GoKawiilPanama leads new coalition pushing UN declaration on rights of nature
At the UN General Assembly in September, Panama's president José Raúl Mulino proposed a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Nature, which would recognize nature as a legal 'subject of rights' with intrinsic value. On 24 September, Panama, Tonga and Vanuatu launched the For Nature Coalition of States, joined by founding members Palau and Dominica, to build diplomatic support for the idea within the UN's Harmony with Nature process.
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The coalition is described as informal and voluntary, meaning membership does not commit states to any specific legal text, which could make it easier to gather broad early support. If the declaration eventually moves forward, it could reshape how international law treats ecosystems, potentially giving nature standing in disputes traditionally limited to human or state interests.
- Panama's president proposed a UN Universal Declaration of the Rights of Nature in September.
- Panama, Tonga, Vanuatu, Palau and Dominica formed the For Nature Coalition of States to support the idea.
- The coalition is voluntary and does not bind members to any specific legal framework yet.
Source: nature.com — Navarro, 2026-10-02
Published there as: “Nature has rights — it is time the world recognized them”
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