In 2008, when Ecuador incorporated Rights of Nature into its new constitution, the idea was acknowledged as groundbreaking, but was also dismissed by some as unrealistic.

Bolivia’s recent legislation recognizing Rights of Nature, along with last week’s United Nations General Assembly panel debate about harmony with nature, has set off another wave of coverage from various news outlets.

The Pachamama Alliance has been a key supporter of Rights of Nature since 2007, both in the Ecuador constitution and as one of the founding members of the Global Alliance for Rights of Nature.

Rights of Nature: Basic Grassroots Democracy

Given our role in the development of Rights of Nature, The Pachamama Alliance has received particular attention in some of the coverage of the U.N. debate and other related developments.

The Pachamama Alliance is committed to Rights of Nature as a powerful tool for preserving communities’ rights to self-determination. “Rights of Nature is about people having a legal framework to effectively defend themselves and their communities from threats that would destroy their natural environment,” said Bill Twist, CEO of The Pachamama Alliance.

Rights of Nature is about promoting laws that truly represent the interests of the many – people and the environments that sustain their lives and livelihoods – rather than the profits and interests of the few.

In other words, Rights of Nature is about basic, grassroots democracy.

Some news coverage has questioned the basic premise of Rights of Nature, as exhibited by this print story and this video excerpt.