17 Sep 2013|Noida|Noida | Amity University Campus, Sector-125 Noida
Mr. Samuel LaBudde –US biologist and environmentalist delivers lecture in Amity Law School Noida
Mr. Samuel LaBudde –eminent US biologist andenvironmentalist and recipient of Goldman Prize 1991, Head of EnvironmentalInvestigative Agency delivered a lecture in Amity Law School Noida for LLB andLLM students .
Major General Nilendra Kumar, Director of Amity Law School Noida welcomed the distinguished speaker and introduced him to the audience, stressing on various environmental campaigns led by Mr LaBudde which have had world wide impact.
During his one hour lecture, Mr Labudde enthralled the audience by shaking them out of their comfort zones and forcing them to look at the environment through new lenses. He called upon everyone in the audience to relook at their perspective on environment. He stressed that environmental concerns are a global concern and not restricted to a few countries, therefore, countries have to come together and work in this direction.
Without denying the negative role played by US and developed countries in creating environmental hazards, Mr LaBudde laid emphasis on how each one can make a change in the world if a rich legacy of healthy environment has to be left behind for future generations. The erudite speaker remarked that the rate at which man is destroying natural habitats,half of the animal population in the world will be extinct in the coming years.Unfortunately, in the name of development and economic progress, man is destroying his environment and erasing certain species from the surface of the earth. He cautioned that if the human beings do not take up the cudgels to actively save the environment now, then they are setting the stage for the extinction of the human race.
Talking about his background into environmental protection,Mr LaBudde shared how he conducted a six-month undercover investigation exposing dolphin slaughter by tuna industry, and organized and led a domestic campaign resulting in broad industry reforms and reduction of slaughter of dolphins by over 95%. He participated in successful legal and legislative efforts to strengthen and enforce Marine Mammal Protection Act as well as helped secure passage of first small cetacean resolutions before International Whaling Commission to protect dolphins and porpoises.
Can progress or be anathema to? Mr LaBudde opined that economic development and environmental concerns should go hand in hand, and a‘clean and green’ economic development is the order of the day. He stressed that human beings can no longer continue to live in a state of denial, or like ostriches with our heads in the sand, hoping that if they do not face the problem, the problem will go away. They have to be concerned and take action now”
“Life is all about how you live and what you give”said Mr LaBudde while sharing his philosophy with the budding lawyers of Amity Law School, Noida. He stressed, “Our legacy to our children is not the material things like house or wealth, but our effort to contribute to make the world a better and greener place, and this cannot be achieved without public policy reforms and political will. But first, we must all develop compassion in our hearts for all living creatures, and the belief that we can be the agents of change in leaving a legacy of cleaner and better environment to the generations to come”
The lecture was attended by over hundred students and few faculty members of Amity Law School, Noida