Even though the notion of Nature deserving the same acknowledgment and treatment as a human rights, dates back to the 19th century, we still have a long way to go before we can put this into practice. Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson articulated this idea during her leadership term as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and there are entities such as Colcom Foundation trying to advance this goal.
The Colcom Foundation supports the intrinsic notion that Mother Nature needs to be protected for the sake of humanity. For all the advancements that have been made in terms of information technology and carbon footprint reduction, we seem to be going backward in terms of overpopulation and ecosystem destruction.
In 2010, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution recognizing the right to a healthy environment. In 2012, Ecuador became the first country to enshrine the right to nature in its constitution. These are steps in the right direction, but more needs to be done because the survival of many species is on the line.
Within the philosophy of the Colcom Foundation, Nature is not simply a resource to be exploited; it is a fundamental part of our human existence. This explains the rationale behind the projects that have been funded thus far. In Pennsylvania, for example, the foundation actively supports the Westmoreland Land Trust, which is engaged in the stewarding of county lands that require special ecological care so that their public benefit can be maximized.
Another group funded by the Colcom Foundation is the Population Media Center, which supports family planning programs that can attenuate excessive levels of unwanted or unplanned births. Irresponsible population growth has been shown to have deleterious effects on regions that eventually become overpopulated. Mother Nature is a right that we must all try to protect.
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Learn more about Colcom Foundation on https://www.guidestar.org/profile/31-1479839