Legal bid for Ecuador forest to be recognised as song co-creator – The Guardian
Legal bid for Ecuador forest to be recognised as song co-creator The Guardian
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Ecuadorian Forest Seeks Recognition as Co-Creator of Song
A groundbreaking legal proposal in Ecuador aims to recognize a forest as a co-creator of a song. The More Than Human Life (Moth) project plans to submit a petition to Ecuador’s copyright office, seeking recognition for the Los Cedros cloud forest as the co-creator of the composition “Song of the Cedars.” This initiative marks the first legal attempt to acknowledge an ecosystem’s moral authorship of a work of art.
Song Composition and Collaboration
The song incorporates melodies of echo-locating bats, howler monkeys, rustling leaves, and even a recording of the soil taken from the spot where a new species of fungus was discovered. It was composed by musician Cosmo Sheldrake, writer Robert Macfarlane, field mycologist Giuliana Furci, and legal scholar César Rodríguez-Garavito during a field trip to Ecuador.
Philosophy and Legal Implications
The composition of the song took place during a field trip to the high forest in Ecuador. Writer Robert Macfarlane described the process as an act of co-authorship with the forest, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the creative process with the natural environment. This initiative challenges the traditional understanding of authorship and ownership in Western law.
Legal Personhood and Future Implications
The Los Cedros biological reserve in Ecuador was granted legal personhood by the country’s constitutional court in 2021, setting a precedent for recognizing the rights of nature. If the copyright agency acknowledges the moral authorship of the forest, it is expected that other nations’ copyright authorities will follow suit. However, moral authorship does not grant the forest economic rights, and any income generated from the song will be directed towards a fund for its protection.
Future Challenges and Invitation for Action
The recognition of the forest as a moral author in a work of art is an experiment and an invitation to challenge existing notions of property and authorship. The project aims to inspire other artists, lawyers, and creatives to explore similar ideas in their respective fields and redefine the boundaries of ownership and collaboration.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 15: Life on Land
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
The article discusses the recognition of a forest as the co-creator of a song, highlighting the importance of nature and the rights of ecosystems. This aligns with SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Additionally, the article mentions the need to protect the forest and its rivers, which relates to SDG 13, addressing climate action. Finally, the article mentions the income from streaming platforms going towards a fund for the forest’s protection, which relates to SDG 12, promoting responsible consumption and production.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 15.1: By 2030, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
- SDG 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
The article highlights the need to recognize the forest as a co-creator of the song, emphasizing the importance of conserving and protecting terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15.1). The mention of canceling mining permits in the forest also aligns with the integration of climate change measures into policies and planning (SDG 13.2). Furthermore, the article mentions the income from streaming platforms going towards the protection of the forest, which relates to reducing waste generation and promoting responsible consumption (SDG 12.5).
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Number of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems conserved, restored, and sustainably used
- Integration of climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
- Amount of waste generated and percentage recycled or reused
The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators to measure progress towards the identified targets. However, the recognition of the forest as a co-creator of the song and the allocation of income from streaming platforms towards its protection can be indicators of progress towards conserving and sustainably using terrestrial ecosystems. The cancellation of mining permits in the forest can be seen as an indicator of integrating climate change measures into policies and planning. The mention of reducing waste generation and using streaming income for protection implies progress towards waste reduction and responsible consumption.
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1: By 2030, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. | Number of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems conserved, restored, and sustainably used |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | Integration of climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse. | Amount of waste generated and percentage recycled or reused |
Source: theguardian.com
