Side event details

Society of Wetland Scientists, Department of Wildlife Conservation of Sri Lanka, International Water Management Institute, Wetlands International, and the Brazilian Network of Ecosocialists are pleased to offer a Side Event to discuss Rights of Nature in Wetlands, also known as Rights of Wetlands.

Despite efforts under the Convention on Wetlands, the human-wetlands relationship remains broken, as evidenced by ongoing wetland destruction and degradation. The Rights of Wetlands approach is a transformative shift, moving the human-wetlands relationship from one where nature is seen as a service provider to humans (anthropocentric) to one where all nature is seen as rights-bearers (ecocentric). This approach leads to improved wetland preservation, conservation, and restoration, and is one example of the broader global Rights of Nature movement responding to climate and biodiversity emergencies.

Wetland scientists and policy specialists have been developing approaches to operationalizing Rights of Wetlands, based on principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands (see https://www.rightsofwetlands.org/).

In this side event, speakers will present global examples (e.g. Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Kenya, and Sri Lanka) where Rights of Wetlands are being implemented/operationalized within legal frameworks and as community practices. Discussion will explore how the Rights of Wetlands approach can support the Convention on Wetlands implementation and how it shifts our relationship with wetlands and nature more broadly, thus benefiting wetlands and the living beings that inhabit them, including humans.

Speakers will represent views of Indigenous peoples, community representatives, scientists, policy makers and non-governmental organisations.
 

13:30 to 13:35 - Welcome

13:35 to 13:40 - Gillian Davies - Society of Wetland Scientists and BSC Group - Introduction to Rights of Wetlands

13:40 to 13:45 - Matthew Simpson - Society of Wetland Scientists, 35percent and Cobra Collective - Community Action for Rights of Wetlands

13:45 to 13:50 - Manjula Amararathna and Chaturangi Wickramaratne - Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka and International Water Management Institute - Rights of Wetlands in Sri Lanka – National Policy on Living Entities and Draft Resolution on Rights of Nature in Wetlands

13:50 to 13:55 - Patricia Gualinga - Kichwa People of Sarayaku, Ecuador - Kawsak Sacha (The Living Forest) Declaration

13:55 to 14:00 - Julie Mulonga - Wetlands International East Africa - Rights of Wetlands in the Kenyan Context

14:00 to 14:05 - Community video - Kenya - Tana River Community - Mangrove Restoration

14:05 to 14:10 - Suelma Ribeiro Silva - Brazilian Network of Ecosocialists - Rights of Wetlands in the Brazilian Context

14:10 to 14:30 - Ritesh Kumar - Wetlands International South Asia - Summary and discussion of how Rights of Wetlands can support the Convention on Wetlands