Reasons to support environmental defenders and citizens’ assemblies
Democracies depend on citizen engagement

“States must address the root causes of mobilisation” not the mobilisation itself. Indeed, tackling protesters and not oil producers is the democratic equivalent of rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic."
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https://theconversation.com/three-reasons-to-support-environmental-defenders-227742

The repression and criminalisation of environmental protests
State repression of environmental protest and civil disobedience: a major threat to human rights and democracy. Position Paper by Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention, 2024
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https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/UNSR_EnvDefenders_Aarhus_Position_Paper_Civil_Disobedience_EN.pdf

Public Participation
The Aarhus Convention and its Protocol on PRTRs empower people with the rights to access information, participate in decision-making in environmental matters and to seek justice. They are the only legally binding global instruments on environmental democracy.
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https://unece.org/environmental-policy-1/public-participation

Re-imagining the Making of Climate Law and Policy in Citizens’ Assemblies
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https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/transnational-environmental-law/article/reimagining-the-making-of-climate-law-and-policy-in-citizens-assemblies/A591CF2EBFF3E60CF2BC4FE3655503E3
#activism #protests #HumanRights #PublicParticipation #democracy #governance #ethics #ClimateBreakdown #BiodiversityCrisis #Nature #AarhusConvention #rights #climate #CitizensAssemblies #CivilDisobedience

#AI #AIPolicy #PolicyMaking #PublicParticipation: "New uses of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are rapidly making their way into our everyday lives – from deciding whether we are approved for a loan or hired for a job, to making healthcare diagnoses. It’s becoming increasingly clear that AI is not just about technology; it’s also about people. Yet people are often absent from decisions about how these technologies are used, and conversations around their potential benefits and harms.

Including the perspectives, experiences and visions of those affected by AI technologies is vital to ensure their uses and regulation are aligned with societal values, rights and needs. And it is an important part of ensuring that AI technologies are used in ways that are just, legitimate, trustworthy and accountable. It will also help create a more equitable society, as frequently it’s marginalised people who are most impacted by data and AI.

As national and regional governments, and supranational organisations (like the EU) try to establish adequate regulatory frameworks for the use of AI and data technologies, it is important to understand how those in power across policymaking and industry can engage the public effectively and meaningfully.

This post is the first in a series of blog posts that explores existing evidence on and experiences of public participation in policymaking in diverse contexts across different geographical regions. We hope this wide range of perspectives, voices and lessons learned can inform how to engage the public in present policy efforts to regulate AI."

https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/blog/meaningful-public-participation-and-ai/

The Nature Positive Plan, data and consultation

Reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act must enshrine a fair say for the community
https://www.wilderness.org.au/news-events/epbc-act-must-enshrine-a-fair-say-for-community

"Meaningful public participation – involves restoring trust in the system. This requires transparency, proper consultation, and the public’s right to challenge decisions in the courts".

"Meaningful consultation requires time, expertise, and properly funded expert bodies that can build a culture of continuous improvement. Again, Australia’s record to date has been piecemeal and poor."

"To get agreement, we need a better way than the standard project-based approval processes and private negotiations between developers and landowners. The underlying principle must be that all citizens, not just directly affected groups, bear the burden of advancing the common good."

"These elements are: good environmental information, regional environmental planning and meaningful public participation."
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https://theconversation.com/how-to-beat-rollout-rage-the-environment-versus-climate-battle-dividing-regional-australia-213863

"Australia lags badly in gathering and assembling essential environmental information. Without it, we are flying blind."
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Budget/reviews/2023-24/Environment

Secret Forest: Australia rivals The Congo on deforestation, blocks media access to world scientists - The destruction of 1.5m hectares of forest in three years.

"Australia’s poor record in forestry management: "Australia "non-compliant". Professor David Lindenmayer"

“Absolutely, we are in non-compliance [with the MPWG framework] because essentially we can’t tell how many species are not travelling well.”

“We know that in Victoria, and in New South Wales, logging is actually taking place in some of the most important places for threatened forest biodiversity,” Professor Lindenmayer said.

"There are lots of lovely glossy documents saying ‘We’re going to stop deforestation and forest degradation’ and all that sort of stuff. But we’re still clearing about 500,000 hectares every year.”
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https://michaelwest.com.au/secret-forest-australia-rivals-the-congo-on-deforestation-blocks-media-access-to-world-scientists/

Deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Forests are cleared for agricultural purposes (plantations) by utilizing slash and burn techniques. Illegal logging, road infrastructure development, suburban expansion are also among some of the causes for deforestation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation_in_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo

#NewDetails about the #HaudenosauneeDevelopmentInstitute multi-million dollar operation — including #undisclosed success fees, limited #PublicParticipation & #ConflictOfInterest emerged after new court documents were filed Monday in the #MensFire effort to stop #HDIs application to intervene in #SixNations #LandClaim .

https://tworowtimes.com/news/local/new-court-documents-outline-multi-million-dollar-corporate-empire-built-by-haudenosaunee-development-institute