Ecuador Constitution of 2008: rights of nature

Summary

In 2008, Ecuador became the first country in the world to enshrine the Rights of Nature in its national constitution. The constitutional reform was rooted in the Andean Indigenous worldview of Pachamama (Mother Earth) and the principle of sumak kawsay (Kichwa for “good way of living,” or buen vivir in Spanish). The Preamble celebrates nature and commits the state to building a new form of coexistence “in harmony with nature, to achieve the good way of living.” Within this framework, the constitution recognizes ecosystems as rights-bearing entities with the right to exist, persist, and regenerate. These provisions place the Rights of Nature alongside human rights and collective rights, establishing them as foundational legal tools to uphold ecological balance and cultural values. The inclusion of these rights reflects a conscious departure from extractivist development models and lays the groundwork for alternative, Earth-centered approaches to governance and wellbeing.

Impact Statement

Ecuador’s 2008 Constitution marked a historic turning point in global environmental law as the first country to comprehensively recognize Nature as a subject of rights. This innovation was grounded in the Indigenous concepts of Pachamama and sumak kawsay – redefining the relationship between humans and Nature within Ecuador’s legal system and inspiring legal reforms across Latin America and beyond. It remains the only national constitution in the world to enshrine the Rights of Nature.

Involved Organizations