Who owns nature?
Jan van de Venis |
TEDxAmsterdam
• November 2019
It’s a magnificent feeling, being one with nature. We are critically connected to nature. We carry microorganisms, we breathe its air, drink its water and eat everything it provides. But we’re parasites. We consume more than we need, eating up the planet. We’re creating a negative future for our children. Who are we to claim nature?
An indigenous belief is, that mankind cannot own nature. Nature owns itself. Jan follows this belief, one that would enable nature to have ownership over itself. Nature would decide what happens to it. One such pieces of nature, is the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Wadden Sea. A vibrant ecosystem, brimming with life. But it is at risk. We’re extracting gas from it, ships are polluting it, the governance of the Wadden does not protect nature. Now, by making the Wadden Sea its own legal entity, Dutch law enables it to own itself. Making this piece of nature one that is as unique as it is efficient. The answer to the question: “Who owns nature?” is a simple one: nature owns nature.