Preamble

We, the citizens of Pakistan, recognise that the Earth is a living, self-sustaining community of diverse, interconnected and interdependent beings.

Human beings are but one part of the great web of life. The health of all human beings and other species — human and non-human — depends on the health and integrity of the Earth system as a whole.

We affirm that all forms of life — animals, plants, and the ecosystems that nurture them — rivers, forests, mountains and oceans — possess intrinsic value, dignity and rights, independent of their utility to human beings.

We acknowledge that the industrial and consumer practices of humanity have caused grave harm to the climate, ecosystems and all beings that depend upon a stable Earth system.

We recognise that the continuation of life on Earth demands a profound transformation in our constitutional, legal, social and moral orders — from one based on domination and exploitation, to one rooted in respect, reciprocity and restoration of the Earth system.

We affirm that climate justice cannot be achieved without ecological justice; that the rights of nature and the rights of future generations are inseparable; and that protecting Earth’s diversity is essential to protecting humanity itself.

Therefore, in a spirit of reverence, responsibility and solidarity with all life, we solemnly declare the following principles:

Declaration of Principles

Part I: Rights of Nature and All Beings

1. All beings — human and non-human — possess inherent rights to exist, thrive, regenerate, and fulfil their ecological roles within the community of life.
2. The Earth, as a living system has the right to maintain its natural cycles, structure, functions and evolutionary processes, without human disruption.
3. All species and ecosystems have the right to protection from extinction, degradation and ecological harm.
4. Climate stability is the right of the Earth system and all its beings. No being or system shall be subjected to dangerous anthropogenic interference that threatens the web of life.
5. Rivers, forests, mountains, glaciers, oceans and soils possess the right to exist, flourish and be restored, where they have been damaged.
6. All beings have the right to clean air, pure water, fertile soil and an uncontaminated natural environment essential to life.
7. All beings have the right to freedom from pollution, toxic emissions, habitat destruction and climate disruption.
8. All human beings have the right to information concerning the climate. The information shall be timely, clear, understandable and available without undue financial burden to the applicant.
9. All human beings have the right to hold and express opinions, and to disseminate ideas and information regarding the climate.
10. All human beings have the right to climate and human rights education. This education includes the right to learn from multiple perspectives and to understand non-human natural modes of behaviour and the requirements of flourishing planetary ecosystems.
11. Humans, as members of the community of life, have duties and responsibilities, rather than dominion, over other beings. Humans must act as guardians, stewards and restorers of Earth’s integrity.
12. Some of the rights above are recognised by Article 9A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, which states that every person shall be entitled to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a fundamental right.

Part II: Responsibilities of Humans

13. Humans must recognize that their well-being is inseparable from the well-being of the natural world, and must act accordingly.
14. Humans must respect the sovereignty of natural communities, ensuring that their actions do not cause harm to the Earth or to other beings.
15. Humans must halt practices that drive climate change, biodiversity loss and ecological destruction, and must urgently transition toward ecological restoration and regenerative living.
16. Humans must ensure equal participation of all peoples, especially indigenous communities, in the protection and governance of natural systems.
17. Humans must promote climate justice and ecological equity, ensuring that vulnerable human and non-human communities are protected from harm and empowered to thrive.
18. Humans have the obligation to provide remedies, restitution and restoration for environmental and climate harms inflicted upon Earth and its beings.

Part III: Obligations of States and International Organizations

19. All States must recognise the rights of nature and adopt legislative, administrative and judicial measures to protect and uphold them.
20. All States must ensure that their policies and actions do not cause ecological harm, either within their own territories or beyond.
21. All States must cooperate internationally to address global environmental crises and to protect the common heritage of the Earth.
22. International organisations must incorporate the rights of nature and the Earth community into their mandates and decision-making processes.

Part IV: Building the Architecture of Climate and Ecological Justice

23. Prioritize Adaptation and Address Loss and Damage:

We must place urgent focus on adaptation and on loss and damage responses, ensuring that vulnerable communities — human and non-human — are not left to bear the burden of a crisis they did not create. Mitigation alone is not sufficient. Vulnerable human communities include those where climate change disproportionally affects the poor, women and children and inhabitants of small islands and neglected areas.

24. Strengthen the Judiciary for Climate Justice:

A robust, active, and well-informed judiciary — and above all, an independent judiciary — is essential to actualize climate justice, enforce ecological rights, and ensure environmental accountability.

25. Create Climate Courts and Global Dispute Forums:

Dedicated Courts for climate justice must be created at national and international levels to adjudicate disputes, deliver remedies for environmental harm, and protect the rights of nature and future generations.

26. Ensure Readily Available Climate Finance:

Climate finance must be made accessible without political inertia and bureaucratic hurdles. Innovative mechanisms, including alternative climate finance systems, must be deployed to support sustainable solutions, ensuring swift and equitable resource flows to vulnerable communities.

27. Advance Nature Finance:

Investment systems must evolve toward Nature Finance, recognizing the value of ecosystems, biodiversity, and the services Nature provides, and promoting investments that restore and protect Earth’s natural wealth.

28. Ground Policies in Climate Science: Decisions affecting nature and climate must be firmly grounded in a robust, independent climate science, ensuring that actions are based on rational justifiable evidence, measures restraining future environmental degradation, and are ecologically sound, incorporating environmental sensitivity.

29. Strengthen Climate Diplomacy among the Global South:

Countries of the Global South must forge strong alliances, building climate diplomacy that demands fair financial commitments, equitable technology transfers, and just international environmental governance.

30. Invest in Homegrown Solutions:

We must invest in local and indigenous solutions tailored to, and rooted in, our unique environmental and socio-economic realities, rather than relying on external models or waiting for external interventions.

31. Establish Transparent Climate Accountability Mechanisms:

Climate accountability mechanisms must be established to ensure that every financial resource, every project, and every policy serves the communities and ecosystems most in need, and that corruption and mismanagement are eliminated. All States must effectively and transparently monitor key indices in relation to measuring the impact of climate change and climate pollution on a regular basis and release the statistical information to the public at large. Similarly, key environmental impact assessments of large projects undertaken should also be made available on a regular basis for scrutiny by the public.

Conclusion

We, the citizens of Pakistan, declare that the time has come to move beyond anthropocentrism toward a world founded on reverence for all life.

We pledge to honor, protect, and restore the Earth System, recognizing that our future is bound together with the future of all beings.

Climate justice is not merely an aspiration; it is a structure we must urgently build — with intention, courage, and collective resolve, led by our own hands and minds.

Only by protecting the rights of nature can we ensure justice, survival, and prosperity for generations to come.

Adopted by the Citizens of Pakistan In Reverence for the Earth and in Defense of the Future Generations.