The Rights of Wetlands Initiative

By Bill Morgante

Through Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) meetings and the SWS Climate Change and Wetlands Initiative, a group, including wetland scientists, a climate scientist and attorneys, has developed the proposed Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands and has formed the Rights of Wetlands Initiative.

This is a call for wetlands to be given legal rights, similar to how humans have rights. This initiative builds on many Indigenous peoples' knowledge that recognizes nature as a living entity. The group hopes that universal recognition of the Rights of Wetlands will help reduce the destruction of wetlands.

The initiative offers an opportunity for improved cross-cultural understanding, respect, and collaboration between Indigenous peoples and other communities.

The founding group view the Declaration as an opportunity to promote a paradigm shift and step-change in the human-wetlands relationship that could lead to a fundamental change in the trajectory for global wetland ecosystems.