Document: The Declaration of the Rights of Nature

The Declaration of the Rights of Nature is a legal and ethical statement that recognizes nature—animals, plants, rivers, and ecosystems—as having inherent rights, similar to humans. It asserts that nature is a living community with rights to exist, thrive, and evolve, and that humans have a duty to protect and respect these rights. This perspective shifts traditional views from seeing nature as property to understanding it as a rights-bearing entity, encouraging more sustainable and harmonious interactions between people and the environment for the well-being of all species.