Environmental Constitutionalism And The Fall 2016 CESD Report

Inspiring Future Environmentalists The last set of ESS lectures emphasized the link between environmental and human rights. They also explained how public pressure can affect environmental issues in a positive way. This link between environmental and human rights was expressed in the first two lectures, “Environmental Constitutionalism” and “The Fall 2016 CESD Report”. Both lectures spoke of the need for public control of our precious natural resources by exploring the downsides of private/corporate control (exploitation for immense profit). They showed that environmental rights are directly connected to human rights because we are all dependent on these resources for life, therefor, any injustice to them is an injustice to us. In the third lecture “Making Change”, a group of Dalhousie ESS alumni displayed how educating the next generation to live sustainable lives can further the environmentalist movement and help the world. By promoting environmental awareness and exposing the downsides of private controlled natural resources, we can educate our future generations so they don 't make the same mistakes we’ve made. The lecturers called upon the people to do their part and use their political pressure in the fight for global change.

In the first lecture “Environmental Constitutionalism”, …show more content…
Gelfand did this by showing the recent effects of fisheries on Atlantic ground fish in the early 1990s. She warned the audience of the dangers of overexploitation and stated that ewer than half of the Canadians Fish stocks are considered healthy due to overexploitation of Canadian fish and seafood exports (worth $6 billion annually). Like Mrema 's presentation, Gelfand urged the people to take a stance on sustainable issues and expressed a need for personal involvement in our environment. (Manell & Bingham, personal connection, November 24,