Grassroots environmentalists from around the world win $125,000 Goldman Environmental Prize
Coastal spill response a First Nation concern
Grassroots environmental leaders
Six environmentalists from around the world win $125,000 Goldman Environmental Prize
An Irish farmer jailed for his work in opposing Shell Oil’s natural gas pipeline through his land and an Icelandic entrepreneur saving North Atlantic wild salmon by brokering innovative fishing rights buyouts with North Atlantic governments and commercial interests are among the winners of this year’s prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize.
“This year’s Prize recipients have succeeded in combating some of the most important environmental challenges we face today,” said Goldman Prize founder Richard N. Goldman. “Their commitment in the face of great personal risk inspires us all to think more critically about what ordinary people can do to make a difference.”
The $125,000 Goldman Environ-mental Prize, now in its 18th year, is awarded annually to six grassroots environmental heroes and is the largest award of its kind in the world. The winners were awarded the Prize at an invitation-only ceremony Monday, April 23, 2007 at the San Francisco Opera House and were also be honored at a smaller ceremony on April 25 at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, DC.
This year’s winners are:
North America: Sophia Rabliauskas, 47, Canada: Working on behalf of the Poplar River First Nation, Rabliauskas succeeded in securing interim protection for a portion of the boreal forest of Manitoba, effectively preventing destructive logging and hydro-power development while calling on government and international agencies to permanently protect the region.
Along with her community, Sophia Rabliauskas from Poplar River First Nation,
has worked tirelessly to protect the boreal forest.
The recognition “means a lot,” Rabliauskas. “Not only I, but the whole community… has worked tirelessly to protect the boreal forest.”
She and her community persuaded the Manitoba government to protect 810,000 hectares of their traditional lands, at least until 2009. And they have also developed a land management plan for the government, which requires approval, she said.
Sophia and Ray Rabliauskas reviewing territory maps of Poplar River.
They’re also working with other First Nations in Manitoba and Ontario to safeguard an even larger section of the forest as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“The forest holds the knowledge, the wisdom, and we as people have to take that responsibility to look after it,” Rabliauskas.
Only three other Canadians have won the award, including Matthew Coon Come, who led the Quebec Cree battle against hydro dam development in northern Quebec.
Africa: Hammerskjoeld Simwinga, 45, Zambia: In Zambia’s North Luangwa Valley, where rampant illegal wildlife poaching decimated the wild elephant population and left villagers living in extreme poverty, Simwinga created an innovative sustainable community development program that successfully restored wildlife and transformed this poverty-stricken area.
Asia: Ts. Munkhbayar, 40, Mongolia: Munkhbayar successfully worked with government and grassroots organizations to shut down destructive mining operations along Mongolia’s scarce waterways. Through public education and political lobbying, Munkhbayar has effectively protected Mongolia’s precious water resources from additional unregulated mining.
South & Central America: Julio Cusurichi Palacios, 36, Peru: In the remote Peruvian Amazon, Cusurichi secured a national reserve to protect both sensitive rain forest ecosystems and the rights of indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation from the devastating effects of logging and mining.
Europe: Willie Corduff, 53, Ireland: In the small farming community of Rossport, Corduff and a group of fellow local residents and landowners successfully forced Shell Oil to halt construction on an illegally-approved pipeline through their land.
Islands & Island Nations: Orri Vigfússon, 64, Iceland: With business savvy and an unwavering commitment to reverse the near-extinction of wild North Atlantic salmon, Vigfússon brokered huge international fishing rights buyouts with governments and commercial interests, helping bring to an end to destructive commercial salmon fishing in the region.
The Goldman Environmental Prize was established in 1990 by San Francisco civic leader and philanthropist Richard N. Goldman and his late wife, Rhoda H. Goldman. It has been awarded to 119 people from 70 countries.
Prize winners are selected by an international jury from confidential nominations submitted by a worldwide network of environmental organizations and individuals.
Previous prize winners have been at the center of some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, including seeking justice for victims of environmental disasters at Love Canal and Bhopal, India; leading the fight for dolphin-safe tuna; fighting oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and exposing Monsanto’s role in introducing the rBGH hormone into the US dairy industry.
Since receiving a Goldman Prize, eight winners have been appointed or elected to national office in their countries, including several who became ministers of the environment. The 1991 Goldman Prize winner for Africa, Wangari Maathai, won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
Coastal spill response a First Nation concern
By Malcolm McColl
On March 14th, the B.C. Ministry of the Environment along with Burrard Clean Operations conducted a workshop with First Nation communities from the coastal regions to discuss oil spill preparedness and response. The meeting was held in Duncan, B.C., using Cowichan Tribes conference facilities in the picturesque city of 10,000, half of whom are Cowichan.
The manager of the Vancouver Island BCO satellite office, said, “It is time to meet with the communities exposed to spills on our coast. Accidents can happen like the environmental spills near Hartley Bay and Squamish last year, Jahelka said, “We need to continue to build our emergency preparedness and involve the First Nation communities in our contingency planning.”
The session in Duncan at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Centre introduced a consultation process that will help us enhance our relationships and understandings of both concerns and resources available within the communities. Expertise of seafarers is greatly appreciated, and required. “We had a good turnout,” said Jahelka, “from communities and treaty groups.” They hosted 20 representatives from a variety of First Nations.
It was a one-day introduction session on “spill response” that will hopefully lead to further developments and communication sessions. Jahelka along with Government agencies shared their expertise with the group. Mr. Jahelka himself gaining expertise on the behaviours of oil, from his days in the Alberta Tar Sands. He began working for Suncor Inc. in the original oil sands investments and developments (circa 1972) in Fort McMurray.
Jahelka joined BCO almost two and a half years ago. “We started the session by talking about each agencies role in Oil Spill Response.” This included information on WCMRC/Burrard Clean Operations, Federal and Provincial Government Environmental Agencies (e.g., the Coast Guard), INAC and First Nations Emergency Services.”
Hartley Bay and Gitgat'la spoke to experience on the sinking of BC Ferries Queen of the North. Squamish Nation talked about a bunker fuel spill at a terminal facility in Aug 2006, when a ship hit the dock and punctured a hole in the day tank spilling fuel. The oil spilled contaminated areas around the dock, adjacent beach made it into the first creek of the estuary. The community and the response network worked well together to ensure the concerns of all parties were heard and addressed.
Groups focused in the afternoon on brainstorming opportunities and challenges to enhance First Nations involvement in oil spill preparedness and response. BCO currently employs 14 fulltime employees. The rest of their response team is made up of part time employees, contractors and Fishermen.
Preparedness for spill is out there: BCO has 40 + semi trailers equipped with booms, skimmers, and equipment located in our many coastal communities. In the more remote areas BCO relies on contractors and FOSET (Fisherman Oil Spill Emergency Team) for the initial response and fly’s in a management team as soon a possible. This engages both local knowledge and supports a quick initial response. We have established an excellent network of response personnel including our contractors, Fishermen and mutual aid agreements with both Alaska and Washington State.
“The west coast has the potential for a major spill with the vessel traffic that travels our waters, so integrating First Nations communities into the preparedness plans will enhance our capabilities to protect our coastline and waterways.
“Like any other community along our coast, an oil spill has the potential of impacting a First Nations community. Working together now in planning and preparedness will only help us in the event of a major spill. We plan to bring people together again this summer for determining some next steps.”
First they will review reports and check timing for participation. Jahelka expects another round of First Nation specific initiatives to occur this summer to continue the objective of integrating west coast communities into spill preparedness and response activities.