UN General Assembly
2010

harmony with Nature. Why do we live in harmony with Nature? We came from the Earth, we live on the Earth and to earth we will return. The Earth, Planet Earth, Nature, “Pachamama”, Mother Earth — this is our home, this is our mother. The Earth gives us life: water, natural resources, the abundance of Nature. How can we turn Mother Nature into a business? Because of the discussion I have with social movements around the world, particularly with indigenous movements, I am convinced that the planet can exist without human beings, but human beings cannot exist without the planet. As human beings have rights, like the right to life, so too does the planet, Mother Nature, have the right to life. Just as we human beings reproduce, biodiversity has a right to regenerate. For these and many other reasons besides, we have the obligation to save Planet Earth. Within that context, our proposal is quite simple. Here at the United Nations we must develop a project to protect the rights of Mother Earth. This morning