Who owns nature? | Jan van de Venis | TEDxAmsterdam

It’s a magnificent feeling, being one with nature. We are critically connected to nature. We carry microorganisms, we breathe its air, drink its water and eat everything it provides. But we’re parasites. We consume more than we need, eating up the planet. We’re creating a negative future for our children. Who are we to claim nature?
An indigenous belief is, that mankind cannot own nature. Nature owns itself. Jan follows this belief, one that would enable nature to have ownership over itself. Nature would decide what happens to it. One such pieces of nature, is the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Wadden Sea. A vibrant ecosystem, brimming with life. But it is at risk. We’re extracting gas from it, ships are polluting it, the governance of the Wadden does not protect nature. Now, by making the Wadden Sea its own legal entity, Dutch law enables it to own itself. Making this piece of nature one that is as unique as it is efficient. The answer to the question: “Who owns nature?” is a simple one: nature owns nature. Jan van de Venis is owner of law firm JustLaw. His firm concentrates on human rights and sustainability issues. His aim is to get corporations to be more considerate of our world and those in our world. Jan’s influence and practice extends far beyond his own law firm. He is an expert member of UN expert network ‘UN Harmony with Nature’ on earth centered law. He has a particular interest in giving nature its rights back. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx