad, the crew @ Sunseed Desert Tecnology and all the activists involved in this cause
Special Thanks to Mumta Ito
Special Thanks to Feather & all the Water Protectors at Standing Rock
* What is Rights of Nature ?
One year ago in november 2016, Women were leading the way at Standing Rock to protect the waters of North Dakota from an oil Pipeline. They brought forth a global indigenous spiritual and ecological movement which honoured the integral health and respect of the Earth and people.
They started the NoDAPL grassroots protest and Sacred Stones Camp as prayer.
Under the mantra : Mni Wiconi - Water is Life !
This historical movement initiated an unprecedented reconciliation between enemy tribes.
The power struggle they faced to protect their water, while camping through a long and harsh winter, attacked by government armed police but responding with prayer instead of violence, is a compelling story of resilience.
And an exemplary legacy to live by.
Because this story also calls in us for the invisible power of water, the watery ability to forgive, to be smooth, flexible, loving and giving, while standing strong.
So maybe it's time to listen to the wise ones and honour their voices as sacred Laws.
It's time we care for our water and strengthen our laws.
Maybe now is the time for a paradigm change.The power struggle they faced to protect their water, while camping through a long and harsh winter, attacked by government armed police but responding with prayer instead of violence, is a compelling story of resilience.
And an exemplary legacy to live by.
Because this story also calls in us for the invisible power of water, the watery ability to forgive, to be smooth, flexible, loving and giving, while standing strong.
So maybe it's time to listen to the wise ones and honour their voices as sacred Laws.
It's time we care for our water and strengthen our laws.
Special Thanks to David Dene, Jorge Blanco Abad, the crew @ Sunseed Desert Tecnology and all the activists involved in this cause
Special Thanks to Mumta Ito
Special Thanks to Feather & all the Water Protectors at Standing Rock
* What is Rights of Nature ?
A text by Mumta Ito :
Rights of Nature is the recognition and honoring that Nature has rights. It is the recognition that our ecosystems – including trees, oceans, animals, mountains – have rights just as human beings have rights. Rights of Nature is about balancing what is good for human beings against what is good for other species, what is good for the planet as a world. It is the holistic recognition that all life, all ecosystems on our planet are deeply intertwined.
Rather than treating nature as property under the law, rights of nature acknowledges that nature in all its life forms has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles.
And we – the people – have the legal authority and responsibility to enforce these rights on behalf of ecosystems. The ecosystem itself can be named as the defendant.
For indigenous cultures around the world recognizing rights of nature is simply what is so and consistent with their traditions of living in harmony with nature. All life, including human life, are deeply connected. Decisions and values are based on what is good for the whole.
Nonetheless, for millennia legal systems around the world have treated land and nature as “property”. Laws and contracts are written to protect the property rights of individuals, corporations and other legal entities. As such environmental protection laws actually legalize environmental harm by regulating how much pollution or destruction of nature can occur within the law. Under such law, nature and all of its non-human elements have no standing.
By recognizing rights of nature in its constitution, Ecuador – and a growing number of communities in the United States – are basing their environmental protection systems on the premise that nature has inalienable rights, just as humans do. This premise is a radical but natural departure from the assumption that nature is property under the law.
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."
R. Buckminster Fuller
R. Buckminster Fuller
