Rights of Nature
Rights of Nature: Protecting the Amazon’s Vital Ecosystems and Traditional Knowledge
Championing Rights of Nature for Amazonian Biodiversity
At Amazon Research Int (ARI), we are dedicated to promoting the Rights of Nature, a legal and ethical framework that recognises ecosystems and species as entities with intrinsic value and rights to exist, regenerate, and thrive. This approach is deeply aligned with indigenous cosmovisions, which view nature as a living, sentient entity where all life forms, from rivers to pollinators, must be safeguarded.
By integrating modern science with ancestral wisdom, we work alongside indigenous communities and international partners to protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and advocate for policies that secure the long-term survival of Amazonian species. Our first major initiative in this movement focuses on stingless bees, vital pollinators whose conservation is fundamental to the health of the Amazon Rainforest and the cultures that depend on it.
Stingless Bees: A Flagship Species for Rights of Nature
Why Protect Stingless Bees?
Stingless bees, locally known as meliponas, play an essential role in maintaining the Amazon's biodiversity. These pollinators contribute to the regeneration of forests, sustain native flora, and are deeply embedded in the cultural and spiritual traditions of Amazonian communities. However, their populations are under severe threat due to deforestation, climate change, pesticide use, and habitat loss.
Despite their ecological importance, traditional beekeeping laws focus almost exclusively on honeybees, neglecting stingless bees and failing to acknowledge their intrinsic value. That is why ARI is spearheading efforts to grant stingless bees legal recognition under the Rights of Nature framework, ensuring their protection alongside the preservation of traditional knowledge and sustainable practices.
“Recognising the Rights of Nature is not just about conservation—it’s about justice for all life forms that sustain our ecosystems.”
Leading the World’s First Rights of Nature Declaration for Stingless Bees
In a groundbreaking move for conservation, ARI, in partnership with Earth Law Center, EcoAshaninka and indigenous leaders, is working on developing the first-ever global Rights of Nature Declaration for Stingless Bees. This historic document will call for the legal recognition of stingless bees and their ecosystems, ensuring their protection under a framework of interconnection, reciprocity, and responsibility.
This initiative has gained national and international momentum, with the support of:
Ashaninka and Kukama communities in the Peruvian Amazon, including a youth-led Kukama-kukamiria group.
Indigenous representatives who presented the initiative at COP16, advocating for the formal recognition of stingless bees under Rights of Nature policies
Scientific research and advocacy efforts, laying the foundation for legal recognition.
Strengthening Rights of Nature Advocacy and Indigenous Engagement
We focus on building awareness and policy support for the Rights of Nature movement by fostering collaboration between indigenous knowledge holders, conservationists, and policymakers.
Our impact so far:
500+ indigenous people trained in Rights of Nature advocacy across Junin, Cuzco and Loreto, empowering them to defend their ecosystems.
Five+ meetings held with indigenous communities and groups, integrating their perspectives into conservation efforts.
50+ interviews conducted with indigenous leaders, ensuring their voices shape policy recommendations and conservation strategies.
Creating an Ecocentric Legal Framework
Beyond stingless bees, our mission is to develop a legal framework that safeguards Amazonian biodiversity by integrating the principles of:
Interconnection – Recognising that all species, including bees, forests, and humans, are interconnected and must be protected collectively.
Reciprocity – Promoting conservation practices that give back to nature rather than exploit it.
Responsibility – Ensuring that local communities, policymakers, and global stakeholders take active roles in protecting Amazonian ecosystems.
Harmonious Circular Economies – Encouraging sustainable economic models that balance ecological conservation with community well-being.
This work has already influenced national policies, leading to the historic update of Peru’s Law 32235, which granted legal protection to native stingless bees for the first time in history. ARI was instrumental in securing this milestone by presenting multiple scientific studies, a policy brief, and over 5,000 public signatures in support of the law.
“Meliponiculture is the livelihood of my community and home. The plants and bees are the ones who give us life as Asháninkas.”
What’s Next? Our Vision for 2025 and Beyond
Looking ahead, ARI is committed to strengthening our Rights of Nature advocacy by:
Finalising and securing legal recognition of the Rights of Nature Declaration for Stingless Bees at local, regional, and national levels.
Expanding collaborations across the Amazon to advocate for broader protections of species, ecosystems, and traditional knowledge.
Using the stingless bee declaration as a foundation to extend Rights of Nature protections to other species and ecosystems.
Disseminating our impact through scientific publications, community engagement, and policy advocacy to inspire wider adoption of Rights of Nature frameworks.
Join Us in Protecting the Rights of Nature
The fight for the Rights of Nature is a fight for the future of our planet. By advocating for stingless bees, we are setting a precedent for the legal recognition of all Amazonian life forms and ecosystems.
Your support can help make this vision a reality. Whether through research, advocacy, community engagement, or policy change, every action counts in the movement towards a more sustainable and just world for nature.
