“Earth Rights lays out a compelling theory of advocacy that joins the vital energy of human rights activists and environmentalists with a well-grounded and far-reaching set of legal principles. This book is a powerful tool for organizing thoughts and action in defense of the environment and the people who depend on it.”

— Neil A. F. Popovic, Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe, participating drafter of the Draft Declaration of Principles on Human Rights and the Environment, and Director of the U.N. Program, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund

Poisoned or pillaged ecosystems are a breeding ground for all kinds of human rights abuses. And when human rights are not respected the natural environment loses its defenders, leading to a downward spiral of more human rights violations and ecological degradation. Given such linkages, this book presents the concept of earth rights: those rights that reflect the connection between human well-being and a sound environment. Drawing on examples from across the globe, it highlights the ways in which campaigns for human rights and environmental protection are often one and the same. The book concludes that environmentalists and human rights activists must begin to recognize that healthy ecosystems cannot be maintained without respect for human rights, and that human rights are unattainable without healthy ecosystems.