Ecuadorans Recognize Rights of Ecosystems
As predicted, the people of Ecuador did vote to approve the new constitution and now that country is the first in which ecosystems are legally considered rights-bearing entities rather than property.
By
an overwhelming margin, the people of Ecuador today voted for a new
constitution that is the first in the world to recognize legally enforceable
Rights of Nature, or ecosystem rights. |
Article
1 of the new “Rights for Nature” chapter of the Ecuador constitution
reads: “Nature or Pachamama, where life is reproduced and exists, has the
right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure,
functions and its processes in evolution. Every person, people, community
or nationality, will be able to demand the recognitions of rights for nature
before the public bodies.” |
change the status of ecosystems from being regarded as property under
the law to being recognized as rights-bearing entities. |
recognize that ecosystems possess
the inalienable and fundamental right to exist and flourish, and that people
possess the legal authority to enforce those rights on behalf of
ecosystems |
require the governments to remedy
violations of those ecosystem rights |
|
|
September 30th, 2008 | Category: Uncategorized
| Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL
October 1st, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Wow!!! What a HUGE and wonderful success for our world, in my opinion. All life deserves to live as nature intended.
October 11th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I profoundly appreciate the humility, farsightedness, and sense of connection and responsibility to the earth that is implied in this magnificent upgrade to the law. Gratitude and props to Ecuadorians. Would that my own country show such wisdom in its policies.