The CT Environmental Rights Amendment
How I met Green Amendments for the Generations founder, Maya van Rossum
Last November at the Connecticut State Capitol, I found myself at the back of a large room during the Connecticut Environmental Rights Amendment (CTERA) strategy meeting. This groundbreaking amendment, introduced through the tireless work of Maya van Rossum, aims to establish constitutional protection for environmental rights in Connecticut. The amendment would guarantee each resident’s right to clean air, water, soil, and a stable climate while ensuring these protections are applied equitably across all communities regardless of race, ethnicity, tribal status, gender, socioeconomics, or geography.
As Kim Stoner, a respected entomologist with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and other environmental leaders presented, Maya van Rossum's presence was projected onto a digital screen at the far end of the room. Her book, "The Green Amendment," sat near the entrance alongside informational materials. Though she was central to the initiative, she remained somewhat peripheral to my experience that day, her image distant on the screen as I absorbed the gravity of the proposed constitutional changes.
Weeks later, while serving as a journalist at HackSummit, a Swiss-founded Climate x Deep Tech conference focused on tech founders and venture capitalists, I hadn’t reviewed the names on my interview schedule, so didn’t yet know that Maya van Rossum was among them. In an event dominated by climate tech startups and investors, her presence as a non-profit leader was unique. The moment she appeared at our meeting place holding her book, I instantly recognized her as the same passionate advocate I'd seen weeks before in Hartford. Our shared commitment to environmental protection created an immediate connection.
Maya's work on the Green Amendment movement is more crucial than ever. Her vision has already led to successful constitutional amendments in states like Pennsylvania and New York, establishing environmental rights as fundamental human rights on par with freedom of speech and religion. The Connecticut Green Amendment would create a trustee relationship between the state government and its natural resources, requiring officials to protect and maintain them for present and future generations. It would also provide legal recourse when these rights are violated, ensuring environmental protection becomes a constitutional mandate rather than just a policy choice.
Through this chance second encounter, I gained a deeper appreciation for the critical intersection of environmental advocacy, constitutional law, and the power of dedicated leadership in creating lasting change. It further motivated me to submit my written testimony to the public hearing for SJ36, the CT Environmental Rights Amendment, in the Government Administration and Elections Committee. Kim Stoner and others also spearheaded a testimony training via Zoom this week to simplify the process for all interested parties.
kHyal and Maya van Rossum at HackSummit, Newlab, Brooklyn, NY
