This is what it looks like when elected officials and courts block direct democracy – citizen initiative rights are stripped and communities’ health, safety, and welfare are disregarded.

Michelle Holman is a Community Rights activist in Lane County, OR, where she is fighting aerial-sprayed pesticides with residents and allies. Here, a short video story on her activism and why Community Rights.

CELDF is participating in the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal Session on Human Rights, Fracking and Climate Change. Judges will be asked to consider Rights of Nature, and apply the standards of international human rights law. Join us!

Human rights to a healthy environment are gaining recognition – and today, the rights of nature are growing as well. Here, CELDF’s Mari Margil speaks to how recognizing ecosystem rights is central to tackling environmental degradation.

State preemption is growing, community members across the U.S. disapprove, and no liberal or conservative political party is coming in to save the day. Instead, people are beginning to take matters into their own hands.

“Colombia’s Supreme Court issued a historic ruling combating climate change in Latin America.”

First initiated with CELDF in the U.S. in 2006, today our Rights of Nature is global. Here, its growing recognition in Australia to protect rivers and indigenous peoples.

A circuit court judge renders meaningless the right to citizen initiative in Lane County, OR. Here’s how, why, and a call for the people to change our legal structure.

Carol Van Strum has dedicated her life to fighting pesticides. Here an interview with Van Strum and CELDF’s Kai Huschke on pesticides, Community Rights, and protecting our communities from corporate harms.

Lafayette, CO, residents are unrelenting in their determination to protect their community from fracking harms. At City Council, they insist on enforcement of their Climate Bill of Rights and urge adoption of a non-violent direct action amendment.