International Day of Action For Rivers, Blue Nature Alliance, Black Mountains College

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR RIVERS

Although freshwater ecosystems are so important, they are the most threatened in the world. Freshwater species have seen an 83% decline since 1970-twice the rate experienced within terrestrial or marine. Today, we’re celebrating the 26th anniversary of this Day for Rivers by also highlighting the importance of being a protector and voice for rivers. The International Day of Action for Rivers is a day dedicated to solidarity – when diverse communities around the world come together with one voice to say that rivers matter. That communities having access to clean and flowing water matters. That everyone should have a say in decisions that affect their water and their lives. That it’s our time to stand up for these rights, now more than ever.

According to the organization International Rivers, in 2022, ON THIS DAY, that group recorded over 70 events in more than 30 countries! There was everything from organized river cleanups, online webinars, river walks, and paddleboard celebrations! This is true from Bangladesh to Guam, from Germany to Nigeria. The outpouring of activity –  the variety, diversity, and passion of the movement – is truly an inspiration. 

Why does International Day of Action for Rivers matter to us? Rivers need our help – And according to the Maori of New Zealand, they need our voices. Speak out, defend, protect, restore, and be a river guardian. There’s still time for you to do something. Find an event in your area! Go, and then post about it! Or surf on over to InternationalRivers.org, use the Day of Action logos posted at the bottom of its Day of Action page, or create your own art for your action! Also, you can attend a webinar on the subject sponsored by the University of Maryland. 

Click on the link in the Deeper Dive section of this story at theclimate.org/episodes to register and attend.

DEEPER DIVE: Int’l Day of Action for Rivers, International Rivers, UMD Webinar

BLUE NATURE ALLIANCE

With less than 10% of the ocean under some form of protection, we need a rapid acceleration of ocean protection. The recent Ocean Protection Treaty reported on by The Climate Daily addresses that. And so does the Blue Nature Alliance. It collaborates with local stakeholders and champions to identify engagement locations, articulate shared objectives, and design the strategic interventions needed to achieve measurable outcomes for the creation of new Ocean Conservation Areas, and the expansion, improved management or upgraded protections of existing areas.

The aim of BNA is to advance Ocean Conservation Areas, inclusive of Marine Protected Areas, Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures, Indigenous Protected Areas, and other innovative place-based interventions designed to achieve biodiversity conservation outcomes. A significant, but not exclusive, focus of the Alliance will be on Large Scale Marine Protected Areas.

Why does the Blue Nature Alliance matter to us? Working across the global ocean, the Blue Nature Alliance’s projects cover conservation efforts in coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, and kelp forests. The work also encompasses the broader open ocean areas including highly productive seamounts and essential fish habitat for ocean health and people’s food security. To date, the Alliance has provided resources advancing ocean conservation in the following places and is actively examining additional opportunities in the Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, throughout the Caribbean, the Seychelles, the Palau National Marine Sanctuary, and the western Indian Ocean.

DEEPER DIVE: Blue Nature Alliance, Marine Protected Areas Guide, YouTube

BLACK MOUNTAINS COLLEGE!

Imagine a college where the main lecture hall used to be a cowshed, and the study center used to be an old farmhouse living room. Imagine a college where the classrooms are mostly outdoors. If you can see it, then you can see yourself at Black Mountains College, the UK’s newest higher educational institution.

The campus that is Black Mountains College is an old farm, and is a core part of an insurgent institution dedicated to adapting to the climate emergency. It’s a first of its kind in Britain. Located in Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales, its mission is “to create a future where nature and humans thrive.”

What makes BMC unique? First, BMC’s courses are based on the forest principle that reconnection to nature begins with making nature itself the classroom. It’s located on 120 acres of beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. The confluence of the range of biodiverse natural ecosystems and the impacts of human influence makes for the perfect context for exploring the challenge of a sustainable transition. Second, all our courses are aimed at equipping its students with the skills to forge more sustainable futures.

There’s an open admissions policy – BMC seeks potential to contribute to change, not prior achievement. This requires collaboration and everyone’s input. Learning is practical and theoretical – with programs addressing real-world challenges practically and holistically, combining insights from a wide range of disciplines and professional practices. Each student can customize their study options – BMC lets them work alongside tutors who will guide them in their own learning journey, wherever that might lead. BMC aims to prepare students for the changing world and helps them explore how to change it.

But why does Black Mountain College matter to us? It offers context for the climate crisis through the framing of Amitav Ghosh’s The Nutmeg’s Curse. Ghosh argues in his book that pillaging of lands and killing of indigenous people laid the foundation for this climate emergency.

DEEPER DIVE: Black Mountain College, The Nutmeg’s Curse, The Guardian