A special workshop will take place on Monday, March 14, exploring how a ‘Rights of Nature’ approach could potentially benefit future environmental strategies for the Derry City and Strabane District Council.
The event will bring together Council’s Local Development Plan and Community Planning teams, and a range of speakers from the local construction sector, Friends of the Earth, RSPB and the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature.
Local organisations and individuals are invited to come along to the event, which is being held at the Everglades, to hear more about how a formal ‘Rights of Nature’ approach to future plans and frameworks would impact on the environmental objectives already being progressed by Council.
Participants will have the opportunity to contribute towards the next step in forming a Rights of Nature declaration for the District.
This is the second of two workshops that follow the passing of a motion by Elected Members in June, to note the legal and social movement globally for the ‘Rights of Nature’ aimed at strengthening protections for people, place and planet.
Members agreed to work with the local community and stakeholders, to draw up a Declaration for the Rights of Nature for the Council area to be brought back before Council for adoption.
Speaking ahead of the event, Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Alderman Graham Warke, said the workshop would give some insight into the wide range of policies already in place to promote and protect the local environment, and look at ways to further enhance these approaches.
“I would really encourage anyone who is environmentally active to take part in the ‘Rights of Nature’ workshop to garner a wide range of views from local people on how future strategies can be developed.
“In June our Elected members commended the excellent work already being done by Council officers on the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis but recognised the need for a rights based approach to nature.
“This event will look at the global Rights of Nature movement and how it could be adopted locally.”
Anyone interested in attending the workshop can book a place at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rights-of-nature-event-tickets-287875692947
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