“La naturaleza o Pacha Mama, donde se reproduce y realiza la vida, tiene derecho a que se respete integralmente su existencia y el mantenimiento y regeneración de sus ciclos vitales, estructura, funciones y procesos evolutivos.” –Constitución de Ecuador, Articulo 71
“Nature or Pacha Mama, 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.” – Ecuadorian Constitution, Article 71
In 2008, the Ecuadorian government came together to publish a new constitution, one that would include not just rights of humans, but also the rights of nature. After this new constitution was put into action Ecuador became one of very few countries with this kind of political language focused on nature. Below are photos I have taken along paired with examples of how the constitution lays out how this new "Rights of Nature" law will be put into action, followed by some initial commentaries on its effectiveness.
"Nature has the right to restoration. This integral restoration is independent of the obligation on natural and juridical persons or the State to indemnify the people and the collectives that depend on the natural systems." - Art.72
"The State will apply precaution and restriction measures in all the activities that can lead to the extinction of species, the destruction of the ecosystems or the permanent alteration of the natural cycles." - Art. 73
"Municipal governments shall have the following exclusive jurisdictions, without detriment to others as established by law: To mark out, regulate, authorize and control the use of sea beaches, the banks and beds of rivers, lakes and ponds, without detriment to the limitations provided for by law. To protect and ensure effective access of people to the use of sea beaches and the banks of rivers, lakes and ponds. To regulate, authorize and control the exploitation of sandy, stony and rocky material found on the beds of rivers and lakes, on sea beaches and in quarries." - Article 264
“This reform challenges older paradigms of progress and development, and puts the idea of harmony with Pachamama on center stage. Pachamama is no longer seen as a set of natural resources to be exploited or as a chain of natural elements that comprise the environment and must be protected. The debate goes beyond this, and it intends to establish new ways of thought and living with a claim that nature has its own rights...The actual implementation of nature’s rights is now the challenge. Many conflicts have taken place in the last years due to political decisions regarding the protection of Pachamama.” - María Valeria Berros
“Aparentemente la figura jurídica de la naturaleza como sujeto de derechos en un primer momento nos satisface como una necesaria transformación que el derecho ambiental requiere ¿pero no estaremos cayendo nuevamente en la trampa del antropocentrismo? Quien le representa y le da voz a la naturaleza es el propio ser humano, con sus prejuicios e intereses, ¿No será mas viable fortalecer nuestros deberes y obligaciones estableciendo reglas claras y umbrales científicos y rigurosos con la naturaleza en función de su valor intrínseco?"
- Ricardo Crespo
"Apparently the judicial image of nature as a subject of rights in the first place satisfies a required necessary transformation of environmental rights, but are we not yet again falling into the trap of anthropomorphism? It is human beings who represent and give voice to nature, with their own prejudices and interests. Would it not be more viable to strengthen our own work and obligations, to establish clear laws and rigorous scientific thresholds with respect to the inherent value of nature ?"
“Talvez el efecto simbólico de entender a la naturaleza como sujeto de derechos podría producir que los jueces y administradores públicos así como los ciudadanos otorguen mayor visibilidad y fuerza a nuestras responsabilidades éticas y deberes jurídicos con la naturaleza.”
- Ricardo Crespo
"Perhaps the symbolic effect of understanding nature as a subject deserving rights will cause public judges and administrators, as well as citizens, to give greater visibility and strengthen our ethic responsibilities and legal duties towards nature."
