Giving the environment a legal right to thrive

“‘Rights of nature’ is the idea that nature possesses fundamental rights, just as humans do. The Rights of Nature movement has ancient roots, arising from indigenous traditions that have always treated humans as part of nature, rather than distinct from it. Rights of Nature seeks to rewrite the legal system to work for the environment instead of against it. The movement is led by indigenous peoples, civil society, legal experts, and youth organisations, who all demand systemic reform of our treatment of nature.

Earth’s ecological systems are deteriorating dramatically. A 2019 UN report on biodiversity found that human activity is driving mass extinction and global biodiversity loss, with dire ramifications for human well-being and society. The report warned that