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Earth Trusteeship Dialogue, World Heritage and Rights of Nature
Chair(s): Henry Mentink (Veerhuis te Varik)
Presenter(s): Klaus Bosselmann (University of Auckland, New Zealand / Germany), Nico Landsman (nicolandsman@zeelandbruist.nu), Yanti Kusumanto (Independent Researcher and Consultant Sustainability Governance & Learning; the Netherlands / Indonesia), Kelly Dorkenoo (Ph.D. Candidate, Lund University, Sweden), Joel Persson (Post-doc researcher, Copenhagen University, Denmark), Hans van Willenswaard, (Advisor, Right Livelihood College Bangkok; Co-Editor, Reflections on Earth Trusteeship. Mother Earth and a new 21 st -century governance paradigm; Thailand / the Netherlands.)
This Innovative Session brings together initiators of academic transformation as well as pioneers of down-to-earth social innovation. Professor Klaus Bosselmann, Chair of the Earth Trusteeship Initiative, contributes to the discourse on paradigm shift at the highest academic and governance levels. While other presenters address the same Earth System Governance challenges by symbolic action on the ground for Rights of Nature and action-research on climate emergency affecting small-scale farmers in the Global South.
The importance of Earth Trusteeship was anticipated by Right Livelihood Laureate Judge C.G. Weeramantry (1926-2017), Sri Lanka, Vice-President of the International Court of Justice, The Hague. Earth Trusteeship became a major advocacy issue of Right Livelihood Laureates (57 signatories) and the World Future Council toward the 2024 UN Summit of the Future.
An Earth Trusteeship Working Group undertakes transdisciplinary research and dialogue on Earth Trusteeship in light of the recommendations of UN Secr.-General Guterres in his Our Common Agenda, in particular on “repurposing the UN Trusteeship Council”. Trusteeship resonates with steward ownership and guardianship as innovative modes of public as well as private ownership. Inherently it serves “the common good” rather than the self-interest of corporations and sovereign states. The UN Trusteeship Council functioned until 1994, guiding the process of states gaining post-World War II and post-colonial independence. At present, the extra-territorial “global commons” – in particular the high seas – demand trusteeship governance in light of Rights of Nature and climate justice, rather than governance guided by narrow commercial or security interests. Experiments recognizing ecosystems possessing Rights of Nature are manifesting all over the world. Moreover, as an element of emerging public imagination the whole “Earth System” is increasingly experienced as commons to be governed as World Heritage for the wellbeing of future generations.
In April 2023 the working group published its first book titled Reflections on Earth Trusteeship. Mother Earth and a new 21st-century governance paradigm. Several of the presenters are also co-authors of this groundbreaking book.
Proposed schedule
08.30 – 10.00, Wednesday 25 October 2023:
08.30-08.35 Opening, introduction of program and presenters by Henry Mentink, Moderator
08.35-08.45 Self-introduction by participants (minutes per person depending on number of participants)
08.45-09.00 Presentation by Henry Mentink, World Heritage Wheelbarrow Campaign
09.00-09.20 Presentation by Prof. Dr. Klaus Bosselmann, Earth Trusteeship Dialogue in motion
09.20-09.30 Presentation Nico Landsman, Rights for Scheldt River
09.30-10.00 Discussion with participants, and online contributions Yanti, Kelly, Joel, Hans
