'To protect nature, give it rights' says Colombian environmentalist

Viviana González

Viviana González, environmental lawyer working for CAFOD partner SIEMBRA spoke today at a panel event at COP26 on the protection of nature and biodiversity and explained the importance the Atrato River in Choco, Colombia.

"The Atrato is the third river in the world to have been officially granted rights for being understood as a living entity. the region is a very rich and dense rainforest - it is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. This is mainly thanks to the ethnic communities that live in its basin: afro-descendant groups and indigenous people who have developed a way to live in harmony with the river and its surrounding forests, in an interdependent way."

In the north-west of Colombia, the Atrato river flows through Colombia's Pacific rainforest, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. The river is a source of life for many Afro-Colombians and indigenous communities living along its banks. But the environment has suffered badly as a result of illegal mining, logging, and the armed conflict. It is often dangerous for local communities to protect their environment.

In 2017, the Constitutional Court recognised legal rights to the Atrato river in a landmark case. The Court ordered the government to protect the river and stop the gold mining and logging which has led to huge deforestation. The ruling also established the 'Guardians of the River', who in turn encouraged groups of Young Guardians. They organise rubbish collection, raise awareness about the river, organise sport and leisure activities and clean the Doña Josefa ravine which flows into the Atrato River.

González continued that the plundering of natural resources in the region was one of the greatest threats to the fragile eco-systems:

"But the region is under threat from economic interests in the land - including gold mining, logging, and growing of illicit crops - all of which have booming global markets, which have accelerated rates of deforestation and polluted the river. These economies - whilst destroying the environment - also maintain the armed conflict in Colombia.

Closing the panel event González called for real action from world leaders at COP - a need to put in place enforceable commitments and legislation, including to hold companies accountable for their deforestation impacts and other impacts on climate change, the environment, and human rights.

"It is not enough for states to generate purely environmental protection strategies; the economies and industries that drive deforestation must also be addressed. Without stopping the causes of these detrimental activities, it will not be possible to meet protection goals and halt deforestation," she said.