Within days, a proposal will be unveiled that could legalizecommercial whale hunting for the first time in 24 years.
Once the proposal becomes public, member countries of theInternational Whaling Commission will make a decision to support it --or push back.
An outcry now -- in the days and hours before these countries decidetheir positions -- could stiffen the spines of those who want to protectwhales by keeping whaling illegal. Avaaz has launched a last-momentpetition which will be delivered to the delegates to the IWC every timewe raise 100,000 signatures -- sign here and forward this message:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/whales_under_threat_4/?cl=545785062&v=5991
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Replies
it seems efforts have worked for now.
in friendship,
prad
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Subject: Good News for Whales
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:10:20 -0500 (CDT)
Reply-To: NRDC - Peter Lehner
Organization: NRDC
Dear prad,
I have fantastic news: the International Whaling Commission (IWC)
announced yesterday that it is delaying action on a deal that would
have legalized commercial whaling for the first time in a generation.
The IWC's decision is a huge victory for whales -- and for
activists like you -- against very long odds. And it was made possible
by more than 100,000 NRDC Members and BioGems Defenders like you who
helped ignite a worldwide outcry against this potentially disastrous
policy change.
Just weeks ago, Pierce Brosnan kicked off NRDC's public
mobilization campaign by alerting you to this deadly deal and asking
you to make your voice heard in opposition. At that time, an end to
the ban on whaling seemed virtually inevitable.
The deal had been negotiated for years in secret, closed-door
meetings. The talks were spearheaded by key governments, including our
own, which believed that lifting the ban on whaling would rein in
rogue whaling by Japan, Iceland and Norway.
But, in fact, the proposed deal was a capitulation to the whaling
nations, conferring legitimacy on their slaughter of whales after
they'd defied international law for years.
The deal would have suspended the whaling ban for 10 years and opened
up a designated whale sanctuary to commercial whaling. And it would
not have put binding measures in place to stop whaling nations from
killing whales under legal loopholes like "scientific
permits."
Worst of all, the deal would have given moral cover to the notion
that we can save whales by killing them -- instead of by banning their
slaughter.
Fortunately, a worldwide outcry helped halt this headlong rush to
legalize the slaughter of whales for profit. It shone a spotlight on
the secret proceedings and put pressure on anti-whaling nations --
like the United States -- to toughen their stance in negotiating with
the whaling nations. That last-minute shift produced a whale-saving
deadlock.
This fight is not yet over. The IWC has left the proposed deal open on
its agenda, meaning that it could be revisited in the next two days.
More likely, the IWC will opt for a year-long "cooling-off
period" and take up the issue again next year. We'll be
ready to mobilize again whenever this proposed deal is put back on the
table.
In the weeks and months ahead, we'll be urging the IWC to focus
its conservation efforts on emerging threats to marine mammals that
are growing with each passing day: from entanglement to ship strikes,
from noise pollution to global warming.
In the meantime, I want to thank you for helping secure this important
victory for whales -- and for making sure that the slaughter of whales
for profit will remain illegal.
Sincerely,
Peter Lehner
Executive Director
Natural Resources Defense Council
Take Care
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/japans-bribes-on-whaling
in friendship,
prad
http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AFwlW/zkT6/kfkX
in friendship,
prad
On the topic of whales.
This organization rocks
http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1342
Take Care,
you can complement your efforts for whales by sending a message to obama as well:
http://www.nrdconline.org/site/R?i=aDpzjA9qHM3_sqnLimpb9g
details from nrdc and pierce brosnan follows below.
in friendship,
prad
======
Subject: This message from Pierce Brosnan is a must read.
Date: Mon, 3 May 2010 12:53:51 -0500 (CDT)
Reply-To: NRDC - Frances Beinecke
Organization: NRDC
Dear prad,
If you haven't had a chance to read the message below from
Pierce Brosnan, please take a minute right now. The only way to stop
commercial whaling is to make sure that President Obama hears from
thousands of people like you right away. Please make your voice heard
today!
http://www.nrdconline.org/site/R?i=aDpzjA9qHM3_sqnLimpb9g..
Frances
********************************************************************
Dear prad,
I was appalled to hear -- on Earth Day of all days -- that the
International Whaling Commission has put forward a deal that would
legalize commercial whaling for the first time in a generation.
Even worse, the Obama Administration has
backed this deadly proposal, which would suspend the international ban
on whaling and make it legal once again to kill whales for profit.
During his campaign, President Obama promised America he would oppose
the killing of these magnificent creatures. It's time for you
and me to hold him to that promise.
Please call on the White House to oppose any
deal that would legitimize the hunting and killing of whales.
http://www.nrdconline.org/site/R?i=1iPFkHTzoiLdqFfdkgkymQ..
Obama Administration officials claim that the IWC deal would be a
"step forward" for whales because it could rein in Japan,
Iceland and Norway, which have killed thousands of whales since 1986
by exploiting loopholes in the whaling ban.
But, in fact, this new deal is a giant step backward. It rewards those
three nations for years of defying international law. It does their
bidding by suspending the whaling ban for 10 years. It opens up the
Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to whaling. And it will not stop them
from trading in whale meat or killing whales under legal loopholes
like "scientific permits."
Don't believe for a minute that this kind of deal would phase
down whaling. Instead, it would breathe new life into a dying
industry.
Worst of all, the deal gives moral cover to the absurd notion that we
can save whales by killing them -- instead of by banning their
slaughter.
There is no moral justification for killing whales. There is no
scientific justification for killing whales.
And if the Obama Administration persists in supporting a deal that
encourages the killing of whales, it will tarnish not only the White
House but our entire nation.
Please join me in telling President Obama to
vigorously oppose this deal and instead push for a deal that closes
the loopholes
http://www.nrdconline.org/site/R?i=SvgE8RcFnqq1vv5qZUiJyg..
and ends commercial whaling once and for all!
Thanks to the efforts of NRDC, you and I have prevailed so many times
in defense of our planet's whales. We saved the gray
whale's last untouched nursery in Mexico's San Ignacio
Lagoon against Mitsubishi's plans for industrialization. And we
reined in the Navy's use of dangerous sonar systems around
marine mammals.
Now, with our own government supporting an unthinkable deal that would
legalize the commercial killing of whales, we must unite again and
say: Not on our watch!
I hope you'll make your own voice heard inside the White House
today. Thank you.
http://www.nrdconline.org/site/R?i=NH8RdL3HoT8txhJrGxDMhg..
Sincerely,
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Natural Resources Defense Council
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