Declaration of Rights of Nature

Draft document for local application and public revision

As children of the Earth, we understand that all life on Earth is part of Nature and subject to the laws of Nature. We accept that the health of all human beings is fully integrated with the health of the planet, Mother Earth, Gaia, Nature or Pachama, as she is known in many cultures.

Photo by Miguel Angel Diaz. Portrait of Cacique Jattöpa, Pueblo Indígena Huottöją, Amazonas, Venezuela

Preamble

As children of the Earth, we understand that all life on Earth is part of Nature and subject to the laws of Nature.  We accept that the health of all human beings is fully integrated with the health of the planet, Mother Earth, Gaia, Nature or Pachama, as she is known in many cultures. All of the resources humans need come from the Earth. From the Earth is born the water of life that quenches our thirst and the air that many take for granted. We come from Nature and without Nature we cannot exist. 

We accept that many human laws and practices have been, and continue to be, misaligned with the laws of Nature. To remedy this misalignment, we recognize that human laws are superseded by the unchanging laws of Nature.

We further recognize that Nature has rights, within which, humans have both human rights and responsibilities.  Nature’s rights and human rights can and should be mutually reinforcing. Any activity that destroys the balance of Nature has direct negative consequences under natural law, and violates human rights, and the rights of future generations. Therefore, the Rights of Nature illuminate binding responsibilities for society, states, governments, and their institutions, as well as companies.

Nature is the source of deeper understanding. Both ancestral and modern sciences stem from the natural world. As demonstrated by Indigenous Peoples worldwide, cultures living according to Nature’s principles are able to interpret Nature’s language and codes. The rivers, the seas, the mountains, the jungle, the moors, the beaches, the mangroves and the glaciers speak of how to act in alignment with the living natural order of our planet. Indeed, our deep connection with other living beings is evidenced by the physical pain and heartache we experience when we watch the razing of a forest, the extinction of species, or the pollution of a river.Indeed, it is self-evident to any human  who has watched a forest razed, a species go extinct, or a river polluted, that violations of natural law cause us physical pain and heartache, as we feel a connection with other living beings.

The recognition that Nature provides for our needs is distinct from concepts that natural resources have no intrinsic rights, existing only for humans to utilize. If we exploit these resources, we deplete ourselves emotionally, spiritually, and physically. As such it is urgent for humanity to prioritize the complementarity and order between Nature’s Rights, Human Rights, and other Commercial Rights. 

Our societies must upgrade our mechanistic models of nature and align with both the ancient knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and modern science, which is awakening to the interconnectedness of all life. 

Our fate and the fate of the planet are one.

Rights of Nature

ARTICLE 1

Right to respect

Nature, its rights and its associated laws merit respect. Natural law does not follow human thought, human laws, or human logic. When these laws conflict, consequences follow Nature’s laws. Therefore it is human laws, institutions, and systems that must conform to Nature’s logic, laws, design, and principles.

ARTICLE 2 

Right to exist

Nature (every ecosystem, species, element, and natural entity) has an inherent right to exist, persist and continue its vital cycles. This right ensures that natural entities are not treated merely as property and resources for human use but are recognized for their own intrinsic value.

ARTICLE 3

Right to health

Nature has the right to maintain ecosystem health and function, including ecological integrity, feedback mechanisms necessary to achieve balance, and other natural processes including evolution. Homeostasis is the hallmark of Life at all levels. This includes the conservation of biodiversity, the right of species to their habitats, and the preservation of ecosystems from destruction or fragmentation. Furthermore, Nature has the right to maintain the integrity of its natural circulatory systems, including wind, sand, freshwater, ocean, and ice flows.

ARTICLE 4

Right to resilience

Nature has the right to maintain its ecosystems and species populations in a resilient condition. Humans have a responsibility to rectify activities that have reduced the natural environment below resilient levels and restore the health and vitality of affected areas. Offsets and monetary compensation have no relevance to Nature and may not be used as a substitute for restoration.

ARTICLE 5

Right to natural evolution

Nature has the right to develop its regenerative evolution. Humans have a responsibility to protect Nature from human-induced designs such as genetically engineered crops, and genetically modified organisms as well as from human interventions such as the introduction of invasive species.

ARTICLE 6 

Right to metabolize

Nature has the right to recycle waste. Humans have a responsibility to align with Nature’s processes. This includes the right to be protected from polluting substances that do not have natural degradation processes. This includes light, air, water, soil, and noise pollution.

Article 7

Right to legal representation

Natural entities are entitled to legal representation in all forums where their rights might be affected. The rights declared herein must be enforceable through legal and administrative actions, ensuring violations such as ecocide, extinctions, and pollution can be addressed and remedied. Any citizen may take up a case representing the rights of Nature in that locality.

Article 8

Right to human stewardship

Nature is inclusive of all human beings. The rights of nature and human rights can, and should, be mutually reinforcing — as in the human of right to a “clean, healthy and sustainable environment”. Nature has the right to human cultures and co-habitats that act to maintain it. Nature’s rights, therefore, do not justify violations of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendent Peoples, and local communities, to their traditional lands, territories and resources.

Note: This draft undergoes periodic revision with a panel of experts. It is not final, or static, but is meant as a starting point for any community, jurisdiction, or coalition seeking to promote the Rights of Nature. You are more than welcome to get involved in the revision process, submit comments, or promote aligned action.

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For Nature. With ❤️.