The Origin Story

    RIGHTS OF  COMMUNITIES AND RIGHTS OF NATURE IRELAND

The new ECI Rights for Nature initiative builds on the incredible work of the Rights of Nature campaign across the island of Ireland.

Rights of Nature (RON) is an emerging and evolving paradigm that recognizes the intrinsic rights of ecosystems and species to evolve, flourish and regenerate.

Rights of Communities (ROC)acknowledges that communities have power to make change.

Can we effect change in the law and policy, both at local and national level?

Friends of the Earth (FOE) invited Thomas Linzey and Mari Margill to Belfast and to visit communities across the north in 2018.

Thomas and Mari, from the Centre for Democratic and Environmental Rights (CDER) live in the US and have been working with and supporting indigenous communities globally.

ROC and RON awareness began there.

In May 2021, a few interested individuals met with FOE and a plan emerged.

It was decided to push for recognition for RON at local government level and this manifested in the adoption of successive rights of nature council motions:

* Derry and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) in June 2021

* Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) in July 2021 

* Donegal County Council in December 2021

* Westmeath in 2023

Other council areas have reported some conversation around RON within local councillors

These adoptions in the Council areas depend on

1) Raising awareness among citizens

 2) Educating councillors 

3) Having a councillor who will present the motion to council.

4) An ongoing  RON group to collaborate, raise awareness  and to  support ideas, events etc

This grouping has developed into an All Island Monthly Meeting (online) on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. The group continues to grow. Many presentations, events etc are organised throughout the country and awareness raising continues through social media and the use of information leaflets, banners, t-shirts etc

In 2023, Ireland’s Citizen’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, published a report containing over 150 recommendations to dramatically change Ireland’s relationship with the natural environment. At the core of this was an urgent call to the State to address biodiversity loss and natural restoration across many areas. However the Assembly found that “to ensure the purposeful and necessary conservation and restoration of biodiversity”, Ireland will need to make amendments to the constitution and there was strong support for a RON approach.

Building relationships is significant work and the Derry RON group have been in regular conversation with DCSDC, since January 2025, as we work towards  legality for nature.

A Rights of Nature Approach to the Lough Neagh Crisis is also on the table alongside communities around the Lough.

October 13th 2026 sees the launch of the European Citizen’s Initiative on Rights for Nature. Sign the petition now.