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.

The following speakers have been confirmed. Participatory community videos will be shown to demonstrate how Rights of Wetlands are already being implemented:

1. Manjula Amararathna (Department of Wildlife Conservation) and Chaturangi Wickramaratne (IWMI) – Sri Lanka – 5 mins
2. Jose Gualinga (Kichwa People of Sarayaku) Ecuador – 5 mins
3. Matthew Simpson (SWS) – UK – 5 mins
4. Julie Mulonga (Wetlands International Eastern Africa) – 5 mins
5. Gillian Davies (SWS) – USA – 5 mins
6. Suelma Ribeiro Silva (Brazilian Network of Ecosocialists) – Brazil – 5 mins
7. Ritesh Kumar (Wetlands International South Asia) – 5 mins
8. Community videos – 10 mins
9. Discussion on Rights of Wetlands and the Convention on Wetlands – 15 mins