Summary
In 2017, the non-profit organization Nature’s Rights (previously Rights of Nature Europe) proposed a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) – a democratic mechanism open to citizens of the EU – to propose a Draft EU Directive on the rights of nature to the European Union’s legislative agenda. Mumta Ito (the founder of Nature’s Rights) prepared a Draft EU Directive to codify nature’s rights into European law, which was reviewed by experts from around the world including the UN Harmony with Nature experts and experts from the IUCN. The ECI involves collecting 1 million statements of support across seven or more member states.
On March 29, 2017, Nature’s Rights organized an event in the European Parliament to introduce their initiative. They presented the Draft Directive on the Rights of Nature to members of the European Parliament in an effort to get rights of nature on the EU 2017 legislative agenda. The proposal is a framework for rights of nature in Europe and establishes a duty of care, protection, enforcement, and ecological governance. This proposal serves as a framework for future Rights of Nature legislation in the EU and for individual member states. However, rights of nature have not since passed on in EU legislation.