Rights of Nature

I heard David Suzuki talking about a trip to Ecuador and Bolivia, two relatively poor countries in South America, both of which have decided to forego the immediate gain of selling natural resources for the sake of long-term environmental sustainability. Ecuador is rich in oil, and Bolivia has vast reserves of lithium, used in batteries and electronic devices. Both countries are choosing to take a measured approach to resource development, and Ecuador is aware that it walking away from ten billion dollars, at leas in the short term. Listen to The Current episode to learn more:
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2013/01/04/david-suzukis-andean-adventure/

Ecuador is the first nation to include the rights of nature in its constitution:

Rights of nature

Article 71. Nature, or Pacha Mama, where life is reproduced and occurs, has the right to integral respect for its existence and for the maintenance and regeneration of its life cycles, structure, functions and evolutionary processes.

All persons, communities, peoples and nations can call upon public authorities to enforce the rights of nature. To enforce and interpret these rights, the principles set forth in the Constitution shall be observed, as appropriate.

The State shall give incentives to natural persons and legal entities and to communities to protect nature and to promote respect for all the elements comprising an ecosystem.

Article 72. Nature has the right to be restored. This restoration shall be apart from the obligation of the State and natural persons or legal entities to compensate individuals and communities that depend on affected natural systems.

In those cases of severe or permanent environmental impact, including those caused by the exploitation of nonrenewable natural resources, the State shall establish the most effective mechanisms to achieve the restoration and shall adopt adequate measures to eliminate or mitigate harmful environmental consequences.

Holy Pacha Mama! Are you wondering, as I am, why relatively wealthy Canada can't be as progressive? As a Christian concerned about the environment I think I would weep if our "grab it and run" federal and provincial governments could come close to matching the resolve of these two nations. I plan to watch the Nature of Things episode next week which takes us south. http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episode/david-suzukis-andean-adventure.html

What are your thoughts about this? Are you heartened or saddened or a little of both?