Earth Stewardship/M-ICE

THE EARTH STEWARDSHIP ALLIANCE AND THE MODEL INTERNATIONAL COURT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

1) We promote online social networking based on its usefulness for promoting the Earth Stewardship Alliance International ESAI and the International Environmental Coalition.

The Earth Stewardship Alliance details can be found on their Web Site [1]

ESAI Mission Statement is defined as :

To promote environmental stewardship through developing communities of practice and promoting accountability.

Goal :

To promote environmental stewardship and biophilia To raise the awareness of how we live alongside the primary elements that make up life) NATURE

1. To promote environmental responsibility and accountabilityEMP

2. To improve environmental safety alongside personal safety at the street level

3. Collaborating with partners to empower communities of practice and communities of enquiry

4. Communicating ways to improve our relationship with our environment (Biophillia)

CODE OF CONDUCT :

1. Discipline yourself and others to align your lives in a harmonious way with your environment.

2. Act in accordance with your local laws.

3. Challenge that which does not work. (In an ethical and moral way).

4. Be the future you want to see.

5. Be responsive and flexible, not antagonistic or argumentative. (NVC Non violent communication)

6. Learn to stay open minded and involve others from all walks of life.

7. Follow the principles of truth.[2]

Principles of truth

1. The Principle of Mentalism.

2. The Principle of Correspondence.

3. The Principle of Vibration.

4. The Principle of Polarity.

5. The Principle of Rhythm.

6. The Principle of Cause and Effect.

7. The Principle of Gender.

1. SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE :

It is in the art of living that one can make positive contributions to society.

It is neither an intellectual nor a philosophical entertainment, it is for for real actions driven by real events.

"For vulnerability and innocence are the sharpest of swords Clearing the pathway to wisdom and peace It is through lack of knowledge that we learn And when you stand tall and open With soft underbelly exposed Shouting to the world "Kill me or teach me!" Then you are truly a Warrior of the Heart".

(Loman, 2004)

Code of practice :

   * Eco Ambassadors must be aware at all times of the use of unacceptable language and comments i.e. discriminatory behaviour. 

   * Eco Ambassadors must be familiar with environmental response procedures and the use of surveys and reports.

   * Eco Ambassadors will be responsible for the actions of their group members.

   * Eco Ambassadors should not record personal details of members who are submitting reports.

   * Eco Ambassadors should not give out personal details such as phone number or email addresses unless given clearance.

   * We require reliability when informing group officers about environmental concerns, these should be unbiased accounts.

   * Student Eco Ambassadors will be expected to have a pro-active attitude and show willingness in undertaking tasks.

   * All Student Eco Ambassadors must partake in online training.

   * All members must work transparency whilst promoting good ethics and morals.

   * Information shared is for free environmental support and not as advice to be acted upon.

   * All Ambassadors will be required to keep a log of their duties.

We also have a bridge that allows communication with World leader through a programme called Globcal [3] represents Global|Local Cooperation, the concept is that of an inter-networked international organisation works with websites and organisations that have been selected based on identified qualities of their networks to establish a worldwide cooperative and social ethic that leads to the promotion of indisputable good values that all cultures have in common as we enter a time of global change and revolution.

The theme for the World Environment Day, WED 2009 is 'Your Planet Needs You - UNite to Combat Climate Change'. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

WED 2009’s host is Mexico which reflects the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.

Mexico is also a leading partner in UNEP's Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the support of its President and people, has spearheaded the pledging and planting of some 25 per cent of the trees under the campaign. Accounting for around 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts.

2) We promote the Campaign for an International Court for the Environment that recognises the importance of the United Nations International Observances.

The Coalition for the International Court for the Environment, seek the promotion, development and enforcement of international environmental law through the creation of a globally-recognised international environment court. We are representatives of the environmental, legal, business, academic, governmental and non-governmental communities brought together by a deep concern for the current and future state of the Earth. We affirm the concerns of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the world’s leading independent scientists, who have concluded that climate change has the demonstrated potential to dramatically impact communities across the global commons. We are in agreement that binding international environmental regulation, in particular - but not exclusively on - greenhouse gas emissions is required to reduce the likely global catastrophe of climate change. We are conscious of the pressing need for swift action to increase the efficacy of global environmental law and to develop the manner in which the public international legal order addresses the surmountable question of sovereignty in global juridical matters. We acknowledge that climate change is a global issue, with common causes and effects, that are not restricted to political territorial boundaries, and that global governmental cooperation is needed to solve these shared threats. We seek, a collaborative working relationship with the United Nations and all of its Agencies to enforce all UN environmental treaties leading to the establishment of the ICE (the International Court for the Environment) as the UN environmental court. We resolve that the ICE will facilitate the enforcement of this binding international regulation, and provide a facility for the reduction of future climate change impacts. We are committed to working together with governmental and non-governmental representatives to generate the political and economic support for this important and attainable project, in regional, national and international communities. As members of the Coalition for the International Court for the Environment we are proposing increased global environmental governance and international legal enforcement addressing what is arguably the most serious global issue in human history.

UN Observances

2005-2014 -- United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 5th June, World Environment Day

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.[1] WED is hosted every year by a different city and commemorated with an international exposition through the week of June 5. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), also created in 1972, uses WED to stimulate awareness of the environment and enhance political attention and public action.

"Stockholm was without doubt the landmark event in the growth of international environmentalism," writes John McCormick in the book Reclaiming Paradise. "It was the first occasion on which the political, social and economic problems of the global environment were discussed at an intergovernmental forum with a view to actually taking corrective action."

3) We serve our public by receiving and disseminating valuable information about the state of our natural environments and help promote best practice through our online support teams.

There are a variety of mechanisms used to communicate this includes an ESAI forum [4]a pagan website called sacred grove[5], as well as information passed to officers and administrators using the facebook groups [6]. A web site has been developed for the promotion of ESAI [www.esa-international.eu] and various surveys have been developed for the collection and collation of base line environmental reports.

Local State of the environment (LSOE) reports attempt to answer five key questions:

  1. What is happening in the environment (i.e., how are environmental conditions and trends changing)?
  2. Why is it happening (i.e., how are human activities and other stresses linked to the issue in question)?
  3. Why is it significant (i.e., what are its ecological and socioeconomic effects)?
  4. What is being done about it (i.e., how is society responding to the issues)?
  5. Is this sustainable 
  (i.e., are human actions threatening environmental capital and causing deterioration of ecosystem health)?

The two main purposes of SOE reports are to foster the use of science in policy- and decision-making and to report to M-ICE[icemiceproject@gmail.com] on the condition of local environments. Each Local-SOE report provides an easily understood overview of an important environmental issue for the non-scientist, examines the key trends of the issue, discusses links with other issues, and describes the efforts of government, industry, and others to address the issue and make progress towards environmental sustainability.

LSOE reports are prepared in many countries and regions throughout the world. International SOE reports have been published by several federal departments/agencies as well as by a good number of provinces/territories and municipalities. and this offers guidelines for the approach to preparing SOE Reports.

Preparing LSOE Reports

The approach to preparing LSOE reports is to build on existing knowledge of environmental issues. It stresses partnerships, takes advantage of ongoing monitoring and research, and uses advanced technology for communicating information to Canadians. It promotes the incorporation of SOE report criteria into the design of policy-driven, science-based assessments. This is to be supported by a nationwide ecological monitoring network and linked to regularly reported indicators. This approach will ensure that Canadians continue to have access to information on the state of their environment and that the needs of decision-makers are met. What are the minimum criteria for SOE reports? Content criteria

LSOE reports should:

   * state and define a broad public policy question (a public concern);
   * provide an overview of the most current scientific understanding of the issue in question;
   * examine the key trends within the issue and, where applicable, cross-links with other issues, and the significance of those trends;
   * describe the efforts of governments, industry, and others in addressing the issue of concern;
   * include the scientific responses to the policy question, as part of its analysis and in its executive summary or highlights section;
   * include the indicators that track key trends in the issue being addressed, making use of relevant existing national environmental indicators; and
   * include an analysis of environment-related changes since the last assessment, if applicable.

Presentation criteria

Each LSOE report should:

   * be written in a manner that non-specialists can understand;
   * include a concise executive summary or highlights section;
   * make reference to appropriate monitoring programs that are the source of ecological data (e.g. Surveys)
   * document the contributors to, and reviewers of, the report.

4) We work within our ESA networks to communicate environmental issues, and collect survey data for the development of detailed case studies followed by mechanisms for creative problem solving and corrective actions.

The first survey generates a local signposting report [7] this is then followed by a more detailed survey where participants are invited to investigate the specifics of their situation, looking at contextual issues and supporting evidence. [8] After a full picture has been given by a member, the group officer liases with a member of the Bureux of ecological and environmental support and they are invited to hold further discussions using PALTALK [9] free online conferencing, here a private meeting is set up and further investigations will be conducted using another survey. [10]Secondary analysis then completes the process by converting the environmental threats listed earlier into quantifiable risk data. [11]

Analysis also looks at consequential factors [12]and gives consideration to the position papers (shown below) were information is built around Policy type questions. [13]

A separate Wikiversity site is soon to be developed, this is where officers and support staff will be trained how to engage with all of the systems presented earlier. This includes facilitating the use of the Surveys when required, support for creative problem solving and facilitated solutions workshops using academics and other interested parties.

And finally the output of this would be for the initial development of detailed creative case studies that are filled in using collaborative efforts. The case studies will be used for the development of academic papers and Local State of the Environment reports used to inform online debates using the PALTALK system and then turned into a position paper for members of the Model International Court for the Environment. They will scrutinise the papers submitted and generate a position paper for the International ENvironmental Coalition who are driving the campaign for the International Court for the Environment.

5) We interact with the public online and throughout the World, and through our hand picked Ambassadors[14], officers and administrators we will operate a Model-ICE [15] for the development of position papers for the United Nations.

Position papers for the M-ICE.

What are position papers?

A position paper presents an arguable opinion about an issue. The goal of a position paper is to convince the audience that your opinion is valid and worth listening to. Ideas that you are considering need to be carefully examined in choosing a topic, developing your argument, and organizing your paper. It is very important to ensure that you are addressing all sides of the issue and presenting it in a manner that is easy for your audience to understand. Your job is to take one side of the argument and persuade your audience that you have well-founded knowledge of the topic being presented. It is important to support your argument with evidence to ensure the validity of your claims, as well as to address the counterclaims to show that you are well informed about both sides.

Position papers define the following.

What are current problems and their practical considerations. What has caused these problems to exist? What has or should the United Nations do in attempting to resolve those problems? What is the position of your country on those problems? What is the possible position of your group members on those problems? How should the United Nations resolve those problems?

How do I write one?

Issue Criteria

To take a side on a subject, you should first establish the arguability of a topic that interests you. Ask yourself the following questions to ensure that you will be able to present a strong argument:

   * Is it a real issue, with genuine controversy and uncertainty?
   * Can you distinctly identify two positions?
   * Are you personally interested in advocating one of these positions?
   * Is the issue narrow enough to be manageable?
   * Analyzing an Issue and Developing an Argument 

Once your topic is selected, you should do some research on the subject matter. While you may already have an opinion on your topic and an idea about which side of the argument you want to take, you need to ensure that your position is well supported. Listing out the pro and con sides of the topic will help you examine your ability to support your counterclaims, along with a list of supporting evidence for both sides. Supporting evidence includes the following:

Factual Knowledge - Information that is verifiable and agreed upon by almost everyone.

Statistical Inferences - Interpretation and examples of an accumulation of facts.

Informed Opinion - Opinion developed through research and/or expertise of the claim.

Personal Testimony - Personal experience related by a knowledgeable party.

Once you have made your pro and con lists, compare the information side by side. Considering your audience, as well as your own viewpoint, choose the position you will take.

In considering the audience, ask yourself the following questions:

   * Who is your audience?
   * What do they believe?
   * Where do they stand on the issue?
   * How are their interests involved?
   * What evidence is likely to be effective with them?
   * In determining your viewpoint, ask yourself the following:
   * Is your topic interesting?
   * Can you manage the material within the specifications set by the instructor?
   * Does your topic assert something specific and propose a plan of action?
   * Do you have enough material to support your opinion? 

Organisation

Your introduction should lead up to a thesis that organizes the rest of your paper. There are three advantages to leading with the thesis:

  1. The audience knows where you stand.
  2. The thesis is located in the two strongest places, first and last.
  3. It is the most common form of academic argument used. 

Important Information

DIRECTIONS FOR BIG 5 NATIONS AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Directions: Each representative is required to pick two separate topics and write a position paper for each topic (2 papers total). Each position paper must respond to the following questions:

   * What are current problems related to this topic in the world? Please identify at least two.
   * What has caused these problems to exist in the world? Please identify at least two causes for each problem.
   * What has the United Nations done in attempting to resolve those problems?
   * What is the position of your country on those problems?
   * What is the possible position of other countries in your committee on those problems? Consider at least two other countries.
   * How should the United Nations resolve those problems? Make sure that your solution(s) is/are consistent with your country’s position. 

Sample position papers can be found here..[16]

6) We will attend events that are matters for the International Court for the Environment and we will keep Globcal and ESA members informed about any developments[17].

This includes liasing with the International Academy of Environmental Sciences[18], the Society of Environmental Engineers who will work with ESAI members for obtaining professional accreditation. The institute of environmental management and assessment for help building industry links, and the University of Portsmouth as ESAI students have the opportunity to enrol on a post graduate environmental management PGC.

Research is also being conducted with the aim of communicating the system to the Health Protection Agency.

The Health Protection Agency within the UK is an organisation designed by the government and through a National Platform their remit includes the protection of people, preventing harm and preparing for threats. Defined as a parliamentary act and implemented as a policy for dealing with emergency response, they operate a threat reduction advisory committee where output from their own research helps define the UK’s civil contingency action plan. By focusing on ecological incidents ‘this research’ aims to highlight how environmental risks can be converted from local issues into criteria suitable for making informed decisions that would support these action plans from an environmental stance. Bearing on the need for crucial baseline data the proposal offered by this research offers improved incident reporting by pro-actively raising awareness to potential threats to the environment. Overall importance is given to local knowledge so that data could aid environmental investigations; develop improved risk control whilst bringing social benefits in the form of making better use of public opinion. Long term report summaries could also be used to justify trends that support cases taken to the International court for the environment.

Order of events

1. Log on to Facebook and join an ESA group.

2. Log onto ESAI Web page and read Wikiversity guidance for using the Surveys.

3. Complete Surveys.

4. Develop a Case file consisting of LSOE Report and position paper.

5. Take report to M-ICE and record the output on the bottom of the case file.

6. Take the full report for academic debate and facilitate creative problem solving.

7. Develop an Environmental Management Plan.[19]

8. Upload file into Arc-HIVE.

9. Review and lessons learnt.

10. Communicate data with relevant bodies. [20]

11. Develop strategic systems for Advocacy, Consultancy and Policy review.

12. When working with organisations consider the use of ISO 123[21]

13. Report all successful cases. (Noir Et Blanc Magazine)"Making Nature Fashionable"

REFERENCES

Description	File:orange_ESAI.jpg
Source	Facebook Groups
Date	08/09/2009
Author	Col David Jeffery Wright
Permission (Reusing this file)	Public Domain

Description	Poem
Source	http://www.shamanicwarrior.com/poem/index.html
Date	09/09/2009
Author	Mark Loman 2004
Permission (Reusing this file)	Public Domain
Other versions	none found