The motion brought to June’s full Council meeting by People Before Profit Cllr Maeve O’Neill passed unanimously with only 2 abstentions. The motion sets out for Council to collaborate with civic society to explore what rights of nature mean for the people and economies of the region and to investigate how Rights of Nature could be expressed in community plans, corporate plans, improvement objectives and other strategic frameworks. In particular, the council will in the next 6 months hold two community workshops and work with the local community and stakeholders to draw up a Declaration for the Rights of Nature for the Council area to be brought back before Council for adoption. Council will also bring a report on embedding ‘Rights of Nature’ as a keystone concept into Council’s operational practices, planning processes and long term decision making.
Cllr O’Neill said of the motion, ‘The Rights of Nature is a revolutionary concept that is as old as our hills. It will restore a voice, through a rights based approach, to our rivers, hills, woodlands and habitats and species. All life is interconnected and interdependent. We are dependent for our wellbeing on the wellbeing of the environment. Across this island communities have spoken up for the protection of nature, but utilising Rights of Nature will help to rebalance the systems of power. This allows nature the right to exist, to flourish and naturally evolve.’
In response to the motion James Orr, director of Friends of the Earth NI said, ‘This is a historic moment for the environmental movement here. We belong to one planet and we must look at our rivers and landscapes as living systems. The motion recognises that we are part of a bio- geographical continuum and that is why it is important to work with all neighbouring councils to work together to protect the River foyle and its tributaries, our shared oceans, the air we all breathe and share, our peatlands and our mountains. Well done to Derry and Strabane District Council for once again being environmental justice leaders.’
Rights of Nature is a growing social and legal movement globally. In the United States, Ecuador, India and New Zealand and many other countries there is a growing recognition that in order to adequately respond to climate change and widespread damage to nature we must recognise the interdependency of all life on the planet including human life. The Blue Mountain City Council in Australia has pioneered this approach and the motion draws from their recent experience. Within the European Union there is a growing debate recognising the Rights of Nature.
The motion also invited other neighbouring Councils to explore Rights of Nature for their municipalities given that nature knows no borders.
