National:
Establish primacy of the rights of nature
Formalize in national law, including amendments to constitutions, the right of nature to be protected in a manner that reinforces and also protects human rights, including the rights of people, local communities, Indigenous peoples, and collective rights.
What does this look like?
Formally recognize the rights of nature, enshrining its right to be protected and conserved, and concretize the primacy of the rights of nature and human rights above all else.
All action taken to protect the rights of nature must reinforce and support the rights of people, local communities (including peasants, fisherfolk, nomadic, and rural peoples), Indigenous peoples, and collective rights.
Countries where similar action has been taken include Ecuador, Bolivia, India, and New Zealand, though it is essential to note that in all cases, meaningful implementation is yet to be achieved. Click here to read more about the measures in each of these countries.
Implementing the measures of the liability roadmap
Decision-makers and movements at all levels should keep the following in mind when implementing the measures laid out in this roadmap:
Enacting these policies and measures is simply the first step to holding polluting and destructive industries liable: There will be much work for government officials, decision-makers, activists and civil society alike to do to ensure these measures are fully implemented and move us toward the transformative change the world needs.
Liability should be applied to all industries and corporations that make business decisions that contribute to climate change and its impacts, or that cause harm to people and nature. In addition to the fossil fuel industry, these industries include but are not limited to agribusiness, forestry, mining, and the energy sector.
Many of these measures could equally apply to State-owned corporations. Because the national contexts and unique needs vary from country to country, it is worth considering where to apply and how to adapt the principles and measures listed in the liability roadmap to address State-owned polluting corporations. Factors to consider when doing so could include but are not limited to the degree of democratic control over the entity, role and use of funding from oil/gas revenues, and responsiveness of the entity to transition to regenerative, renewable energy sources.
Measures implemented at the national level should support and reinforce, rather than contradict, measures implemented at the sub-national and local, and vice versa.