GARN Global Gathering 2022 - Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN)

Rights of Nature Global Gathering

Oct. 15 – 18, 2022

Siena, Italy

The GARN Global Gathering

Held in October in Siena, Italy, marked the first time that 70 leaders [see full list of participants at the bottom of this page] from the Rights of Nature movement – economists, lawyers, scientists, Indigenous leaders, community activists and authors from 22 countries and 4 Indigenous nations – came together since the pandemic, to reflect on their work to transform our society’s relationship with the larger Earth community.

The Alliance gathered its Executive Committee members, Hub leaders, Advisory Board members, Rights of Nature Tribunal members, and movement leaders for four days of convening and integration.

Media

Rights of Nature cases around the world

The overarching goal of this gathering was to define a framework of action to keep expanding the implementation and integration of the Rights of Nature all around the world.

GARN members and allies presented the latest news and updates on the Rights of Nature movement cases around the world, from Mar Menor in Spain, to the Philippines, Germany, France, Sweden, Ecuador, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Panamá, going on to Indigenous territories (ranging from the Ponca Nation to Aotearoa), sharing their experiences to keep inspiring and driving the movement forward.

Watch recording of presentations Access the presentations

Launch of Eco-Jurisprudence Monitor

The Gathering include the launch of the Eco-Jurisprudence Monitor, an interactive online platform that compiles ecological jurisprudence initiatives globally as well as related resources for researchers, lawyers, policymakers, and activists. The Monitor was presented by Alessandro Pelizzon and Craig Kauffman from GARN’s Academic Hub.

Visit the Eco-Jurisprudence Monitor

Building Our United Vision & Strategy for the Rights of Nature Movement

The gathering served as a vehicle towards building GARN’s strategy, governance and vision for the next 10 years, with the expression of the common dream for both the Alliance and the movement moving forward.

International Rights of Nature Tribunal

The International Rights of Nature Tribunal is a vehicle for re-framing and adjudicating prominent environmental and social justice cases within the context of a Rights of Nature based earth jurisprudence. The GARN Gathering brought a prominent leader from the Permanent People’s Tribunal to share knowledge, expertise and experience. During the Gathering Tribunal judges, lawyers, the Secretariat along with all participants explored ways and strategies for building the International Rights of Nature Tribunal’s independence, legitimacy and impact.

Learn more about the Tribunal

Strengthening GARN Regional and Theme-Based Hubs

Strategic alliances between GARN’s regional and thematic hubs were forged, affirmed and deepened: the European, Latin American and African Hubs worked together in an interactive dialogue with the Academic, Legal and Youth Hubs, as well as the Indigenous Council and the Tribunal Judges Assembly. During these sessions, the Asia-Pacific and North American Hubs were created. The Global Gathering nurtured and broadened peer-to-peer relationships that foster a deep understanding across the diversity of cultures, philosophies and life experiences that make GARN a reference in the field of the Rights of Nature.

Learn more about the Hubs

Declaration

Seed of Siena – GARN Gathering Declaration

Amid a backdrop of escalating violence against planet and people, of wars and conflict that cause deep suffering and further drive the extraction of fossil fuels, minerals and metals, of empty pledges from international negotiations on climate and biodiversity, our Declaration from the GARN Global Gathering is a call to act now.

We celebrate that, earlier this year, Panama joined Bolivia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Spain, among other countries which have issued court decisions, enacted laws or amended constitutions recognizing the legal rights of Nature. We applaud the people of Chile for their mobilization and the drafting of a new Constitution that would recognize Nature, and we encourage them in their efforts to adopt governance models that give equal respect to animals, plants, ecosystems and humans.

We commend all civil society movements who remind us that all life, all ecosystems on our planet are deeply intertwined. We rejoice the ongoing initiatives to restore and recognize the rights of rivers, lakes and specific natural areas – such as the Muteshekau Shipu ( Magpie River) in Canada, and the Mar Menor in Spain – and we salute the work of Indigenous peoples to restore their rights and customary laws, such as the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma adopting a new statute for the rights of the Ní’skà, andNi’ží’dè Rivers and other water bodies within their territory.

Read the full Declaration here

The Seed of Siena Declaration is a reminder of what unites us and a call to trust in the movement and the relationships we share.

New Constitution

General Assembly & approval of GARN Constitution

The General Assembly was held during the last day of the Gathering. It was a hybrid event inviting GARN’s members around the world to participate. The Assembly included a presentation on GARN’s proposed three-year plan and global strategy (developed during the Gathering) to keep advancing the Rights of Nature movement around the world, as well as a revision, discussion and vote on GARN’s Constitution.

The Constitution was drafted with the support of key members of GARN’s Executive Committee and Staff, and was open to the membership for feedback and collaboration during the 30 days leading up to the gathering.