The Third International Rights of Nature Tribunal

INTRODUCTION

Le troisième Tribunal international des droits de la nature s’est tenu en même temps que la Convention-cadre des Nations unies sur les changements climatiques (CCNUCC COP 21) à la Maison des Métallos à Paris, en France. Accueilli par l’Alliance globale pour les droits de la Nature en partenariat avec End Ecocide on Earth, NatureRights & Attac France, le panel de juges composé d’avocats de renommée internationale et de leaders pour la justice planétaire a entendu les témoignages et prononcé des jugements sur 4 affaires après le premier jour et 4 affaires le deuxième jour.

Le Tribunal est une initiative unique, créée par des citoyens, qui s’appuie sur le mandat qui lui a été confié par la Déclaration universelle des droits de la Terre nourricière. Il donne à des personnes du monde entier la possibilité de témoigner publiquement de la destruction de la Terre. Il offre une alternative systémique à la protection de l’environnement, en reconnaissant que les écosystèmes ont le droit d’exister, de persister, de maintenir et de régénérer leurs cycles vitaux.

International Rights of Nature Tribunal
International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Le tribunal est composé d’avocats de renommée internationale et de leaders de la justice planétaire, qui entendent des affaires portant sur des questions telles que le changement climatique, les OGM, la fracturation, les industries extractives et d’autres violations de l’environnement. Le Tribunal a rendu des jugements et formulé des recommandations pour la protection et la restauration de la Terre, en se fondant sur la Déclaration universelle des droits de la Terre nourricière. Cette déclaration nous oblige notamment à respecter l’intégrité des processus écologiques vitaux de la Terre.

En conséquence, la Déclaration contribue également à faire avancer les amendements proposés au Statut de Rome de la Cour pénale internationale pour reconnaître le crime d’écocide. Le Tribunal s’attache à permettre aux peuples indigènes et aux communautés locales de partager avec la communauté mondiale leurs préoccupations et leurs solutions uniques concernant la terre, l’eau et la culture.

Le Tribunal s’est ouvert le 4 décembre avec la signature officielle de la Convention du Tribunal par ses délégués et les dirigeants autochtones du monde entier. On voit ici la signature du chef Raoni du peuple Kayapo de l’Amazonie brésilienne et des responsables du Tribunal.

PRESIDENT CORMAC CULLINAN CONCLUDES RIGHTS OF NATURE TRIBUNAL

“So the first point is inescapable.  This is a systemic issue and the responses must be systemic.
Secondly, if anyone came here with any doubts about whether or not human rights and the rights of nature are compatible, I think that they must have been dispelled.  Everybody has demonstrated that they are inseparable. As Chief Seattle is reported to have said so long ago: ‘What befalls the Earth, befalls the children of the Earth.’”

Cormac Cullinan, President of the Paris Tribunal, presents conclusions of proceedings of the 2-day International Rights of Nature Tribunal in Paris on, Saturday December 5, 2015.

International Rights of Nature Tribunal

Closing Statement by Cormac Cullinan

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I think you will all agree with me that over these last two days we have been extraordinarily fortunate to participate in these proceedings. These proceedings will, we hope, prove not only to have been extraordinary in terms of what we have heard and the evidence that has been led but also to be historic.

The formal establishment of truly International Tribunal

The Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, which as you heard was approved in Cochabamba, Bolivia in 2010, has created a manifesto for earth justice for organizations and people all over the world.  What has happened here today and yesterday has been the consolidation of that effort by the establishment of the Tribunal – the formal establishment the Tribunal because it already existed – by the People’s Convention which entered into force yesterday. This represents a significant step forward because it is an example to people everywhere how, when the governments of the world failed, we can step forward as people and begin to create the world that we want to see.  We can create People’s institutions; we can enter into agreements ourselves and begin to create the future that we want.

More than 80 people from many different countries of the world have participated in these proceedings as judges, as experts, as presenters, as prosecutors, etc. So I think we can safely say that this is a truly international tribunal.

Systemic problems require systemic responses – “What befalls the earth, befalls the children of the earth.”

It has been wonderful to hear the stories from all over the world coming together. And what they have shown us, is that if you had any doubts about this before, we are facing systemic problems. We are facing deep-rooted problems in the dominant civilizations which need to be addressed. Roots which are not only to do with environmental degradation but which also affect issues of patriarchy and the military.

So the first point is inescapable.  This is a systemic issue and the responses must be systemic.

Secondly, if anyone came here with any doubts about whether or not human rights and the rights of nature are compatible, I think that they must have been dispelled.  Everybody has demonstrated that they are inseparable. As Chief Seattle is reported to have said so long ago:

“What befalls the Earth, befalls the children of the Earth.”

The evidence before the Tribunal and its findings

And the evidence has been harrowing. We have all been through an emotional journey. Sometimes it has evoked anger, sometimes heartbreak and sorrow.  We have heard about the attacks on the Defenders of the Earth and we have heard about the attacks on the Earth.  Can you imagine how much deeper and intense this journey would have been if all our relations had been able to come here and testify? If the fish, and the birds, and the trees, and the creatures in the soil had been able to come here and tell us about how they are experiencing the assault on Mother Earth. If they had been able to talk about the destruction of their home, the poisoning of their children, and the extinction of their species.

The findings which flow from this evidence are damning. There is no doubt about it -we are experiencing systematic violations of the Rights of Mother Earth. Almost all beings on the planet are affected and almost every single article in the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth has been violated, as you have heard.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I think you will all agree with me that over these last two days we have been extraordinarily fortunate to participate in these proceedings. These proceedings will, we hope, prove not only to have been extraordinary in terms of what we have heard and the evidence that has been led but also to be historic.

The formal establishment of truly International Tribunal

The Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, which as you heard was approved in Cochabamba, Bolivia in 2010, has created a manifesto for earth justice for organizations and people all over the world.  What has happened here today and yesterday has been the consolidation of that effort by the establishment of the Tribunal – the formal establishment the Tribunal because it already existed – by the People’s Convention which entered into force yesterday. This represents a significant step forward because it is an example to people everywhere how, when the governments of the world failed, we can step forward as people and begin to create the world that we want to see.  We can create People’s institutions; we can enter into agreements ourselves and begin to create the future that we want.

More than 80 people from many different countries of the world have participated in these proceedings as judges, as experts, as presenters, as prosecutors, etc. So I think we can safely say that this is a truly international tribunal.

Systemic problems require systemic responses – “What befalls the earth, befalls the children of the earth.”

It has been wonderful to hear the stories from all over the world coming together. And what they have shown us, is that if you had any doubts about this before, we are facing systemic problems. We are facing deep-rooted problems in the dominant civilizations which need to be addressed. Roots which are not only to do with environmental degradation but which also affect issues of patriarchy and the military.

So the first point is inescapable.  This is a systemic issue and the responses must be systemic.

Secondly, if anyone came here with any doubts about whether or not human rights and the rights of nature are compatible, I think that they must have been dispelled.  Everybody has demonstrated that they are inseparable. As Chief Seattle is reported to have said so long ago:

“What befalls the Earth, befalls the children of the Earth.”

The evidence before the Tribunal and its findings

And the evidence has been harrowing. We have all been through an emotional journey. Sometimes it has evoked anger, sometimes heartbreak and sorrow.  We have heard about the attacks on the Defenders of the Earth and we have heard about the attacks on the Earth.  Can you imagine how much deeper and intense this journey would have been if all our relations had been able to come here and testify? If the fish, and the birds, and the trees, and the creatures in the soil had been able to come here and tell us about how they are experiencing the assault on Mother Earth. If they had been able to talk about the destruction of their home, the poisoning of their children, and the extinction of their species.

The findings which flow from this evidence are damning. There is no doubt about it -we are experiencing systematic violations of the Rights of Mother Earth. Almost all beings on the planet are affected and almost every single article in the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth has been violated, as you have heard.

Tribunal Protagonists

Here you can find the Judges, Prosecutor, and Secretariat of the tribunal.

Cases from Paris Tribunal

Learn more about the cases related to this tribunal.

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