Would we make different policies if natural ecosystems had legal standing?
What happens if the EU policy makers were to meet natural ecosystems just like they meet and listen to human stakeholders?
How will the evidence-based policies change, if ‘the evidence’ is more than data?
Can these speculative encounters impact the management of natural resources in Europe?
A workshop titled Deliberating on rights and representation of nature in the EU policy making process held on the 30th October 2024 at the EU Policy Lab (JRC Building, Brussels), explored these questions, involving experts and policymakers across the EU commission.
The Specter[al]s of Nature sculptures of four bodies of water which have changed over time, originally produced for the NaturArchy exhibition by artist and architect Ingrid Mayrhofer-Hufnagl, acted as a prompt, as a case study and as a participant in a speculative policymaking process.
Ultimately, whether or not nature should have rights is a complex and nuanced ethical and legal question that involves weighing the interests of humans against those of the natural world. It’s a topic that requires careful consideration, discussion, and collaboration among policymakers, scientists, ethicists, indigenous communities, and other stakeholders. The EU Policy Lab, championing the stirring power of art , is placed to provoke and facilitate these conversations.
Contact at JRC-EU-POLICY-LAB@ec.europa.eu for further involvement!
Learn more about the Futures Garden project and explore other experiments.
WHAT: Deliberating on rights and representation of nature in the EU policy making process workshop
WHEN: Oct 30, 2024 9:30-12:30
WHERE: EU Policy Lab | CDMA, Brussels (on-site only)
Details
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