UDTR Global Rights of Nature Radar

How Implementing the Rights of Wetlands Provides Benefits to People and Wetlands: Relationships, Rights, Responsibilities, Experiences, and Actions

Identification

Public canonical key

doi:10.1007/s13157-026-02067-2

Authors

Gillian T. Davies · Ritesh Kumar · Maria Siobhan Fennessy · Nick Davidson · Kai Huschke · Dave Pritchard · Matthew Simpson · P.H. Amerasinghe · William R. Moomaw · Erin Okuno · Bethanie Walder · Chaturangi Wickramaratne · Rebecca Woodward

Reported year

2026

Reported language

en

Source type

article

First detected

2026-11-09T19:04:47.670018+00:00

Last metadata observation

2026-11-09T19:11:06.550803+00:00

Last HTTP verification

Not checked

Institutions reported by the source

Charles Sturt University · International Water Management Institute (IWMI) · Kenyon College · Society for Ecological Restoration · Stetson University · Tufts University · Wetlands International · Woodwell Climate Research Center

Reported affiliation countries

AU · LK · NL · US

Documentary abstract — original language

Abstract Rights of wetlands shifts the people-wetlands relationship towards one recognizing the intrinsic rights and living beingness of wetlands, embodying reciprocity, kinship, and gratitude. Recognition of wetland rights occurs within the broader Rights of Nature movement, which has often been led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities from many cultural traditions. Intrinsic wetland rights centre on the right to exist and incorporate seven other rights, forming a holistic framework that enables preservation of wetland ecosystem integrity. These rights provide the basis for a wetland’s thriving existence. The eight rights are: • the right to exist. • their natural place in the landscape; • natural and connected hydrologic regimes; • natural climatic conditions; • naturally occurring biodiversity; • natural ecosystem processes; • natural water, soil, and air quality (i.e., structural integrity and form); and. • regeneration and a naturally determined future. Moral and ethical responsibilities towards these rights include fostering harmonious relationships in and with wetlands, respecting interdependence of all wetland components, safeguarding and fostering conditions enabling rights of wetlands, and acting in a precautionary manner when faced with risks of harm to wetlands. Legal and policy responsibilities include acknowledging plural worldviews, recognising legal standing and political orientations to represent and defend wetland rights, providing adequate means for wetland representation and defending and advocating for wetlands, and using best available science to restore degraded wetlands and support regeneration, thereby supporting harmonious societal relationships with wetlands. Opportunities for implementation of rights of wetlands at a variety of scales (individual, community, national, and global) are explored, and training/guidance resources are referenced.

Identifiers

DOI

10.1007/s13157-026-02067-2

OPENALEX

W7160953394

OPENAIRE

doi_________::49871342eaf9ab7649fb3f50361875d8

Documentary context

Documentary family

Scholarship

Source-reported types

Article · article

Natural entities mentioned

Wetland · Ecosystem · Landscape

Entity mentions are not evidence of legal recognition. Jurisdiction studied is separate from author affiliation country.

Sources

OpenAIRE · Record 1

OpenAlex · Record 1 · Record 2

• DOI · https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-026-02067-2
• OpenAlex · https://openalex.org/W7160953394

Documented bibliographic relations

Source-declared references and links; they do not establish legal support or UGLC qualification. Up to 20 outgoing references are displayed.

• openalex:w1501166083 · CITES
• openalex:w1560667136 · CITES
• openalex:w1562201543 · CITES
• openalex:w1905954378 · CITES
• Constructing the Rights of Nature: Constitutional Reform, Mobilization, and Environmental Protection in Ecuador · CITES
• openalex:w1977295114 · CITES
• openalex:w1977664008 · CITES
• openalex:w1980474196 · CITES
• openalex:w2027103895 · CITES
• openalex:w2029528225 · CITES
• openalex:w2038636973 · CITES
• openalex:w2042583898 · CITES
• openalex:w2053497630 · CITES
• openalex:w2053885782 · CITES
• openalex:w2062265175 · CITES
• openalex:w2074879029 · CITES
• openalex:w2096113236 · CITES
• openalex:w2097927924 · CITES
• openalex:w2111488192 · CITES
• openalex:w2114411145 · CITES

0 incoming references within the detected corpus

Documentary status

Relevance pending

Library

This identity is not yet included in the Legal Library.