In this episode, Dr. Michelle Maloney discusses the need for systems change toward an Earth-centered culture where people re-consider their relationship to the Earth and their place within it. She sees Earth Jurisprudence and Earth Laws as effective tools to help us make this cultural shift and to protect the environment from human destruction. In this conversation she reflects on the shift that needs to take place towards Earth-centred governance, and the role that Earth Laws and Rights of Nature can play in creating the cultural and legal change we need. She discusses the Rights of Nature, and outlines how we’re seeing two ‘branches’ emerging within the laws that recognise nature as a legal entity: the recognition of the rights of nature across an entire jurisdiction, as in Ecuador and Bolivia, and the recognition of the rights of particular ecosystems such as rivers and forests, as in New Zealand and Colombia. She comments on the work of The Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN), a global organization dedicated to the universal adoption and implementation of legal protection for the Rights of Nature, and on how she sees the relationship between law, economics, education, and ethics. Towards the end of this conversation, Dr. Maloney shares that she sees the Earth Charter as an important tool to help people envision an Earth-centered culture.

1. What motivates your work protecting the environment and working towards a system change toward an Earth centered culture? What are Earth-centered culture and governance systems?
2. What are Rights of Nature, Earth Laws, and Earth jurisprudence? How has this evolved over time?
3. Thirty years ago, there was not much talk about the Rights of Nature. Why do you think this has changed, and why is it so important now?
4. What are some examples of places that have developed Earth Laws?
5. How do human rights, Earth Rights, Rights of Nature, rights to a healthy environment complement each other? What are the similarities and differences?
6. How do you respond to people who say that we need to ensure the right to development, to address poverty, and meet people’s basic needs before worrying about the environment?
7. How do you see the relationship between law, economics, education, and ethics? Many see them as separate; how do you see them as connected?
8. What is the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN)? What do they do, and what is the Rights of Nature Tribunal?
9. What are the connections between the Earth Charter´s worldview, the rights of nature, and Earth laws? How do you see the Earth Charter informing, supporting, and being used as an ethical foundation for the movement around the rights of nature?