Bolivia’s “Law of Mother Earth” – What is it and is it working?
Written by Wildlife & Welfare Researcher Adam Martin
As part of its Rights of Nature movement in 2012, Bolivia adopted a new approach to environmental law. In view of its status of South America’s poorest country, with nearly 40% of it’s citizens living in poverty, this undertaking surprised many countries. Economists fear the increased challenges it may cause, while environmentalists largely support it.
Mother Earth Law in Bolivia provides nature with more legal protection in court. Grounded in indigenous principles, it treats the natural world as equals to humans and opposes the notion of Earth being a resource to exploit. This relatively new movement has been adopted by only a few countries and cities around the world. According to the law, it embodies “Bolivia’s dedication to sustainable development, respecting the balance between human life and the natural environment and prioritizing the rights and knowledge of the country’s majority indigenous population.” However, critics say it has not been successful, pointing to, for example, the Bolivian government’s enactment of new regulations in 2020 which allowed for millions of additional hectares of land to be cleared for cattle and soy farming.
Agriculture is one of Bolivia’s most important sectors, employing about two-fifths of the working population and accounting for about one-seventh of the gross domestic product (GDP). Despite this, farming productivity suffers in the country due to dated technology and farmers’ lack of skills and knowledge. These issues are not unique to Bolivia, with a 75% decrease in worldwide agricultural biodiversity over the past century. Globally, just 30 varieties of food make up the majority of our calorie intake. Indigenous environmentalists are campaigning to combine science with indigenous knowledge in order to make farming a more sustainable practice worldwide. This is why Bolivia’s Rights of Mother Earth Law was so welcomed by environmentalists. It paved a way to use the earth in a way that doesn’t negatively impact the planet and act as a voice for indigenous Bolivians which comprise around 70% of the population.
Agricultural expansions in spite of the Law of Mother Earth has disappointed many environmentalists. They are concerned that Bolivia’s soils cannot cope with intensive agricultural production much longer and point to destructive fires in the country as evidence. Agriculture-induced wildfires have destroyed vast areas of protected habitat, leading to calls for reworking and better enforcement of Mother Earth Law. Though others feel this is not feasible and would cause too much harm to the economy of an already impoverished country.
Bolivia faces a huge challenge to promote sustainable revenue and enact a Mother Earth Law that works for all. It is a task that, perhaps, cannot be undertaken without the help of richer nations and NGOs. If you’d like to find out more about NGOs working in Bolivia to protect nature or donate to the cause, see the links below:
Further reading
Armonia Bolivia - Current Conservation Programs
Amazon Conservation Association - Bolivia Conservation Efforts
If you would like to learn more about the wildlife in Bolivia, please click below to view our Wildlife Calendar:
