Earth Law Center

🌎 Celebrating 2024 Milestones in Earth Law Advocacy! 🌎 This year, Earth Law Center (ELC) continued to champion the alignment of human laws with Nature's laws, driving impactful change across the globe: • Rights for the Marañón River: A landmark victory in the Peruvian Amazon secured the river’s legal rights (also upheld in appellate court)—a major win for the plaintiff and co-guardian of the river, the Kukama Indigenous Women's Federation. • Protecting Legacy Forests: Secured permanent protection for 69 acres of critical Elwha River legacy forest and filed ELC's first lawsuit to protect these vital ecosystems. • Push for African River Rights: Pioneered efforts to recognize Nigeria’s River Ethiope as the first African river with legal rights, honoring its sacred cultural significance. • Onboarded Nature as an advisor or director: To four organizations in different jurisdictions. • COP16: Sent a strong team to advocate for countries to incorporate "Mother Earth centric actions" and other Earth law approaches into their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. • Inherent Relationships Jurisprudence: Helped develop an emerging body of legal thought recognizing Indigenous connections to lands and waters.   • Ocean Rights: Advocated for robust inclusion of Ocean Rights and environmental justice in the Global Plastics Treaty.   • New Edition of Our Earth Law Textbook: Work began on an updated, comprehensive guide to ecocentric law, set to publish in February 2026.   📌 2024 by the Numbers: • 150 students joined the ELC Summer Course. • Hosted our first Earth Lawyers’ Fellowship with 11 senior legal professionals. • Created 10+ new legal templates for the Earth Law Portal.   📌 Looking Ahead to 2025: • Expanding ecocentric governance with innovative laws in the Cascadia Bioregion and beyond. • Launching new initiatives to support the UN's biodiversity commitments . • Continuing our global mission to harmonize human and ecological health.   Thank you to all our partners, supporters, and advocates for making these achievements possible. Together, we are shaping a world where Nature and humanity thrive in reciprocity. Read our full 2024 Impact Report below! #EarthLaw #RightsOfNature #EcocentricLeadership #OceanJustice 

Get more details here: https://lnkd.in/eVMzRvmC 🌲 #ProtectWildlife #RightsForMotherEarth #naturelife #law #earthlaw #naturelover #animalrights #ocean #river #VOICEOFNATURE #climatechange #climatecrisis #laws #climateaction #rights #futuregenerations #naturelover #animalrights #hummingbirds

Happy Holidays from the ELC team! 🎄✨ We hope you enjoy this special time with your family and friends. Don’t forget to step outside and spend some moments with Nature too! 🌿💚 #HappyHolidays #ReconnectWithNature #ELC #nature #naturelife #law #earthlaw #naturelover #animalrights #ocean #river #VOICEOFNATURE #climatechange #climatecrisis #laws #climateaction #naturelover #animalrights

As part of Earth Law Center’s year-end fundraising, we’re delighted to auction two remarkable artworks that we featured as part of our events during Climate Week NYC in September. The artists have generously donated their pieces, which you can see below and read more about on the auction page. Winning bidders will have these framed pieces shipped to the address of your choice in the U.S. at no extra cost. Deep thanks to the artists, Gabriella D’Italia and @Sabrina Bezerra! https://lnkd.in/ejDvw-Xs Bidding closes Dec 31, 2024 @ 10:00 PM MST

🌿 Celebrating a Milestone in Nature Governance! 🌿 ✅ In 2024, the Nature Governance Program achieved significant strides in integrating Nature into organizational decision-making: • Onboarding Nature: We welcomed Nature as a stakeholder in four diverse organizations, including roles as an advisor for an AI service and a real estate investment firm, and as a director for a museum’s endowment fund . • Nature-being Immersion: Our inaugural immersive experience in North Wales guided participants toward a profound Nature-consciousness, fostering harmonious living. • Onboarding Nature Toolkit: Developed in collaboration with B Lab Benelux and Nyenrode University, this toolkit inspires companies to transition from human-centered to Nature-inclusive governance. ✅ As we look ahead to 2025, we're excited to: • Expand the Toolkit: Launching the French chapter in partnership with B Lab France and collaborating with legal teams across Europe and the U.S. to broaden our impact.   • Board Development Program: Designing a visionary program with Hub Culture to empower boards to lead with Nature-consciousness. These achievements are a testament to our collective commitment to embedding ecological values into business practices. Together, we're pioneering a new paradigm of governance that fosters harmony between humanity and the environment. Join us in continuing this vital work—let's lead with Nature at the heart of our decisions. #NatureGovernance #EcocentricLeadership #OnboardingNature Read the impact report below!

🌎 Historic Wins for Nature in Latin America  In 2024, Earth Law Center’s Latin America Legal Program achieved major milestones in advancing the Rights of Nature and Indigenous environmental rights across the region. From Peru to Chile, communities and ecosystems are gaining legal recognition and protection. Key Highlights: ✅ Rights of the Marañón River (Peru): • The Peruvian courts granted the Marañón River legal rights, appointing a federation of Indigenous Kukama women as guardians after 4 years of advocacy, and the Civil Court of Loreto upheld the ruling upon appeal. • Impacts the entire 358,000 km² river basin, a vital tributary of the Amazon. ✅ Protecting Amazonian Stingless Bees: • Engaged 114 Indigenous participants in workshops, safeguarding traditional knowledge and advancing biocultural community protocols. • Supported communities who protect 90,000 hectares of Amazon rainforest. ✅ Declaration of Rights of the Biobío River (Chile): • Developed Chile’s first ecosystem rights declaration, supported by 30+ partners and launched with Indigenous leaders and local authorities. Long-term impact by the Numbers: 📌 9 countries engaged across LATAM 📌 18 amicus curiae briefs filed 📌 30+ workshops educating 1,000+ people 📌 Long-term work with 6 Indigenous communities Looking Ahead to 2025: We’re expanding legal reforms, deepening community partnerships, and amplifying advocacy to empower communities to defend Nature’s intrinsic rights.  #RightsOfNature #Conservation #EarthLaw #IndigenousRights #LatinAmerica #EnvironmentalJustice Full report below!

A message from Grant Wilson, Executive Director: “We are thrilled to welcome Elina Teboul to Earth Law Center. Her work in leadership for good, philanthropy, and law will help us elevate Nature's rights and voice worldwide. We are also excited to have a stronger presence in the UK. Please give her a warm welcome!” Elina Teboul is a leadership expert who coaches influential leaders globally. She holds advanced degrees in psychology and law from Columbia University. A former attorney at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and adjunct professor at Fordham Law School, she then pivoted to organizational psychology and started her leadership advisory practice. She is the author of Feminine Intelligence: How Visionary Leaders can Reshape Business for Good - a powerful call to action for leaders ready to reshape business with purpose and heart. Elina dedicates herself to philanthropy, previously acting as global philanthropic advisor at the Allan & Gill Gray Foundation, where she supported strategic investing and social impact initiatives. She is now joining the Advisory Board of the Earth Law Center, championing new perspectives on environmental stewardship. #ELC #nature #naturelife #law #earthlaw #naturelover #animalrights #ocean #river #VOICEOFNATURE #climatechange #climatecrisis #laws #climateaction #rights #futuregenerations #naturelover #animalrights #durango #thedurangoherald

2024 Africa Program Impact Report Highlights This year, Earth Law Center Africa made tremendous strides in advancing the Rights of Nature movement in Nigeria and South Africa. Our work focused on the River Ethiope Watershed and the Katampe Hill Waterfalls, protecting and restoring these critical ecosystems. Key Achievements: ✅Legal Framework: Drafted proposals to recognize River Ethiope and Katampe Hill Waterfalls as living entities with rights. ✅Restoration Projects: Implemented reforestation and pollution mitigation initiatives, enhancing ecological health. ✅ Partnerships: Collaborated with Nigeria Maritime University for ocean rights research and advocacy. ✅ Awareness & Education: Engaged 1,000+ stakeholders through campaigns and workshops. ✅ Recognition: Honored with the  2024 Environmental Stewardship Award for advancing eco-centric governance. Looking ahead to 2025, we aim to scale restoration projects, expand education programs, and formally advocate for legal personhood of these ecosystems. Together, we are fostering a future where nature's rights are protected for the well-being of all. #RightsOfNature #EnvironmentalImpact #Sustainability #EarthLaw #Conservation #Nigeria #SouthAfrica Read the full report here:

What a year it has been at Earth Law Center 🌍 👨⚖️ 📕 ! We celebrated countless incredible victories around the world (woo!). We also added several brilliant new team members who have truly helped us thrive. Plus our interns and volunteers have been absolutely LEGENDARY. I can’t believe I've been advancing Earth law and the Rights of Nature for over a decade now (what!!). Every day, I feel SO fortunate to lead such an impactful group on the cutting edge of harmonizing our laws with Nature. Of course, it hasn’t been easy. There has been heartbreak, lessons learned from failure, and plenty of anxiety about the environment. (I also ran out of coffee once.) But I remain more determined than ever. A profound shift is happening as the world begins to embrace the voice of Nature in its laws. If you support our work, now is the BEST time to give—your donation will be matched up to $1.5k at this link: https://lnkd.in/gCZ4RKpN. Other donation options, including checks, planned giving, crypto, DAFs, etc., are here: https://lnkd.in/eWRURc2 To learn more about our impact, sign up for our newsletter to get EOY emails about our wins in 2024—on the rights of rivers & marine ecosystems, giving Nature a voice in governance, Earth law education, and more: https://lnkd.in/gU7df446. Here is the recent email from our unstoppable Latin America Legal Team to give you an idea: https://lnkd.in/gTzuVcQH. And of course, please watch, like, and share our new 3-minute intro video: https://lnkd.in/gTp2wDFV Thank you to everyone for your support, partnership, and trust! 🙏 🙏 🙏

You’re invited to a heartfelt evening celebrating the rivers we love! 📅 When: February 14 | 7-9 PM 📍 Where: Aspen, Colorado Join us for The River I Love event—an intimate gathering to share poems, love letters, songs, or any creative expressions in honor of the rivers that inspire us. 💧 Featuring Earth Law Center, showcasing their "love letters for rivers" through groundbreaking legal work advancing the Rights of Nature. 💧 Co-hosted by Save the World’s Rivers (Save the Colorado), champions of river rights in Colorado. Let’s celebrate our connection to rivers and the vital role they play in our world. 🎟️ RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/eT27xprR Event is free with suggested donation. #Rivers #RightsOfNature #Conservation #EarthLaw #CommunityEvent #LoveForNature