Wild Politics

Corporations are proposing to manage large parts of the world. Under their model a tiger has no value, so should it be saved?

Dirty money, the spoils of corrupt or criminal activities as well as systematic tax evasion are already transforming the world. An entire structure has been created to defraud and cheat the majority community. Now corporations are proposing to manage large parts of the world, in a bid to control resources. Under their model a tiger has no value, so should it be saved? (more…)

Exciting and turbulent times ahead as NGOs move into an important role on climate change

Paris Summit has come and gone and new year has begun. We have a shiny bright Paris Agreement that draws a new boundary line. Climate deniers are now on the other side. Everyone else agrees that climate change is real and something must be done–even if the detail remains elusive. Like many shiny modern things, the lustre of the Paris Agreement is only on the outer surface. The underside is…

Muara Tae dignified fight for survival, a contrast to the Climate Summit #COP21 #climatejustice

Muara Tae elders stand in the forest after performing a ritual in 2012. Photo by Tomasz Johnson/Environmental Investigation Agency This week I have felt torn allegiances and conflicted feelings. The Climate Summit has rolled along, with future pledges clocking in at a dangerous 2.7 degrees, but the finesse of the deal still opaque. Business has been on the front foot, supporting the 1.5 degree…

Josh Gross 'Humans and #Jaguars: overcoming a history of conflict' charts a co-existence path between people and this magnificent species

Guest post by Josh Gross, The Jaguar and its Allies For centuries, humans and jaguars (scientific name Panthera onca) have had a mixed relationship. On the one hand, few creatures have been as highly revered by as many cultures as the jaguar. The Olmecs, Zapotecs, Aztecs, Mayans, and many other peoples were obsessed with them (Mahler, 2009; Rabinowitz, 2014). But humans also kill large numbers of…

The Paris Climate talks open in Europe today, with a wave of protests and marches around the world sending a clear and desperate message.

The Paris Climate Change Conference opens in Europe today, with a wave of protests and marches around the world sending a clear and desperate message. People from all walks of life are united behind a 2°C degree climate goal. In the shadow of this big event, tomorrow a ‘David and Goliath’ campaign between a small rural community in Australia and the oil and gas industry, will also ramp up another…

Community victory over offshore oil and gas in Australia

A ‘David and Goliath’ campaign between a small rural community in Australia and a group of global petroleum giants has been raging for nearly four years. In an unexpected, but welcome, turn of events the community has won an important battle against the offshore oil and gas titan – BP. (more…)

Indonesian fires: Are we looking away?

I feel compelled to write about the Indonesian fires again. I  don’t apologize. It should be the biggest story in the world right now. I am genuinely perplexed that is so poorly reported. Other commentators, including Monbiot, have made similar comments in the past weeks, so I know I am not alone in this state of confusion. I scanned the web for current updates today. I hoped to read what the big…

We face unprecedented environmental and political change. Can there be Birdsong After this Storm? Join me to discover how.

We stand at a point in history of unprecedented environmental and political change. Without doubt a storm is brewing. Can there be birdsong after this storm? I am writing a book on this subject, so this question is ever present in my thoughts. As the change approaches I am finding information pulling dramatically, and sometimes aggressively, in opposite directions. On the one hand I am reading a…

Connected to orangutans by wildfire

As smoke from a wildfire fills my nose, I feel strong empathy and connection to the people and wildlife in Sumatra and Borneo, Indonesia today. Last night, a now regular seasonal phenomenon–dry lightening–struck farm land and native bush nearby. By the very early hours this morning a fire raged a mere 15 kilometers away from where I now sit. (more…)

A historic day for wildlife - UN calls for an end to 'illicit trafficking in wildlife'

In the past 24 hours a massive mountain has shifted. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has passed a historic and brave resolution calling for an end to ‘illicit trafficking in wildlife’, “… recognizing that wild fauna and flora in their many beautiful and varied forms are an irreplaceable part of the natural systems of the Earth which must be protected for this and the generations to…

Do we listen to conservation ethics or #wildlife connections half a world away? #Wildlife needs connection.

Richard Telford, on The Ecotone Exchange, has written a brilliant piece this week about the extraordinary gift of common or familiar species. The wildlife we see and hear each day can be a powerful connection to nature in the wider world. (more…)

Wildlife NGOs: From Adversaries to Collaborators

Many governments around the world resist recognizing that conservation needs civil society built in. They fear that increasing Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) involvement will erode their sovereignty. Conservation issues are getting worse and financial resources to address them are shrinking. Governments need to overcome their perception of ‘contested ground’ between NGOs and governments,…

Can wildlife be Persons? Are some species 'beyond use'? #wildlife

In In 2010 I wrote a piece for openDemcacry – Dolphins as Persons? The post garnered considerable debate and discussion. Five years on I find the argument even more compelling and important as the world governments negotiate the next set of sustainable development goals. So I have captured some of these thoughts here again, and now put the case forward for wider wildlife and personhood. The…

Putting NGOs at the environmental governance table

I have spent the past two weeks watching, from half a world way, the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development discussions between government and civil society in the United Nations, New York. Inch by inch the discussions are edging towards NGOs and civil society having a greater role in the future. (more…)