Reply to Bridgewater (2021), ‘Response to Davies et al., ‘Towards a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands’’
G. T. Davies A B , C. M. Finlayson
C D E J , E. Okuno F , N. C. Davidson E G , R. C. Gardner E F , W. R. Moomaw H and D. E. Pritchard E I
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A BSC Group, Inc., Worcester, MA 01608, USA.
B Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
C School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, UNSW, NSW 2052, Australia.
D IHE Delft, Institute for Water Education, NL-2601 DA, Delft, Netherlands.
E Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia.
F Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, College of Law, Stetson University, Gulfport, FL 33707, USA.
G Nick Davidson Environmental, Queens House, Wigmore, HR6 9UN, UK.
H Center for International Environment and Resource Policy, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
I Environment, Culture, Heritage, Arts, Hexham NE46 3JL, UK.
J Corresponding author. Email: colin_maxwell.finlayson@unsw.edu.au
Marine and Freshwater Research - https://doi.org/10.1071/MF21132
Submitted: 7 May 2021 Accepted: 29 July 2021 Published online: 21 September 2021
Abstract
We reply to the main concerns raised by Bridgewater (2021) in his response to Davies et al. (2021a), ‘Towards a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands’. We appreciate the contribution of Bridgewater (2021) to this emerging conversation and, although we disagree with some of his assessments and statements, we do not find his points to be incompatible with support for the Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands (ROW). This reply focuses on four areas of concern raised by Bridgewater (2021). First, we describe why a wetlands-specific declaration will add important value to other Rights of Nature declarations. Second, we discuss how the ROW does not detract from, but rather can contribute to and complement, existing conservation and management approaches and mechanisms. Third, we agree on the importance of weaving Indigenous and local knowledge with other knowledges and emphasise that the ROW should not be confused with or misused to undermine the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities. Finally, we explain how legal rights can and have been granted to non-humans, including elements of Nature, such as wetlands.
Keywords: Earth justice, Ramsar Convention, rights of Nature, traditional knowledge, wetlands.
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