Throughout the course you were introduced to various aspects of international treaties and agreements, the influence of globalization and trade on the environment, and the work of environmental activists. This discussion is designed to show how these “larger forces” significantly impact individuals and communities and may potentially threaten their security and lives’.
Environmental conflict in Ecuador- a delicate balance (Links to an external site.)
Chipko Movement in India (Links to an external site.)(showing an active role of women in the grassroots movement)
Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (Links to an external site.) (Amy Goodman interviewing Vandana Shiva and Maude Barlow)
The first video documents the impact of an oil pipeline on the local social and ecological environment, either by displacement or polluting resources.
The second video revisits the “Chipko Movement” in Uttarakhand, India, where women played an important role in protecting their forests and resources.
Watch the above clips and discuss the importance of small-scale individual movements in addressing global environmental issues. What role do they play within international environmental regimes? What tools do they use to resist global forces that negatively impact their communities? How successful are they?
