Tag: climate change (Page 1 of 5)

The Script for Transformation

 

Historic Kilauea Lighthouse. Kilauea Hawaii

Transitions leading to transformation continue to exceed imagined speeds, both globally, and locally. Sometimes it occurs like we are all collectively dancing the “Cha-Cha” or “Tango” going backwards to thrust forward, in a rhythm created by the tension of opposing forces, coming to one. A triune perspective, like the wholeness of the Yin-Yang symbol, helps temper the warming-heating contrast to go forward with momentum needed to better build movement and strengthen a collective consciousness of being in a myriad of crises, on this one Planet Earth.

Aligned in the depths of the mission and vision of what started as a Call for a “World Team” and morphed from Team World Corps, non-profit, and ultimately residing in our named registered; “World Team Now,” says the words of the visions’ priorities.  What if all in the world worked together as a team? Taking action together, teaming-up? The vision was to change the perspective of even divided hemispheres, the Global North against the Global South, but instead a real whole, World Team that united for our collective survival of all species in harmony with one another. Then what would be the goals?  WHO do we play against? What is the equivalent of a global race or game, that needs to be won for our future?  This movement is organically unfolding with little help from the mysterious ways that come from higher up.

Opening plenary, SDG Action Weekend 9/16/2023

The United Nations (UN) “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) — yes, in one’s brain the acronym tends to get confused with a contagious disease.  The UN speaks the language of acronyms, and this one gets a laugh or cry as we’ve learned when sharing about the goals publically most recently in Kauai, Hawaii USA. World Team Now’s systems solutions work on island resiliency and for the health of waters, especially the Ocean with a curriculum.

Bi-location is something many of us wanted to master, but now the team was growing to have at least one of us physically representing at the UN, and one on an island.  The beauty of these times is we can have a virtual and actual physical presence. Now there are so many people with the common vision each going forward in their own creative way at the United Nations and especially on islands to hold the light for a future.

The ironic laugh or cry in the corridors inside plenaries of the United Nations meeting rooms, on the home island of Manhattan is more about the seriousness of the situation we are in collectively with natural resources to be reprioritized. The Global Goals, targets and indicators to be achieved by 2030 are ambitious.  “Pie in the Sky,” is a remark I heard along the journey of World Team, too, but it is important to have values to aim for, however like regions of the world boundaries divided what divides us can limit us until the division is united by us people.

SDG Media Zone at the SDG Action Weekend & Summit

This Sustainable Development Goals Summit that preceded the 78th UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) was to take a look at our progress and set the tone for the work towards much needed transformation— action, beyond the bureaucratic siloed approach that has contributed to the crises we face, in the effort to aid. The perspective is what was called to check, at this half-time point since in 2015, and how to engage all people.  It is becoming more clear as what was falls away and becomes beyond the future we want, is the future that is Divinely inspired to become us all to remain being human here

Thankfully, these thoughts contemplated over 5 decades ago, are becoming a collective priority, expressed in myriads of diverse ways of action, played out creatively.  Next year more of the movement will play out in the public sphere to inspire all to participate. Out of the opposing tension of contrasting views, beliefs, and values in civil society, governments, corporations, and institutions, births an opportunity to see the light of peace collectively.

Especially prioritized in the hearts of youth today— peace in creative collective action is being demonstrated.  Youth armed with indigenous wisdom passed forward, innovative science and pioneering technology to lead with a Call for “All People”….

All People, those words remind of the lyrics of a beautiful song written by souls called “Voices of the World” gifted to us to use from brothers and sisters, a family of a common Call, as each individual made it to the Earth Summit / Global Forum in Rio Di Janiero for World Team decades ago that forged a bond over the years continuing to build on the collective movement.

Sunset North Shore Kauai

Here is where the Biodiversity Treaty, Law of the Sea, the annual Conference of the Parties COP, and other globally carved out efforts to meet and take on collective global environmental and social challenges rooted in the hearts. Many of these documents of global public policy roots were in those grounds of RIO or Rio+20, and now getting ready for COP28.  So many individuals committed to the long journey to show a resilient world with net zero energy and renewed systems coming back to respect an intimacy for nature-based solutions, for the next generation— for a regenerative future!

Although not from the present vantage point predictable, the 17 SDGs, aka the Global Goals, are for the higher possibility of what we each could be individually or together for the future transcending our past patterns and systems of organizing life on planet earth, ideally beyond one country.

In each breath, there is a choice to make a difference, in 24hrs/1Day, and/or a lifetime, sometimes we each have a choice of what to prioritize, and we all have in common a capacity to love. How do we make our place where love could be the priority for all by how we live?

SDG Digital, to accelerate the SDGs by digitization Sunday, Sept 17, 2023, UN SDG Action Weekend

With our roots in intercultural New York, state of mind, and at the UN SDG Summit, as world leaders have come together, and with our feet still in the sand, for resiliency in Kauai, Hawaii; bi-location would be of value, as we grow this team.

Holding the vision for World Team amidst a myriad of ways to “organize the world” through crises, allows for something organic to emerge. When not floating on the Ocean, teaching, advocating, and working on the curricula for certification we are virtually building out a World Team.  We hope to show you more soon.

Ocean Float

With the Ocean-Float Skate-Roll we are growing a way to represent and engage our communities in different places to experience more intimacy with the earth, land (A’aina) and Ocean waters (Moana, Kai). We are excited about the Ocean-Float curricula; clear the past out and join us in the Ocean, for the OCEAN, and YOU, and us all.

We have donated some sessions for Ocean-Float and Skate Roll to the auction now taking place virtually to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the legendary CK Chu Tai Chi, in New York, NY USA.  The studio has not only helped transform us, but the neighborhood, and the island of Manhattan.  It is remarkable to witness the energy contributed to Times Square, NYC, where Ck Chu Tai Chi is based, and all who Teamed-up for the transformation of the heart of the city.  Team-up for transformation is key. Hope you can join us in this next chapter of island Ocean advocacy works teaming-up for us as One Body starting with one body— or all parts of us.  Along with one’s mind and spirit and soul there in, we practice being one with all within and throughout.

North Shore Kauai with ideal ocean conditions for Ocean-Float

World Team Now’s approach to the Sustainable Development Goals is like a sampling of small-scale systems solutions organically coming from the island innovation discovered, that is nature-based and rooted in the heritage of indigenous culture‘s wisdom, augmented by technology to boost our capacity to scale.

We are working to pilot systems solutions, consciously chosen.  For example, with transportation, Bertrand Piccard of the Solar Impulse shares the overview of that system vision here.

The action-oriented Summit for the Future, comprising a chapeau and five chapters on sustainable development and financing for development; international peace and security; science, technology, and innovation and digital cooperation; youth and future generations; and transforming global governance.

Specific measurable results with a “Common Agenda” for multilateralism are explained more here.

Together for environmental and social justice, as ONE, as in One People, ONE Ocean, One Body, One Earth. Teaming-up so literally, as the UN slogan goes so “no one gets left behind,” but we become one in the future.

SDG exhibit at the UN Sculpture lawn

An Ocean of Thanks, Giving to Islands

Thank you! Yes, YOU! An ocean of thanks with your kind thoughts, willingness to listen and share over the years with our World Team project, especially with our 501 c3 nonprofit World Team Now.  We appreciate all who volunteer as we embark on the ocean,  atmosphere nexus and giving to islands.   The seeds planted the past decades have  landed in fertile ground, are watered,  and we’ve started to see the change embraced with growth.

Photo shot in Central Park, an example of a Heat Island, temperatures are warmer and the leaves are on trees. in late November now.

I am not only referring only to Climate Change, but the severity of the situation with social and environmental tension climaxing.  May these crises ultimately build greater health  for our world.  There is evidence that humanity is finally considering nature to be a greater priority, and it is about time.

At this “giving” time we are in a flood— yes of Noah’s time’s proportion— of not only information and data, but also incredible organizations all vying for resources.  We are encouraging the prioritization of your own well- being first and to consider where you can make a small change to live more intimately with nature, and plant more seeds of change.

We at World Team Now prioritized small islands in the Global South, as they seemed to have the “least,” in terms of development and yet  are “most’ vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. We have realized that when it comes to nature we have much to learn from natural based solutions, to live intimately with the ocean, and in better balance collectively.   Now with the ocean, we all can support resiliency as a priority and together share the resources needed to meet the crises with opportunities.

The ocean reaches us all, and we found ourselves starting at home first these past two years.  If you have resources to give, know they will go to one of our campaigns: our ocean experiential educational curricula, barrier islands, nature-based and renewable systems solutions, our alternative energy and transportation projects, planting seeds, net zero buildings, heat islands programs and biodiversity, beginning with the ocean, and with what floats ( like the mangrove seed). The cheerleader in us says, “give us a T. E.A.M.” T.ime, E.nergy, A.ction or Money, it takes TEAMwork for the clichéd dream to work. We appreciate it if you are able to participate.

Islands also include the “Heat island” phenomena that we are experiencing in large cities, like in New York City. As temperatures rise the quality of life, on the island of Manhattan related to nature; water, air and food, and the amount of pollution and waste to combat, is considerable.  We are a long way from  sustainable development, the SDGs and reaching  global goals. ‘Islanding” can also be caused by power outages, fires, mudslides, floods like we experienced in California and this includes barrier islands too, where we have also been based.  We feel obligated to give back especially knowing the history and the legacy of how land, and many forms of “ownership”  has played out through “civil society”  in his-story, and we all realize it is time for a new story, our story– each story,  us all together.

Purple Phalaenopsis, by Suzanne Maxx

We are still gathering the larger scale resources to use media to tell-a-vision, and we are so thankful to experience the myriad  of options to connect us virtually.   The format of media with advertising, that is used in social media, is what we have to work with now. We are eager for the change and using social media at the request of others. For this campaign we chose a modest amount, in proportion to building World Team to scale. We will be reaching out here more going forward.

More people  are prioritizing these collective challenges, just take a look at the youth moving into action, and indigenous people.

Embracing this conscious change for systems change moves us closer to both the personal and collective transformation needed for the future we want. Yet it will take the whole world to be together as a team to play to transform our selves, and the world.

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, fulfilling, and peaceful Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

Climate Action Now!

By Suzanne Maxx

The Freedom Tower NY, NY USA. Photo by Suzanne Maxx of World Team Now.

Events around the Global Climate Action Summit 2018, in San Francisco, California to the upcoming 2019 Global Climate ACTION Summit in New York continue to build the societal and environmental movement, and usher in change. Coast to Coast starting in the USA, and around the world virtually and actually—all people have the chance to move into action for global transformation.

It is for our future, and the future the youth want to see. The Youth Movement continues to build on the people’s voice of the “least” heard or respected within society, or even region of the world.

And it is on fire—the fire increases as does the earth’s temperature form our changing climate.  Not long after the 2018’s Global Climate Action Summit in California, the 73rd UNGA last year, both the Woolsey Fire and Paradise fires broke out.  In 2019 it is not just Brazil and Africa’s fires that continue to burn out of control-Siberia, Indonesia, Spain, France, Turkey, Greece, and Saudi Arabia… In late August, the Brazilian space research agency, INPE, reported more than 72,843 fires (7,192 square miles) in Brazil with more than half in the Amazon region.  In Amazonia now, there is more exploitive deforestation than ever. Most fires in rainforests are not natural and are used to clear the land at the cost of trees and releasing CO2.  Africa now has five times the amount of fires than the Amazon according to NASA.

This year’s Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) is set off by the Earth Strike, September 20th lead by Greta Thunberg and with Fridays for the Future—the youth movement plans to set the world on fire, with the flames of passion to ignite committed action.  The action is not only for youth and students, but everyone and to extend beyond this week’s launch September 20th-27th and adds to the action building towards a critical mass.

The Earth Strike is an international grassroots movement that calls for a global general strike.  Builds on the 2015 Climate March after the Paris Agreement was adopted.    A large global constituency is building for action, whether it is called an “Earth Alliance” or “World Team,” beyond any name, we, the people’s global action has built a movement towards transformation of our planet, and it is not just the climate that is changing, we are calling for systems change.  Events are being organized all around the world for all to join and Strike!  Why?  Because we humans can organize better systems to live into with one another on this planet now, and for the future.

Youth Movement School Strike for against Climate Change for Global Change with Greta Thunberg (middle-center), and NY Sunrise Movement leader Alexandria Villasenor

The Youth Movement invites all people around the world to walk out of schools, workplaces, homes, and join the strike for the end of the age of fossil fuel, and with justice. It is a strike against the systems created to live by globally and to stand for a just and sustainable future for all.  Find out where you can join here; https://globalclimatestrike.net

Greta Thunberg, joins New York City followers at her first USA Friday for the Future Climate Strike Outside of the United Nations.

The youth movement is following the lead of Sweden’s Youth Activist, Greta Thunberg, 16 who began Fridays for the Future School Climate Strike over a year ago, and since is engaging the world by her committed action.  Greta is an “International Ambassador of Consciousness,” a title and award were given out by Amnesty International and she is a nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

In Washington, DC Greta met with Congressional Leaders, and former President Obama, and she addressed Congress.

Greta tweeted, “We’ll testify at The House Committee on Foreign Affairs. I will support Our Children’s Trust at the Supreme Court.

Then she addressed Members of Congress. She is the youth leader people are following, she is getting the job done.  Greta organically speaks straight forward with scientific facts. “Unite behind the Science,” said Greta to Congress.

It’s her voice she refers to as, “the Asperger’s super-power”. This is an Asperger’s advantage to be able to focus on truth, speak bluntly to power and not be trapped by the societal pressure from peers or protocol.

Greta sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in a solar, hydrogen, ocean current energy powered boat instead of flying. Greta explains, “I did it because the enormous impact aviation has on the climate”. It was wonderful to see the sails of the boat supporting her hero’s journey supported by Foundation HRH Prince Albert II of Monaco’s Foundation, continuing his legacy of protecting the ocean continues. “Unite behind the Science” was printed on the sails. This was particularly meaningful for us as Prince Albert was World Team Now’s first honorary President.

It is not just protecting the Climate she is after, she is also standing for equality, justice, and freedom.  And with Greta by their side the case where seven young Americans have sued the US government for failing to take action on Climate may win, a more just future for us all. On a youth panel.

We will see more images of Greta with The Statue of Liberty soon, with parallels made to Leonardo Di Caprio’s Titanic, as he will play a critical role in the most important play, for transformation…

Greta’s role at the time is a  needed power play is to speak truth to injustice to inspire all to use sensibility to accept the responsibility to become educated to the facts.   Greta’s support grows the  power play not just as youth around the world rise— her leadership has the support of many besides who are genuinely contributing to the environmental social movement beyond their own positions of power;  Pope Francis, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Former President Obama, HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, Actor/ Activist Leonardo Di Caprio, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry, Megan Markel, and Author/Teacher/Activist Leader Bill Mc Kibben among a team of scientists and other non-profit organizations, and more iconic names who we will hear more from very soon.  Some of the “Action” for this star-studded leading cast will be rolled out this Fall season during the time of the United Nations 74th General Assembly beginning at the Global Climate Action Summit Opening September 23rd.  But the starring role will not support one name, organization or person but a movement to allow the most vulnerable to rise.

This time is meant to pressure leaders of governments to realize their moral obligation to act, and for corporations, to do their part, as the youth take the lead in demonstrating solutions. The Action is to show we all have a role to play to transform the systems for our collective future, and the first step is to commit to understanding the global situation, and embracing the scientific facts, that could be taught in school and enforced in policy and law by adults. According to Reuters another activist on the panel, 17-year-old Jamie Margolin from Seattle, called out lawmakers for taking too long to enact climate change policies.

“The fact that you are staring at a panel of young people testifying before you today pleading for livable earth should not fill you with pride; it should fill you with shame,” she said. The United Nations General Assembly UNGA is for governments but there is a myriad of events from September 20th-27th for us all to be a part of where ever you are in the world.”

The diversity of events from different sectors pulled out “The fear of missing something” as there continues to be so much scheduled simultaneously, it is more than the flood as in waters rising it is like a flood of information, and the youth to combat is indeed inspiring all people to rise. This dizzying mix of sectors and events are needed to engage us all is this existential nexus where consciousness needs to change instead of the Climate…

On Sept., 17th the United Nations 74th General Assembly opened with the new President leader from Africa: His Excellency Tijjani Muhammad-Bande of Nigeria, Africa, in the spotlight–a region the UN has named a “Least developed”   Ambassador Mohammad-Bande’s priorities are focused on a future for us all. He shares his key priorities to unite nations in the approach towards; “Open, Inclusive, Transparent, SDGs, Climate Change, Reducing Conflicts, Deficits among Nations, and Human Rights”.

Also lighting the path forward in that region will be The Duke, Prince Harry, and the Dutchess Meghan Markle. Harry and Meghan have a new charity registered in England and Wales under the title “Sussex Royal The Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex” and it is more than a Smart Works clothing that includes a “Smart Set,” and with the large scale plans in motion it will be more than one woman and their own child that will benefit.

Concurrently there is a whirlwind of action in many places around the world but concentrated at United Nations headquarters where a plethora of events happening around the world, and in Climate Week in New York. People are coming together for action, along with the leaders.  Sept 21st Youth Day at the UN.  The UN Global Compact Leaders Week is Sept 23-26 2019 which includes the Private Sector Forum on Sept 23rd , Sustainable Development Goals Summit 24th-25th Sept 25th SDG Business Forum High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, but the effects of this momentum is designed to be global and across the USA including Farm Aid September 21, in Wisconsin.

These Bi-Coastal and Global Climate Actions Summits coincided with the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly, on a path to multi-stakeholder engagement for all of us to participate in the Sustainable Development Goals.

The activities are meant to activate a coordinated global movement beyond countries, and time, for all of us together in different sectors of society. With an effort to get all people engaged in transformation, as planned in 2015 by the UNFCC COP21 United Nations Paris Accord, ratified in 2016, these Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) aka the Global Goals(GG), are set up to be realized by the year 2030, orchestrated through the United Nation working together with multi-sector stakeholders as a team.

These 17 goals are ambitious, interconnected really— and set up to be for us all. With specific targets set in the SDGs, and indicators of goals each entity determines what can be contributed and their approach to achieving the goals. Scientifically based, the initial specific targets need to now be adjusted to realistically abide by scientific facts.

According to the science in the 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, (IPCC’s report), a universal target of 1.5 degrees Celsius would need to be achieved within 8.5 years— this is the known threshold today to withstand our chance of irreversible damage to our climate systems based on science.  The challenge is that these facts are being accelerated.

In 2019, The Climate Action Summit at the start of the United Nations General Assembly has a chance to build on prior UN meetings this year and last year’s efforts of the UN titled 2018 ‘Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies,’ which in turn amplified the 2018 Global Climate Summit in San Francisco.

Indigenous people from around the world who converged at Crissy Field, the Golden Gate bridge. Photo courtesy of Lou Dematteis/Spectral Q 2018

The People’s Climate Movement in San Francisco’s march anchored over 800 global events taking place in 91 countries, including 260+ in the U.S. across almost 50 states, demanding action on climate change with over 30,00- who joined the march.

This year event plans build significantly on last year’s efforts and the movement’s rising with critical mass and action plans.  More is covered in The Guardians article. “How to Stand With Climate Strikers,”, and you can find events in California, Fiji and many places around the world here; https://350.org/support-climate-strikes/

Or a list of local events in the New York area here; https://worldteamnow.org/blog/2019-climate-action-activities-around-unga/

A key to the “Least” 2018 Global Climate Summit theme carried over was with the Indigenous people and Native Lands in the environmental movement.  This year with the fires in Amazon some of the Indigenous People we met with last year, their earth land and their living status have changed.

The words echoed in 2018, now in the face of the fires, take on increased meaning. Mirian Cisneros, President of the Kichwa people of Sarayaku, explained,

“I come from where the forests, rivers, and mountains have life. I come from where human beings and Mother Earth live in harmony. I come from Kawsak Sacha, the living forest. I also come from a people that have fought for years and years against the threat of oil drilling. I am here in this large march with brothers and sisters from the whole planet because we understand that we have to leave fossil fuels in the ground in the Amazon rainforest—and everywhere.

“We have 80,000 hectares of forests and once it is gone, we’re gone…

Many people were barefoot on the earth, with Indigenous leaders from Amazonian to initiate in the ceremony prior to the Global Climate Action Summit 2018.  We used human bodies and sound to make the “Humming Brid Rising” Aerial Art, which preceded the GCS activities and events in San Francisco last year.

Sapara leader, Manari Ushigua, from Ecuador who participated in Hummingbird Rising explained: “We come from Ecuador to say we must stop the destruction of the Amazon rainforest” “Natural climate solutions are the future, and indigenous rights are key to their success”

Indigenous people from around the world who converged at Crissy Field, the Golden Gate bridge. Photo courtesy of Lou Dematteis/Spectral Q 2018

Participants co-created an iconic visual message to the world that was filmed from the sky. This artistic ritual, which many of us have done around the world, fueled by people power as they shared their collective intention to support a just transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. This co-created symbol is a message to world leaders of all levels that the climate has changed and so must we. Acclaimed composer and pianist Murray Hidary created his signature MindTravel music experience, providing an immersive soundtrack during the visual formation. year. The event was blessed by the presence of Indigenous leaders from Ecuador and the Ohlone nation.

The aerial art’s message was created to inspire leaders who were a part of the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit to prioritize indigenous rights, keeping fossil fuels in the ground and accelerating a just transition towards a 100% renewable energy future.

Artist John Quigley adapted Colombian artist Jhon Cortés work of art painted with the font of human bodies to make aerial art. The event was produced and directed by /Dancing Without Borders, Spectral Q, and MindTravel in collaboration with leaders of indigenous nations of the Ecuadoran Amazon environmental advocacy groups, youth, local community leaders.

It is a time where events led to the global story narrative that has been carefully organized.   The Shephard/Leadership model, which Bill Mc Kibben Founder of 350.org masters, as he goes beyond being an author, or teacher with a way of organizing that empowers people, as demonstrated with 350.org’s coordination of the Peoples Climate Movement were People. His books continue to be relevant and lead the Climate Movement narrative. The Paris Agreement where at the end, the people say the good leadership cliché, “Look what we, the people did”…

Nemo and Ana from the Northern Territory in Ecuador at Covo GCAS 2018 San Francisco. Photo by Andrea Fono courtesy of World Team Now.

“In the last five years, the weather has completely changed. It affects not just our families. It affects our farming cycles. It affects the fish. It affects our drinking water. We in the villages are the first to feel the impact of these changes in the weather, not the people in the cities. We use to grow rice for the whole year. Now our crops only yield rice for three months. We now have to purchase it which we never had to do before.”

“Despite some progress, indigenous peoples all over the world continue to fall behind,” said Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine, the Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. In 2018.

“I call on States to make greater efforts to ensure that the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is not just a piece of paper, but a real and accurate presentation of the rights that indigenous peoples enjoy in real life,” Ms. Aboubakrine emphasized in her closing remarks.

Indigenous peoples’ relationships to their ancestral lands are the source of their cultural, spiritual and social identity; the foundation upon which their traditional knowledge systems have developed; and the cornerstone of their physical and economic well-being.

The Forum also urged United Nations funds, agencies, and programs to incorporate recognition of indigenous peoples’ collective rights to lands, territories, and resources into their policies and programs at the country level.

Olvy Tumbelaka of Perempuan Aman Organization Ayak Benuaq People Indonesia said,

“Indigenous are the knowledge holders. We are the guardians of our people. We are the last people to stand for our forests, our rivers, and the sea. ”

In the last five years, the weather has completely changed. It affects not just our families. It affects our farming cycles. It affects the fish. It affects our drinking water. We in the villages are the first to feel the impact of these changes in the weather, not the people in the cities.

We use to grow rice for the whole year. Now our crops only yield rice for three months. We now have to purchase it which we never had to do before.”

There is gold mining, coal mining, pulp making and monoculture of palm…”  Now in 2019 there are fires. In 2018 Indigenous lands makeup around 20 percent of the Earth’s territory, but contain 80 percent of the world’s remaining biodiversity — a clear sign that indigenous peoples are the most effective stewards of the environment, until this year’s fires.

Lynne Twist of Pachamama Alliance explained in 2018 “They depend on the forest and our role is to keep our forest INTACT for the next generations”.

Domingo Peas explained: “Here at the Summit people were discussing how much oil ought to stay in the ground to reduce global warming, but I feel that even if all the energy use in Europe and America changed we will still be in hot water. All the money in the world can not buy back the forests.”

We have to get real on how we do not value people. We have to be real about that pain. Our planet is like a human body. This means that we must not just work for money. We must work together with our minds, intelligence, and our hearts. We must work together without discrimination. We work on behalf of future generations.

Coming into the 2019 summit the key carryovers and developing messaging are: It is a human race, humanity against ourselves, and the present way of the developed life systems that we have organized.  The values we prioritize to live within from tribe to community, community to society, to countries at large—and the one body we have organized here on earth to unite us, are undergoing a change.  Birthing global transformation is big, not pretty or easy.  When we look at the patterns over the history of the earth for mass extinction, the urgency is clear, we are rapidly approaching the 6th mass extinction.

We can better understand the power of each choice, with consideration of the conscious state in which we reside.   There cannot be too many people in action during these times it’s an all hands on deck, and there are so many ways that more hands are coming in to carry the weight. Find your role as the story unfolds it is our future, as each of us has a role as, “We, the People”—RISE.

The Vision for the Environment and EPA’s Leadership

By Suzanne Maxx © 

The Environment, our collective home and in the USA the leadership of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has undergone a much-needed change— Scott Pruitt has resigned. Read more here:

For me, this event touches both the personal and professional areas of my life. As I’ve shared in prior blogs “Growing Up With EPA” and “EPA in Action-Moving Forward” here:

Growing Up With EPA

EPA in Action-Moving Forward

The question I asked as a child under the age of 10 still remains unanswered, in honest. “Who is in charge of the Environment?” The answer brings up a huge inquiry that we are collectively beginning to prioritize and bear witness to—what role does humanity play with the environment? How important is the environment to humanity?

This controversy with the United States “Environmental Protection Agency” is serving to awaken more people to the challenge of how to manage governance of collective resources. Does it truly serve us all to have one agency that is influenced by national politics? We know that we humans can imagine better systems for our earth and our environment. We are so thankful more people are awakened to this issue, and unfortunately, it all too often takes a crisis or scandal, to arise to do better. Surely the investigation of the present EPA leadership will continue, and now the second in command will temporarily lead with the same mandate, but as the drama unfolds our hope is that more people will be engaged in understanding, participating and get into action to show respect for our common home.

Yet in contrast, on the other side of the planet in the Pacific Island Region, during the annual session of the Forum Fisheries Committee Ministers Meeting in Raratonga, Cook Islands, someone who brings knowledge and experience for the people and the environment was given an opportunity to serve. The next Director-General of the Forum Fisheries Agency was just awarded to a well-qualified dedicated professional woman, Dr Manumatavai Tupou-Roosen.  Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor said, “I am very proud that a daughter of the Blue Pacific has been appointed Director General. The Forum Fisheries Agency plays an extremely important leadership role for our fisheries, one of the most important resources for our people.”

Our vision is that one day there will be a leader who can lead with the mandate of an agency like EPA—to protect the environment. Maybe they will even enroll others beyond country to follow. It brings to question, does it truly work to have our collective environment regulated by individual countries?

Perhaps there is a better model of a representative from each region of the world that could join together to address these collective challenges with our common oceans, sky, and earth.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on a track to explore opportunities to unite beyond country through 2030. Can we address and organize quickly enough to respond to the changes happening in our environment through political structures?

Will people rise to explore what “We the People…” really means beyond country? What role will people play, with our environment ultimately?  These are questions our World Team project has been and continues to explore with our non-profit World Team Now, and in the future with World Team®.

Other blog postings that mention the EPA:

For the Love of the Ocean

Ocean/consciousness

By Suzanne Maxx ©World Team Now

June 21, 2018, Summer Solstice Malibu, California, USA

I know I’m not alone when I say I love the ocean! I think there is value in organizing people to focus around the action in a day like “World Oceans Day,” (which was June 8th) or “Earth Day” or even one’s “Birthday”!

The love for the ocean is something most of us have in common.  It’s when summer comes, (or when we go to another part of the world), that is when most people begin to build ocean consciousness.  Ocean consciousness is usually around going to the beach.  So how do we show appreciation, and celebrate the way the ocean gives to the planet, and interacts with life beyond country,  all over the world?

Last year we celebrated by participation in the United Nations Ocean Conference and registered our multi-stakeholder partnership Sustainable Solutions Ocean Opportunities on Small Island States (SOS-IS) inside the United Nations platform for the Sustainable Development Goals. We also launched the website SOS-IS.org.

World Team Now gave the “Pioneer for the Planet” Award to Aquanaut and Ocean Explorer Fabien Cousteau and had a World Team Now Gala around the ocean events with a celebration at the Grand Banks Boat/Restaurant.

It was an honor to participate in the United Nations Solutions Panel as a speaker.  Also, I covered the conference as a journalist.  With a death in the family simultaneous at the events’ climax, I learned that it was too many roles to play at the same time. Here are some past tweets, a Facebook post, and a newsletter to give you the feel of the diversity of experiences:

 

Suzanne met with and interviewed Peter Thomson, Fijian diplomat and President of the General Assembly of the United…

Posted by World Team Now on Wednesday, June 7, 2017

This year, Oceans Day was celebrated at the ocean itself: being with the ocean and holding conversations locally at the beach with people about the ocean’s meaning and importance related to islands and a myriad of solutions to plastics and individual choices. Most people at the ocean had no idea about World Oceans Day or the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal #SDG14, so this work took on a different value, and tone.

This experience brought up the question: Is the love we carry for our common home, nature, and the ocean prioritized in our daily lives now, even if we don’t live near the ocean? I thought I had prioritized the ocean until I lived on the ocean in Fiji, literally for a total of six months working on our World Team project. I lived in a villa actually out on the ocean.

From the back porch of the villa, I could dive into the ocean.  From my bedroom, I looked out on its vast, ever-changing horizon mirroring some of the most beautiful sunrises ever. From the opposite side of the bedroom, each sunset was better than the last.  The living room was actually a “living room,” with large glass circles as the floor, a window to watch the wildlife in the ocean: colorful fish swimming below my feet at high tides, and the pink and aqua blue neon florescent crabs in the sand at low tide.

I realized the ocean breathes too –inhaling and exhaling, as waves go in and out and with the high and low tides – breathing a way to organize life in and around Oceania. The two category 3 hurricanes that came through while I was there caused a great loss for people and island life. It is significant that when we consider the big picture, in the past few years, the extreme weather and tropical storms have increased globally. Do we all realize that the choices we make here in the developed region of the world dramatically affect what happens in other parts of the world with Climate Change?

Yet the stewardship of the ocean in the Pacific Island region’s culture is considerable, and there is a lot for the developed world to learn from how the native islanders interact with the ocean.  Passed on from generation to generation are ways to not just look to the stars for navigation, but to the ocean for understanding life.

“Chimneys” Photo Courtesy of “Dive 4 Life” Fiji

Prominent is the biodiversity of species and preservation; fish as a considerable food source, and coral reefs as life-sustaining.  The ocean is central in the Pacific Island Region of Oceania, and people have learned to listen and watch the ocean and its tides and species for how life can be better organized and prioritized.  By nature, the respect and love of the ocean is core to the culture and village communities I spent time within Fiji.

Next to the villa along the shore of Koro Sun Resort in Savusavu was “Dive 4 Life” where they teach and lead ocean journeys scuba diving (PADI Certification & Instruction), snorkeling, and fishing adventures.  We will share more about Dive 4 Life coming up.   Nearly every day in Fiji, one can experience a way to become more intimate with the ocean.

I wonder how it can be that when I arrived on one of the most pristine, untouched outer islands left in the world, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with virgin sand from human footprints- there was plastic garbage from other regions of the world washing up on shore. Plastic waste, the shipping industry, nuclear hazardous and toxic wastes, ocean acidification, climate change, overfishing have all challenged the ocean we love. We all now have heard that if we keep going at this rate with plastics, by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.  On the outer Fiji island, where our nonprofit, World Team Now, has been working, local villagers reported recently that right where sea turtles usually come up on the beach to lay their eggs, instead, there was a giant sea turtle strangled by plastic. Time for action: Here are 20 ways to plastic proof your routine.

So many of us enjoy what the ocean gives us: seafood to eat, waves to wide, sunsets to reflect upon – we think about the ocean related to fishing, surfing, swimming, sailing/boating, snorkeling, wave energy, and tidal energy – what we can get out of the ocean.  I wonder how many people are truly aware that not only is the ocean beautiful, and evokes wonder, but that it actually helps us breathe and is critical for the balance of earth systems. Oceans actually breathe in for us by the plankton absorbing carbon dioxide, as much as 50% of what we humans are polluting into the air since the beginning of the industrial age. The challenge is that the change in the temperature of the ocean influences the ability of plankton to ingest the carbon dioxide. Plankton forms the base of the food web on the ocean.  The temperature of the ocean and the atmosphere are coupled as a cause and effect; mirroring. Thus we face a dire positive feedback condition of warming, causing more CO2 to remain in the atmosphere.    It’s time to think about how to give back to the ocean.  Our World Team project is so eager to begin to show some of these solutions in real time, on an island and we are gearing up for action now.  We plan to have many of you join us at least virtually next year.

Just the same way we created this mess with plastic and other wastes, we can altogether work to clean it up.  There are innovative solutions now. In Fiji, I learned how to re-plant the ever important mangroves.  We can replant coral.  We can repopulate and protect fish.  We can create monitoring systems to address illegal fishing and protect endangered species, we can choose alternative renewable forms of transportation, and all of these systems are indeed connected.

Every morning I awoke to the sound of the ocean breathing in and out its waves as water splashes up against the villa and nearby shore.  To be put to bed by the soothing sound of the oceans gentle waves is a grace to grow living with the ocean.

Do you wonder what the world would look like if we focused our attention, to giving respect and appreciation of the ocean in each breath? Let’s consider organizing our effort by each breath, thought, word and action.  Maybe then we could make Oceans Day, Surf Day, and Earth Day be every day. What if their principles and elements at the core of these singular days happen every day?  Are you willing to consider the power of choice to aggregate the collective consciousness to take action for the ocean every day?  Could we make a world of difference?

Here is an excerpt of the lyrics of World Team’s rap song first performed at the United Nations Earth Summit/Global Forum 1992.

What’s the solution for the pollution of our ocean?

Education, information, cultivation, preservation, restoration, conservation,

It’s time to make a change and rearrange

A shift of power, now’s the hour

For peace, a big release,

World Team, it’s a dream and for finality,

Let it be reality.

 

May we remember the ocean is all of the time, ever-changing, yet consistent in gifts? On this day of Summer Solstice in the Western Hemisphere, may we see the light of perspective for oceans value; every day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiji Pacific Island Region, Oceania Photo by Suzanne Maxx

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