Filing of petition and complaints at the regional office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples-Cordillera (NCIP-CAR)



![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Submit Your Writing |
Join the EarthAction Network |
As an individual |
As an organization |
Update Your Membership Information |
Successes |
Who We Are |
Our Staff |
Our Interns |
Board of Directors |
Partner Organizations |
Contact Us |
Campaign Center |
Highlighted Action Alerts |
Featured Campaigns and Projects |
Annual Campaign Reports |
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today that Sir David Attenborough will receive the Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to research, documentation, and advocacy for the protection of nature and its restoration.
Sir David Attenborough’s career as a broadcaster, natural historian, author, and environmental advocate spans over seven decades. He is most famous for his work with the BBC’s Natural History Unit, including landmark documentaries such as Life on Earth, the Living Planet, Our Planet and Our Blue Planet. In addition, his renowned advocacy work to preserve and restore biodiversity, transition to renewable energy, mitigate climate change and promote plant-rich diets contribute to the realization of many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The award is the UN’s highest environmental honour, and celebrates those who have dedicated their lives to tackling crises like climate change, species loss and pollution. To date, the Champions of the Earth has recognized 106 laureates, ranging from world leaders to technology inventors. They include 26 world leaders, 64 individuals and 16 groups or organizations.
The Press Release may be viewed here: https://www.unep.org/
Feature Story may be viewed here: https://www.unep.org/
David Attenborough exclusive interview with UNEP ED Inger Andersen: https://youtu.be/
Profile Video: https://youtu.be/
Should you have any questions or further clarification please contact UNEP´s Director of Communication, Mr. Daniel Cooney, [email protected]
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 06:10 PM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Climate change, Conservation, Culture, Current Affairs, EarthAction, Environmentalism, Food and Drink, Food Security, Power to the People, World Events | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
Filing of petition and complaints at the regional office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples-Cordillera (NCIP-CAR)
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 01:01 PM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Civil Liberties, Conservation, Culture, Current Affairs, EarthAction, Environmentalism, Renewable Energy, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution late last night (Feb 23), calling for an end to the war and demanding Russia’s withdrawal from Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter.
Coming just hours before the war entered its second year, the resolution was adopted under the Uniting for Peace mandate, which provides the possibility for the UN General Assembly to take action to address acts of aggression or other serious threats to international peace when the Security Council is blocked by the veto power of one of the Permanent Five Members.
The UNGA resolution, entitled Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine contains 11 key points including;
- Deploring the dire human rights and humanitarian consequences of the war;
- Expressing deep concern about the adverse impact of the war on global food security, energy, nuclear security and safety and the environment;
- Calling for full adherence by the parties to the armed conflict to their obligations under international humanitarian law;
- Emphasizing the need to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine through independent investigations and prosecutions at the national or international level, and ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes;
- Underscoring the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
- Reaffirming that no territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or use of force shall be recognized as legal;
- Demanding that the Russian Federation withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized border;
- Calling for a cessation of hostilities.
Time for Russia to End the Continuing War Against Ukraine
InDepthNews, February 23
"Russia should end its invasion of Ukraine, withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory and enter into negotiations with Ukraine to resolve historical disputes and establish a lasting and just peace that guarantees the security of both nations," says the World Future Council in an article Time for Russia to End Continuing War Against Ukraine published in InDepthNews yesterday.
“Regardless of any grievances and unresolved conflicts that Russia may have with Ukraine and the United States/NATO, the use of force to resolve such conflicts is prohibited under Article 2 of the UN Charter,” says Alyn Ware, Director of the World Future Council Peace and Disarmament program.
"War has no place in the 21st century when humanity already needs to address so many pressing issues such as climate change and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals” says Angelina Davydova, in the InDepthNews article. Ms Davydova is a Member of the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Group and Council Member of World Future Council.
“We regret that better use is not made of diplomacy, mediation and Common Security mechanisms earlier in conflicts to address and resolve historical grievances." says international lawyer Neshan Gunasekera, Co-Chair of the World Future Council Peace and Disarmament Commission and a Director of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms. “We call on the United Nations and the international community to make better use of these common security mechanisms to address unresolved conflicts and prevent war."
Such Common Security mechanisms include the UN Security Council, UN General Assembly, International Court of Justice, UN mediation services, UN Human Rights Council, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and others.
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 07:01 PM in Blog Post, Civil Liberties, Climate change, Conservation, Current Affairs, EarthAction, Environmentalism, Military Spending, Nature Conservation, World Events | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
Opportunities to do better in preventing war,
securing peace and protecting the planet.
As we approach February 24, the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with no end to the war in sight, it's important to not only push more resolutely for an end to the invasion, but to also consider what the international community could do better to prevent such acts of aggression and indeed to prevent any armed conflict.
And as we were reminded by the Doomsday Clock announcement on January 24, such conflicts elevate the threat of a catastrophic nuclear war. And we are also facing an existential threat to humanity and the planet from climate change.
In order to prevent war, promote peace and better protect the planet for current and future generations, the United Nations General Assembly has decided to hold a Summit of the Future: Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow in September 2024, preceded by a preparatory ministerial meeting in September 2023.
The Summit will adopt a Pact for the Future and establish a UN Special Envoy for Future Generations. In addition, the UN Secretary-General is preparing a New Agenda for Peace in conjunction with preparations for the Summit.
The Coalition for the UN We Need (C4UN) is facilitating civil society input into the UN Summit and its preparatory process, and for the New Agenda for Peace.
This includes a Global Futures Forum on March 20-21 (in New York and online), preparing a Peoples Pact for the Future for presentation to governments and the United Nations, direct advocacy at the United Nations and in capitals, and facilitating a number of civil society consultations to ensure maximum possible input and engagement.
|
International Peace and Security Consultations
Civil society consultations on the Peace and Security theme will take place from Feb 15-28 through a combination of email/list-serve communications, and online meetings. The consultations will result in a set of proposals and recommendations on peace and international security to the UN Summit of the Future and New Agenda for Peace.
If you would like to join the consultations, please send a request to [email protected] or visit https://c4unwn.org/e-
The co-facilitators of the Peace and Security consultations are Alyn Ware, World Future Council. Basel Peace Office; Aline Burni, Foundation for European Progressive Studies and Sofia Anton, Kofi Annan Foundation. For further background please see Introduction to the Peace and Security theme.
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 12:02 PM in Action Alert, EarthAction | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
MANIFESTO OF UNITY: STAND WITH SARAH "BESTANG" DEKDEKEN!
We, as peace-loving and rights-upholding people, express our support and solidarity for indigenous rights defender Sarah ‘Bestang’ Dekdeken as she faces continuous judicial harassment for her activism and work as the secretary-general of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance.
Bestang was convicted of cyber libel after a local court ruled in favor of the charges made by former Cordillera police chief R’win Pagkalinawan on the truthful remarks she made regarding the police director’s role on the dismantling of the Chico Dam Struggle heroes monument in Tinglayan, Kalinga.
We stand that Bestang’s conviction was in error. Her remarks that were subjected to the court’s ruling were true and backed up by the community, concretized through resolutions and reports from April 2021. In fact, the Butbut tribe themselves had put the monument back up after reiterating that the police were to blame for its destruction.
We believe that the court’s ruling is another manifestation of the weaponization of the law by powers-that-be. This is not the first time that a government official in this country has wielded judicial remedies to intimidate—and silence—critics and truth-tellers.
We stand by Bestang’s credibility and integrity as an activist and development worker. For the longest time, Bestang’s work for indigenous people’s rights and human rights has resonated in her homeland—the Cordillera—and beyond. She has been instrumental in forging solidarities with other struggling peoples for the defense of the ancestral land and for the right to self-determination.
These precarious times warrant our strengthened unity to guard Philippine democracy from attacks at all fronts. At a time when truth-telling is challenged, we vow to defend it by standing by truth-tellers like Bestang and other human rights defenders and media workers.
Democracy dies in darkness. We shall keep it lit through our continued solidarity and action.
Stand with Bestang!
Fight for judicial independence! Decriminalize Libel!
Stop the political persecution of human rights defenders!
Stop the attacks!
|
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 07:56 PM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Climate change, Current Affairs, Disarmament, EarthAction | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
From Unicef
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 11:28 AM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Civil Liberties, Climate change, Current Affairs, EarthAction, Environmentalism | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
Dear Colleagues,
As a concerned citizen of Belize, I am providing information about Vulcan Materials Company (attached), a multi-billion dollar aggregate mining company in the United States, and its purchase of White Ridge Farm in the Stann Creek District of Belize. Their intent is to blast, pulverize, and ship Sugar Hills, a limestone formation, to the southeastern US for use as road fill. Blasting shall disrupt local hydrologic systems in the Southern Lagoon area, threatening the largest concentration of Caribbean manatees, as well as Central American River Turtles, American Crocodiles, and other fauna. The crushed material shall be carried by a conveyer bridge that passes over an important Hawks Bill Sea Turtle nesting beach to waiting cargo ships in the dredged out center of the Inner Channel behind the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Spokes persons for the current Belize Government have stated that no strip mining shall occur in this area.
However, Vulcan Materials is persistent and maybe even desperate to open their first mine in Belize. The Mexican Government temporarily shut down the Vulcan Calica Mine south of Playa del Carmen in February and again on May 5, 2022, this time closing it due to the extensive damage the mining operation was causing to the local environment and the water table. This mine was producing 12 million tons of crushed limestone for the US market. In response these shutdowns, Vulcan has two lawsuit against the Mexican Government for $1.1 and $1.5 billion USD and the International Center for Investment Disputes shall be issuing a decision. Ten US republican senators are urging US President Biden to protect Vulcan and put strong pressure on Mexico. Vulcan Materials has a long history of litigation within many areas of the United States where they operate mines, so this is nothing new to their legal team and their US political support.
This web address, https://www.whiteridgeproject.com/, takes you to the site where Vulcan Materials describes benefits of having this company within Belize. The attached document tells a very different story, reviewing the scientific literature describing ecological and social impacts of limestone mining and taking a close look at the Vulcan site near Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The Calica Mine in Mexico is an indicator of what can happen in Belize if this corporation gets set up in our small country. If the Government of Belize had to take action against Vulcan for violations of their agreement and failure to protect the environment, as is occurring in many places where Vulcan is operating, we too could face a billion dollar plus lawsuit backed by a powerful and well-funded group of corporate lawyers. If this mega corporation gets a foothold in our small country, our world renowned ecological resources and cultural/social identity may change forever.
The Vulcan team arrives this month to begin groundwork to get the mine eventually opened. The word needs to get out. The people need to know who we are up against and what the real stakes are, the real cost we and our great grandchildren shall have to bare. If this is of concern to you, please help us spread the word. Forward this document to anyone who may be interested in helping us protect our country from this corporate resource grab. We need all the assistance and support we can muster against this threat that if realized shall impact our ecosystems, water resources, ecotourism, economy, and cultural integrity. We need to collectively speak out.
Please share this with your Belize networks. Thank you for your attention and your concern.
Ed Boles
Aquatic Ecologist
Background on Vulcan Materials Company and Expected Impacts should
White Ridge Farm Karst Hills Become an Aggregate Mine
Letter from Vulcan Rep Janet Kavinoky in Response to Ed Boles Analysis
Sign 2 Petitions
Health Risks Associated with Residents Living Near Quarrying Operations
Check https://www.facebook.com/groups/belizeumbrella
for more TV coverage posts
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 12:04 AM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Civil Liberties, Climate change, Conservation, Culture, Current Affairs, EarthAction, Environmentalism, Nature Conservation | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 07:30 PM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Books, Civil Liberties, Current Affairs, EarthAction, Music, Nuclear Nonproliferation, World Events | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 02:03 PM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Climate change, Conservation, EarthAction, Environmentalism, Military Spending, Nature Conservation, Power to the People | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
Media Advisory
Focus on land to safeguard climate and sustain life on our planetCôte d’Ivoire hosts first major conference in 2022 to tackle the interconnected challenges of land degradation, climate change and biodiversity loss
The fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 9 to 20 May 2022. Heads of State, ministers and delegates from 196 countries are expected to attend this major event on the future of land management, alongside private sector, civil society, women and youth leaders.
Journalists and media organizations worldwide are invited to attend the Conference to cover the meeting and participate in all events organized for the media. Online Registration | UNCCD is now open for media wishing to participate in person or virtually.
The COP15 theme, ‘Land. Life. Legacy: From scarcity to prosperity', is a call to action to ensure land, which is the lifeline on this planet, continues to benefit present and future generations.
The Conference will focus on the restoration of one billion hectares of degraded land between now and 2030 and tackling the growing impacts of droughts, sand and dust storms, and wildfires. COP15 will also take action on key policies that can enable action on restoration, particularly land rights, gender equality and the role of youth in future land stewardship.
In addition to formal negotiations, COP15 will include a high-level segment on 9-10 May. UNCCD COP15 will be the first of the three Rio Conventions meetings to be held in 2022, with Biodiversity COP15 and Climate change COP27 convening later this year in Kunming, China and Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, respectively.
The Convention unites governments, scientists, policymakers, the private sector and communities around a shared vision to restore and manage the world’s land. The last Conference of the Parties took place in New Delhi, India, in 2019. It was preceded by COP13, which took place in Ordos, China.
Journalists are required to submit the following documentation to be considered for participation.
Duly filled online application form
An electronic passport photograph
Official press card or a company photo identity card
Letter of assignment to cover the event
On request, the secretariat will provide accredited foreign journalists with a Note Verbale to secure visas from the Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire closest to them.
Detailed information on COP15, including the provisional agenda, is available here: cop15.
For more information and to register, contact: Wagaki Wischnewski, [email protected]
Read more about the UNCCD here
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 12:57 PM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Conservation, Disarmament, EarthAction, Human Rights, Military Spending, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Nonproliferation, peace | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
The renowned and internationally respected American peace-builder, psychologist, educator, and engaged Buddhist Dr. Paula Green has died at the age of 84. She passed away on 21 February due to complications related to cancer.
Dr. Green, founder and executive director of the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding NGO, had 40 years’ experience as a psychologist and a peace educator and mentor in intergroup relations and conflict resolution. She was also on the National Council of the Fellowship of Reconciliation and the steering committee of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB).
“Paula Green was very suddenly diagnosed with end-stage lung cancer, which spread throughout her body. She passed away last night,” shared INEB executive secretary Somboon Chungprampree. “This is very sad news. Paula has contributed so much over many years to the world and to our engaged Buddhist circles.”
Dr. Green received plaudits and international recognition for her peace-building efforts in the Middle East and Bosnia, and was selected as one of the Unsung Heroes of Compassion award for 2009, which was presented to her by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in April of that year. The Unsung Heroes award is given to “individuals who, through their loving-kindness and service to others, have made their communities and our world a better place.” She also won the first-ever Prize for US Peacebuilding from the Alliance for Peacebuilding in 2018; the Outstanding Human Rights Activist Award from Kean University in 2015; the Psychology of Peace and Justice Prize from Psychologists for Social Responsibility in 2012; and the Leadership and Service as a Peacemaker Award from the Symposium for Engaged Buddhism in 2010.
“In my journey as a peace-builder, whether in my home country of the US or across the world in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, I have been privileged to serve as a peace-builder, educator, and dialogue facilitator, partnering with courageous and resilient community leaders in some of the world’s most difficult circumstances,” Dr. Green stated about her work. “It has been my mission to encourage those separated by war, enmity, prejudices, or perceived differences to seek understanding, discover common ground, learn new skills, and increase their capacity to promote peaceful societies for the benefit of all.” (Paula Green)
Posted by The EarthAction Team at 09:34 PM in Action Alert, Blog Post, Climate change, Conservation, EarthAction, Women's Empowerment, World Events | Permalink | Comments (0)
| |
|
EarthAction's mission is to inform and inspire people everywhere to turn their concern, passion, and outrage into meaningful action for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.