Rights of Nature: A Revolutionary and Growing Movement

Rights of Nature is a global movement to protect nature (rivers, mountains, and entire ecosystems and the life forms supported within them) by recognizing its legal rights. Just as humans and corporations are considered to “have rights,” this legal strategy grants rights to nature itself. These frameworks turn the existing property rights-based paradigm upside down and offer a powerful basis and strategy to conserve lands and communities. They also offer a radically different worldview: the right of nature to exist, persist, flourish and evolve.

Rights of Nature legal frameworks could hold important keys to shifting the system and transforming the law from treating nature as property to a rights-bearing entity on whose behalf people have legal standing as trustees. Bioneers is partnering with a variety of Native allies and organizations to explore these alternative legal strategies to “occupy the law.” Learn more about this project here.

Rights Based Law for Systemic Change

FEATURED MEDIA

Indigenize the Law: Tribal Rights of Nature Movements

In this two-part episode of the Indigeneity Conversations podcast with Matriarch Casey Camp-Horinek from the Ponca Nation, we talk about how a burgeoning indigenous-led Rights of Nature movement has the potential to protect ecosystems from destruction by granting legal rights to nature itself, and how many tribes are uniquely positioned for leadership to institute and uphold the Rights of Nature because of their sovereign legal status.

Listen to Part 1
Listen to Part 2
 
Mari Margil and Thomas Linzey, leading figures in the global movement to recognize the legal rights of ecosystems and nature, share exciting recent developments in that effort. Advancing the rights of nature in legal codes and constitutions can lead to a radical transformation in humankind’s relationship with the natural world.
Video

Changing Everything: The Global Movement for the Rights of Nature – Mari Margil and Thomas Linzey

 
Humans have strayed wildly from the Sacred System honored by all species, to live in harmony with all and to recognize our place in the Great Mystery. Casey Camp-Horinek says we must find our way back to Balance if we are to avoid the unraveling of the web of life.
Video

Aligning Human Law with Natural Law – Casey Camp-Horinek

 
Nature is not our property, and communities are now speaking up to pass legislation that honors and upholds the true rights of nature.
Video

The Rights of Nature with Mari Margil and Thomas Linzey

 
Bioneers Indigeneity Program Director and Manager Cara Romero and Alexis Bunten on the Rights of Nature and how the Bioneers Indigeneity Program is partnering with tribes and Native organizations around the world to share ways Native Peoples of all backgrounds protect nature.
Video

Indigenous Rights of Nature –
Cara Romero & Alexis Bunten

 
As species collapse around the world while governments still authorize fossil fuel extraction and other destructive, unsustainable activities, communities across the U.S. are rising in resistance to “occupy the law”.
Video

Occupy the Law –
Thomas Linzey & Mari Margil

 
The idea that a feature of nature, like a river, is a living being might seem like a strange concept to some, but it is nothing new to Indigenous and other traditional peoples around the world.
Article

What do the Rights of Nature have to do with Indigeneity?

 
Dan Wildcat, Ph.D., discusses what we need to do to save Mother Earth, beginning with changing our view of our place on the Earth.
Video

Dan Wildcat on Rights of Nature

 
It’s time to create a new economic and political system piece by piece – one that has, perhaps, never been seen before. The newness of the moment, far from giving us pause, should instead validate our belief that it’s the only work worth doing.
Article

Capitalism: The Elephant in the Room

 
In the 21st century, is it time to move from a Declaration of Independence to a Declaration of Interdependence? Join innovative environmental attorneys Thomas Linzey and Mari Margil for breakthroughs on the ground that are redefining democracy.
Podcast

Earth Justice: Corporate Rights vs. The Rights of Nature

 
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have long been held as the inalienable rights of US citizens. Then why is it that “corporate personhood” consistently overrides the legal rights of people? And what about the rights of nature? Do rivers, mountains – whole ecosystems – have inalienable rights that guarantee their interests?
Article

How to Legalize Sustainability: An Interview with Thomas Linzey

 
In deep contrast to the “human vs. nature” dichotomy underpinning much Western thought, Indigenous Peoples share a worldview that humans are a part of nature’s interconnected systems. In this panel, world-renowned Indigenous environmental leaders share their approaches for protecting Mother Earth and Indigenous rights.
Article

Codifying Indigenous Worldviews into Law to Protect Biodiversity

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse

Our bi-weekly newsletter provides insights into the people, projects, and organizations creating lasting change in the world.