PRESENTATION
The second International Rights of Nature Tribunal convened December 5-6, 2014 in Lima, Peru. For two full days a panel of 13 distinguished judges heard twelve prominent cases while on the other side of the city the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC COP 20) deliberated.
The Tribunal heard evidence from experts and witnesses who are impacted by gross violations to the Rights of Mother Earth and Nature, human rights and rights of indigenous communities.
The Tribunal proceedings were intense and deeply moving as witness after witness gave intimate testimony reinforced by scientific evidence of experts.
Selected cases addressed the impacts of Climate Change, destructive oil and mineral extraction, and aggressive actions against Defenders of the Earth especially in South America.
Casey Camp-Horinek, Ponca Nation, USA and Patricia Gualinga, Sarayaku, Ecuador opened the session sharing about Indigenous cosmovision to lay the foundation for understanding Mother Earth and living in harmony with nature.
The ruthlessness of actions being taken around the world against Defenders of the Earth was brought home to this Tribunal by the death of José Isidro Tendetza Antun, Shuar leader from the Condor Mine region of Ecuador, only days before the Tribunal commenced. The Tribunal was dedicated to José Tendetza’s honor.
IN MEMORY OF
This Tribunal was dedicated to José Tendetza who was going to present the Condor Mirador Case, and who was murdered a week before because of his role as a defender of nature.
VIDEOS
A summary of the objectives and outcomes of Tribunal was presented in a Press Conference at the UN FCCC on December 8.
To view a view of the Press Conference visit UNFCCC Rights of Nature Press Conference.
Tribunal Protagonists
Here you can find the Judges, Prosecutor, and Secretariat of the tribunal.
Alberto Acosta
President of the Tribunal
Tom Goldtooth
Judge
Raúl Prada Alcoreza
Judge
Hugo Blanco
Judge
Tantoo Cardinal
Judge
François Houtart
Judge
Blanca Chancoso
Judge
Osprey Orielle Lake
Judge
Veronika Mendoza
Judge
Edgardo Lander
Judge
Atossa Soltani
Judge
Rocío Silva Santisteban
Judge
Terisa Turner
Judge
Ramiro Ávila
Prosecutor
Natalia Greene
Secretariat
Cases from Lima Tribunal
Learn more about the cases related to this tribunal.
British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Case
Chevron/Texaco Case
Condor Mirador Mine Case
The Ecuadorian State, March 5, 2012 signed a contract which enables the exploration and production of copper in a fragile ecosystem ...
Defenders of Nature and Mother Earth Case
The UDRME requires all human beings and institutions to defend the rights of Mother Earth and of all beings ...
False solutions to the climate change crisis
The effects of climate change on our planet include: increases in sea level, ocean acidification, biodiversity loss ...
Yasuni ITT Case
Yasuni National Park is an amazing biodiverse place but in 2013 the government decided to exploit oil in spite of the great ecological risk ...