The Rights of Nature movement is growing exponentially worldwide. Courts, legislatures, constitutions, customary laws of Indigenous communities and decisions of non-governmental organizations consciously recognize the Rights of Nature.
Over the past several years, IUCN has recognized the importance of Nature’s rights by making several commitments to consider the Rights of Nature when issuing IUCN decisions, supporting wildlife conventions, and drafting substantive principles of environmental law.
In 2012, the IUCN passed Resolution 100 calling for the IUCN to initiate a process that would include the Rights of Nature in IUCN as fundamental and key elements of decision making and within IUCN plans, programs, and projects.
Finally, at the IUCN Global Youth Summit held April 2021, Earth Law Center and the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature Youth Hub held a thematic workshop on Rights of Nature and future generations and produced a collaborative declaration containing specific recommendations to the IUCN to implement their commitments towards Rights of Nature. They include: updating the IUCN statutes to shift away from equating Nature to a natural resource and object here for human benefit and utility; creating an IUCN Commission (or working group within each Commission) for the Rights of Nature to be mainstreamed through cross-cutting and joint initiatives, events, discussions or projects; and creating best-guidelines documents to provide guidance to IUCN members on best practices and challenges to implementation and enforcement of Earth-centered governance. The Declaration and recommendations are included in the IUCN’s Draft Outcome Statement produced August 11, 2021. The declaration can be found here in multiple languages.
Today we are sharing all of the RoN-related events that will be taking place at the IUCN Congress 2021. Don’t miss them!

