Coordinadora Ecuatoriana para la Defense de la Naturaleza y el Medio Ambiente (CEDENMA)

CEDENMA is a broad network of diverse environmental organisations that strives for a socially just development model in balance with nature.  

Advocacy for better environmental policy  

CEDENMA focuses mainly on political work for environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, always in combination with the fight for human rights. The government of Ecuador recognizes the organization as a representative of civil society, which is why it is invited to discuss policy plans that have something to do with nature management, such as forest management, agriculture, climate, etc. When the new environmental legislation was discussed in parliament, CEDENMA threw itself into the debate and the network succeeded in raising the bar considerably.    

National Platform for Climate Justice 

With the support of 11.11.11 CEDENMA founded the National Platform for Climate Justice. It raises awareness of the climate problem and encourages the government to improve climate policy. When Ecuador failed to meet its obligations to develop climate goals under the Paris Agreement, CEDENMA pushed for this to be rectified and for effective measures to be taken against climate change. The network also coordinates with similar networks in other countries on the continent, in order to join forces during the climate conferences (the famous COPs), in the fight for the preservation of the Amazon rainforest and biodiversity in general.  

Rights of Nature 

CEDENMA has also contributed to the inclusion of the Rights of Nature in the Ecuadorian Constitution. The organisation also succeeds in expanding and strengthening cooperation on the rights of nature worldwide. Through various international alliances and actions ('Global Alliance for the rights of nature', ethical tribunal for the rights of nature) they contribute to the effective inclusion of these rights by civil society. Furthermore, they have succeeded in systematising various cases of violations of the Rights of Nature, especially with a view to strengthening the judiciary for the real defence and enforcement of these rights. 

In order to gain a better overview, and with a view to a better division of labour and analysis of the case law on the rights of nature, CEDENMA established the Legal Observatory for the Rights of Nature, where all information on the cases, processes and judgments is collected. 

Legal action for the protection of human rights and nature

CEDENMA is responsible for the collective of lawyers, who coordinate the legal actions of member organisations. The leaders of the communities of farmers and indigenous people who stand up for their rights and for their environment are often imprisoned or persecuted in other ways. The lawyers are committed to protecting threatened and persecuted people. It is important that they agree within the collective which cases should be dealt with as a priority and divide the work, especially since legal cases can often drag on for years. If no progress is made at national level, they go to international bodies to enforce protection, acquittal and/or compensation.