Event Details
When:
-
Location:
Online: Zoom
And In-Person at WWU:
Academic Instructional Center West
Room 204
Price:
Free
Brought to you by:
College of the Environment, WWU Alumni Association
Description
Check out this video to watch the Environmental Speaker Series Presents: Ocean Rights.
When we listen to global negotiations on climate, biodiversity, fisheries and areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), there is a missing voice: that of the Ocean. Even though a healthy Ocean is key in our collective response to achieving 30x30 and much more, a comprehensive and collective recognition of the Ocean’s inherent rights and intrinsic value is lacking.
What would happen if, in all these fora, the extraordinary value of a healthy Ocean is recognized and the Ocean given a seat at the table? Could we address the silos and fragmentation? Would this help achieve existing objectives and goals of environmental law?
Over thirty countries have embraced Rights of Nature, whether in the form of constitutional amendments, national law, judicial decisions, treaty agreements, local law, or resolutions: in fact, 200 laws and policies exist now in Ecuador, Uganda, Mexico, Spain, India, Colombia, Panama, New Zealand and the United States, amongst others. This talk will delve into the Rights of Nature movement, its difference between traditional environmental law, and how it is being applied in the United States and internationally to protect the Ocean and human life.
Featuring:
Michelle Bender ('13)
Michelle Bender ('13) serves as Legal Counsel for Ocean Vision Legal, a firm specializing in direct legal action to protect the ocean. She is a leading expert in the field of Earth law, specifically Rights of Nature (RoN), as the previous Ocean Campaigns Director for the Earth Law Center where she has helped draft RoN laws and policies worldwide, including in the United States, Panama, the Philippines and within international law and institutions. She is the founder and creator of 'Ocean Rights', which builds upon the RoN framework within the ocean policy seascape.
Michelle also specializes in sea otter conservation and marine mammal protection in the United States, and most recently, the growing threat of Deep-Sea mining. She serves on the Advisory Board (previously Executive Committee) for the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature and is a member of the IUCN's World Commission on Environmental Law. In 2018 she was named one of 15 Youth Ocean Leaders taking on the world internationally by the Sustainable Ocean Alliance. Michelle graduated Summa Cum Laude from Vermont Law School, where she earned a Master’s in Environmental Law and Policy and holds a B.S. in Biology with a Marine Emphasis from Western Washington University.
Accommodations and Other Details
Contact the WWU Alumni Association for this event. Feel free to call at (360) 650-3353 or email at alumni@wwu.edu if you have any questions or comments.
Advance notice for disability accommodations and special needs is greatly appreciated. Please indicate your special needs on the registration form.
There will be auto-captions available for the Zoom webinar.
Limited parking is available in the C lots at the south end of campus and in lots 6V and 7G at the north end of campus. Western provides comprehensive parking details—including lot locations, applicable fees, and campus map. Please note that parking in the C lot and 12A by Fairhaven College is free after 4:30pm on weekdays and all hours on weekends.