The Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN) proudly recognizes Ecuadorian lawyer Gustavo Redín as this month’s Outstanding Member of the Month for his extraordinary contributions to advancing the Rights of Nature in Ecuador.
As President of CEDENMA and co-founder of EPICENTRE, Gustavo has dedicated his career to defending ecosystems, species, and communities through strategic litigation and legal advocacy. Working from Quito, he combines deep legal expertise in environmental, constitutional, and Indigenous law with a strong commitment to grassroots movements.
In recent months, Gustavo has been involved in a series of landmark cases that demonstrate the transformative power of the Rights of Nature:
One such case protected the critically endangered Jambato frog, where legal action successfully halted infrastructure development that threatened the species with extinction. In another victory, legal measures stopped sand extraction from a turtle nesting beach in Playa Bikini, recognizing the rights of leatherback turtles, one of the most threatened species in the world, and mandating ecosystem restoration.
Gustavo has also contributed to broader systemic cases, including litigation addressing the harmful impacts of gas flaring, where courts recognized violations of Nature’s rights and called for environmental restoration.
Beyond litigation, Gustavo has played a key role in shaping Ecuador’s environmental legal framework, contributing to the Organic Law of Animal Welfare and reforms to environmental legislation. He also provides legal support to Indigenous leaders defending their territories against mining pressures.
His work reflects a fundamental principle at the heart of the Rights of Nature movement, that justice is about transforming relationships between people, ecosystems, and the systems that govern them.
GARN celebrates Gustavo Redín for his courage, creativity, and unwavering commitment to ensuring that Nature is recognized, defended, and restored.
✨ Want to be featured next month? Nominate yourself, someone else, your own organization or an organization you admire by joining GARN for free: garn.org/get-involved. You’ll receive the application link directly in your inbox.
