A Tribunal for Earth: WHY IT MATTERS

by Cormac Cullinan

Imagine how different the world would be if courts decided on the legitimacy – or otherwise – of human conduct on the basis of whether or not it was in the best interests of the whole community of life. Imagine if there were an international tribunal that concerned itself with the fundamental rights of all beings, including humans, and decided matters on the basis of what was best for the Earth community as a whole, regardless of politics; an Earth Tribunal of respected individuals that drew on the wisdom of humanity as a whole, respected the laws of Nature and was not beholden to governments or corporations.

The establishment of the International Tribunal for the Rights of Nature is intended to give effect to this dream. This bold venture by the members of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature is a creative response to the current impasse at the international level which has led to a widening chasm between what global civil society wants to be done and what governments are willing to agree to and implement.

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“We the people assume the authority to conduct an International Tribunal for the Rights of Nature. We will investigate cases of environmental destruction, which violate the Rights of Nature,” declared Prosecutor for the Earth Ramiro Avila during the opening of the world’s first Tribunal on the Rights of Nature and Mother Earth.  The Tribunal held its inaugural session on Friday, January 17, 2014, in Quito, Ecuador.

Dr. Vandana Shiva, internationally renowned author, philosopher, and environmental activist presided over the historic Tribunal together with nine other distinguished judges from seven countries and five continents. Dr. Shiva presented the closing ruling to admit all nine cases of alleged violations of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, adopted in Cochabamba on April 20, 2010, and, with respect to the Ecuadorian cases, violations of the Ecuadorian Constitution. Since its inception, the Tribunal has been and will continue to be, a permanent platform for hearing and judging rights of Nature cases from around the world.

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Cases Around The World

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International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Hasdeo Arand Case (India)

Before mining, Hasdeo Arand in Chhattisgarh, India, was a vital forest home to endangered species and indigenous communities. The region now hosts coal mines operated by Adani Group, causing deforestation, land grabs, and human rights violations. Despite efforts to halt expansion, coal mining continues, threatening biodiversity and indigenous livelihoods.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Just Transition

The fossil fuel industry's impact is deadly and unequal, disproportionately harming non-human species and vulnerable communities, as seen in cases like Cancer Alley. Ending the fossil fuel era requires a fair transition, prioritizing equity and addressing the needs of frontline defenders and Indigenous communities for a just, sustainable future.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Keystone XL Pipeline

The Keystone XL pipeline extension, proposed by TC Energy in 2008, aimed to transport tar sands oil from Canada to Texas refineries. The pipeline would have increased greenhouse gas emissions and environmental harm. Despite legal and environmental opposition, its cancellation highlights growing power for climate justice advocates.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Louisiana USA

The stretch of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is nicknamed “Cancer Alley” because of its concentration of petrochemical facilities. These facilities have been developed and on the rise over the last half-century. It is a clear case of environmental racism, as the concentration of air, noise, and water pollution, mainly impact predominantly black communities that suffer the deathly impacts on their health and lifestyle. Moreover, these developments made all nature disappear in the area, and are responsible for carbon emissions, directly contributing to climate change. The Cancer Alley case is just one illustration of the many fossil fuel related industry infrastructures that have been growing in the Louisiana and surroundings.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (South Africa)

The Limpopo government's MMSEZ project threatens the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, projecting over one billion tons of CO2e emissions. Despite environmental concerns and a rejected EIA report, the government authorized the project. Civil society organizations' appeals against this decision were dismissed, raising concerns about environmental and social justice.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Coastal Gaslink Pipeline (Canada)

The 670-km Coastal GasLink pipeline, owned by TC Energy, will transport natural gas from Dawson Creek to Kitimat for export to Asia. Supported by Canadian and British Columbian governments, the project violates Indigenous rights and contributes to climate change, with land defenders facing violence and legal action.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Oil Spill Verde Island Passage & Manila Bay Oil Spill (Philippines)

The Verde Island Passage, the world’s most biodiverse marine habitat, faces threats from LNG and fossil fuel projects in Batangas. The 2023 oil spill and expanding industrialization endanger marine life and local communities. Advocates demand urgent protection, accountability, and action to prevent further ecological and social disasters.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Talara Refinery and New Amazon Oil expansion (Petroperu lote 64)

Peru boosts oil production amid global inflation, disregarding climate commitments. The Talara refinery and Block 64 threaten indigenous territories in the Amazon. Petroperú, deeply in debt, seeks new financing, despite opposition from the Wampis and Achuar peoples. Oil extraction risks spills, deforestation, and rights violations.
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Solar Energy

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Photo Gallery

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Our Volunteers

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Community Statements

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Although the framework of the Rights of Nature is, among indigenous peoples and traditional cultures, everywhere, in our modern world there has been such repetition of the market economy and of our purpose on this world being, to be in search of jobs, and in search of a sacred market economy, so much so that we have forgotten, we don’t hear enough about these different frameworks.
Atossa Soltani Rights of Nature Tribunal judge
Atossa Soltani
We find ourselves here today reflecting on the fact that we have violated the Rights of Nature. But the Rights of Nature are nothing in themselves. They are something that we see in Nature. The Rights of human beings, for that matter, are nothing in themselves. They are something that we accept and concede in order to coexist. The real issue is that we coexist with Nature, and the Rights of Nature appear because we care about this coexistence.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal
Humberto Maturana
Lithium Mining, or the “Mining of Water,” as it’s been called. They call it the Mining of Water because there’s no other commercial way to do it, other than by evaporating large quantities of water. And in Atacama you get this paradox, of the evaporation of thousands of litres of water, for lithium mining, in a desert, in one of the driest areas on earth. It truly is a sacrifice zone. And in this case, a sacrifice, it would seem, on the altar of the energy exchange of the Global North.
International Rights of Nature Tribunal
Enrique Viale