Rights of Nature Toolkit

Earth Law Center and other leading practitioners released a Community Toolkit for Rights of Nature. Download the Toolkit now to learn how your own local government can harmonize its environmental programs with the needs of Nature.

You can also visit the Earth Law Portal in order to see legal templates for your local community that can advance the Rights of Nature!

Local communities lead the way to Rights of Nature wins. Cities and towns across the United States and around the world have adopted laws and policies that recognize the human right to a healthy environment and Nature’s own right to be healthy. Join us in this global movement.

CRESTONE, COLORADO

On July 16, 2018 the Town of Crestone’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution recognizing the Rights of Nature. Crestone now joins dozens of communities and nations around the world that recognize Nature’s inherent rights.

In conceiving and drafting the resolution Crestone consulted numerous experts, including Earth Law Center. The other experts included longtime Crestone visitor and “Earth Jurisprudence” advocate Myra L. Jackson, the U.N. Harmony with Nature program, and Marsha Moutrie, who drafted Santa Monica’s Rights of Nature law. Additionally, the local newspaper fostered important community dialogue on the initiative.

Watch Grant Wilson's talk in Crestone, Colorado

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA

In 2013, Santa Monica passed the Sustainability Rights Ordinance, that recognized “the rights of people, natural communities and ecosystems to exist, regenerate and flourish” within the City. Specifically, this ordinance gives the residents of Santa Monica the right to a healthy and sustainable environment, the rights to self governance, and gives citizens the authority to protect Nature’s rights on behalf of the groundwater aquifers, atmospheric systems, marine waters and native species within the boundaries of the city. Prior to the ordinance, a resolution was passed, so that the City Council, Environmental Task Force and community, could become familiar with an Earth law approach and what it would mean in practice.

STATE OF COLIMA, MEXICO

On June 10, 2019, the State of Colima, Mexico, recognized the Rights of Nature in its Constitution. This makes Colima the first entire state or province in North America to recognize Nature’s rights. Earth Law Center is proud to have been consulted as a drafting expert on the Rights of Nature while the State government wrote the constitutional amendment. (In 2018, Mexico City adopted Rights of Nature into its Constitution.)

Philippines

ELC partners with Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. an advocacy network of 250+ Philippine church/faith-based groups, NGOs and people's organization. ELC provided input to a draft Rights of Nature bill, which was presented at the “People’s Congress on the Rights of Nature” on July 20, 2019 and filed in the upper house and senate in October, awaiting review in session. You can read more in our statements of solidarity (July 2019 and February 2020), coordinated with partners, in support of the draft bill. See here for media on the initiative.

Rights of Nature Around the World

To correct the environmental problems we face, we must fully understand their scope. Transparency is critical. We also must work together with our allies in this shared effort. ELC maps include data for our allies and problem areas to better focus and galvanize the support needed for success.

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