Rights of Nature Constitutional Amendment Introduced in Sweden’s Parliament
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Stacey Schmader
Administrative Director
Info@celdf.org
717-498-0054
MERCERSBURG, PA: Last week, Rebecka Le Moine, a member of Sweden’s Parliament, introduced a motion to amend Sweden’s constitution to enshrine the Rights of Nature. This is the first time such a measure has been introduced in a European national government.
The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund’s International Center for the Rights of Nature worked closely with Le Moine, Rights of Nature Sweden, and Lodyn to develop the draft amendment.
The proposed amendment to Sweden’s Instrument of Government would secure the Rights of Nature to “existera, blomstra, regenerera och utvecklas” – “exist, flourish, regenerate and evolve” – and provide the people and government of Sweden the ability to defend and enforce these rights on behalf of Nature. In addition, the amendment builds on the “precautionary principle” – found within European Union law – by stating that “lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for denying or suspending the enforcement or defense” of the Rights of Nature.
Member of Parliament Le Moine explained that, “For twenty years, we have been working with the national environmental goals in Sweden. After all this time, we are barely reaching two of them.”
“The underlying value in our society is that we are the dominators of this world, and Nature is just a resource for us to use,” Le Moine continued. “Economic growth has been the real goal, not a healthy environment. I’m tired of this era, where our arrogant worldview has driven us far beyond the planetary boundaries. Now, when we’re in the beginning of an ecological and climate collapse, I hope we can re-think our relationship with Nature. And for me, it starts with admitting that Nature has rights.”
A CELDF representative stated, “We need to quickly make a fundamental shift in our relationship with the natural world. Advancing the Rights of Nature in Sweden’s constitution is an important step forward. We congratulate Parliamentarian Le Moine on taking this politically brave, and necessary, step.”
About CELDF — Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
CELDF has been a pioneer in advancing legal Rights of Nature, working with the first places in the world to secure the Rights of Nature in law. CELDF is building a movement for Community Rights and the Rights of Nature to advance democratic, economic, social, and environmental rights – building upward from the grassroots to the state, federal, and international level. It is a U.S.-based non-governmental organization.