Wild law
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Wild law are the human laws which are consistent with Earth jurisprudence.[1] A wild law regulates human behavior that privileges maintaining the integrity and functioning of the whole Earth community in the long term over the interests of any species (including humans) at a particular time.
Background
Wild laws are designed to regulate human participation within this wider community. They seek to balance the rights and responsibilities of humans against those of other members of the community of beings within the
Wild laws may be distinguished from laws based on the understanding that Earth is a conglomeration of objects which human beings are entitled to exploit for their exclusive benefit (e.g. most property laws). The development of wild laws is motivated partially by the belief that it is desirable, and essential to the survival of many species (probably including humans), for us to change our relationship with the natural world from one of exploitation to a more ‘democratic’ participation in a community of other beings. This requires laws that firstly, recognise that other members of the Earth community have rights, and secondly, restrain humans from unjustifiably infringing those rights (as is done within the human community).
Applications and consensus
As a field, wild law cannot easily be categorised within traditional legal categories (e.g. substantive, procedural, private or public law). It is perhaps better understood as an approach to human governance, rather than as a branch of law or a collection of laws.
A conference based on the concept of wild law was held in November 2005 at the
In November 2006, a conference based on the book Wild Law by Cormac Cullinan was held at the University of Brighton, UK, and organised jointly by
"A ‘Wild Law’ Response to Climate Change" workshop was held in September 2007 to develop a practical approach for applying Wild Law principles which are already helping shift legal processes in the US and South Africa. Organised by
The "’Wild Law’ - Ideas into Action" residential workshop is to be held in September 2008, to launch the first phase of international research by the
See also
References
- ^ Discovering the meaning of Earth jurisprudence, Legalbrief, August 27, 2002
- ^ Former Environment Minister leads debate on 'Wild Law', University of Brighton, 14 November 2005
Literature
- ISBN 0-9584417-8-2
- Simon Boyle, 'On thin ice', The Guardian newspaper, London, November 2006
- Stephen Harding, 'Earthly rights', The Guardian newspaper, London, April 2007
- Silver Donald Cameron, 'When does a tree have rights?', The Chronicle Herald (Halifax, Nova Scotia), January, 2007
- Cormac Cullinan, 'If Nature Had Rights', Orion (magazine), USA, January 2008
External links
- Center for Earth Jurisprudence
- The Gaia Foundation, London
- UKELA
- Earth Law
- The E.F. Schumacher Society
- Siber Ink, the original publisher of Wild Law.