Rights of Nature as a
Central Pillar of a Just Transition

The policy brief, Rights of Nature as a Central Pillar of a Just Transition, explores how embedding a Rights of Nature legal and cultural framework can strengthen global responses to the climate crisis. Granting legal rights to natural entities addresses the root causes of environmental degradation, rejects false solutions, and helps restore balanced and respectful relationships with the Earth. The policy analysis identifies key pathways for incorporating Rights of Nature into a Just Transition, including reimagining transition mineral mining, centering Indigenous leadership, advancing feminist economics, and ensuring solutions are rights-based and remain within planetary boundaries. The policy brief highlights that achieving a true Just Transition requires a fundamental transformation of dominant economic, environmental policy, and political systems—and that the Rights of Nature provides an indispensable framework for realizing this shift. The report also provides concrete examples of how Rights of Nature has upheld core Just Transition principles, demonstrating how this approach can further strengthen environmental protections and deepen commitments to climate justice.