In celebration of Earth and the environment, Classical Pacific host Sharene Taba shares classical conservation conversations on Mondays at 4 p.m.
Dr. Shawn Lum, the former President of the Nature Society (Singapore) and Senior Lecturer at the Nanyang Technological University Asian School of the Environment, teaches plant diversity, forest ecology, and conservation. He joins Classical Pacific to discuss the state of nature and nature conservation in a global context, with a focus on the Pacific.
In this episode, Dr. Lum discusses the recognition of legal personhood for non-human entities, highlighting the Whanganui River's status in Aotearoa as a legal person under the Te Awa Tupua Act. This act acknowledges the river's rights, powers, duties, and liabilities. Legal personhood has also been extended to Te Urewera and Mount Taranaki. He delves into the need for broader policy changes beyond legal recognition to protect nature, noting that local communities, particularly indigenous peoples, have the emotional and practical knowledge to manage nature effectively, aligning with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of equal rights.
This classical conservation conversation concludes with "He Puti Puti Koe" (To a Lovely Flower) with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Carl Doy and the New Zealand Symphony.
This conversation aired on Jan. 20, 2025 on Classical Pacific.
