Panama
In 2022, Panama became the third country in the world to recognize the Rights of Nature at the national level, joining Ecuador and Bolivia.
Its landmark law has already been applied across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, showing the world that Rights of Nature can move from principle to practice and guide decisions where science, policy, and community action converge to reshape our relationship with Earth’s living systems.
Panama: A Leader in the Rights of Nature Movement
forNature’s work in Panama is rooted in years of scientific research, legal advocacy, community engagement and relationship-building led by Callie Veelenturf, primarily through her work with The Leatherback Project.
Callie first came to Panama as a marine conservation biologist and National Geographic Explorer, studying endangered sea turtles and working with communities, fishers, government institutions and conservation partners to protect critical marine ecosystems. Through The Leatherback Project, her work has included sea turtle research, bycatch reduction, environmental education, enforcement training and advocacy for stronger protections for marine life and their habitats.
This scientific work, combined with Callie’s personal experience defending her own rights, raised a broader question: What would it mean for the law to recognize Nature not simply as property to be managed, but as a living subject with inherent rights?
Through collaboration with Panamanian leaders, legal experts, civil society organizations and government partners, that question grew into a national and international effort to advance the Rights of Nature in law, policy and practice. Panama has since become a global leader in this movement, demonstrating how Rights of Nature can progress from concept to legislation and from legislation to implementation.
forNature has supported this work across several major milestones, including the passage of Law 287 recognizing the Rights of Nature, Law 371 recognizing the rights of sea turtles and their habitats, and Panama’s emerging initiative to advance a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Nature at the United Nations.
Explore Our Panama Work
Law 287: Panama’s National Rights of Nature Law
In 2022, Panama passed Law 287, a national law recognizing Nature as a subject of rights and establishing obligations for the State and society to respect, protect, and restore Nature.
Learn more about the law, the people and partners involved in making it possible, and its significance for Panama and the global Rights of Nature movement.
Law 371: Rights of Sea Turtles and Their Habitats
In 2023, Panama passed Law 371, a groundbreaking law for the protection and conservation of sea turtles and their habitats. Building on Panama’s national Rights of Nature framework, the law recognizes the inherent rights of sea turtles and their habitats. This law was the first to recognize the Rights of Nature at the species level.
Learn more about how sea turtles became rights-bearing beings under Panamanian law, and how this work connects marine conservation, science, community engagement, and legal transformation.
United Nations Universal Declaration of the Rights of Nature
Panama is now carrying its national leadership onto the global stage through an initiative to advance a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Nature at the United Nations.
Through this effort, forNature is working with Panama to build international momentum for a global framework that recognizes Nature as a subject of rights.
Rights of Nature in Panama Timeline
October 2019 - March 2020
Callie was studying sea turtles on remote islands in Panama on a National Geographic Society grant (October 2019-March 2020) and decides to propose the idea for the Rights of Nature law
January 2020
Callie begins soliciting meetings with First Lady Yazmin Cortizo and Congressman Juan Diego Vasquez in January 2020
February 2020
Callie meets with Congressman Juan Diego Vasquez and First Lady Yazmin Cortizo to present the idea for a new Rights of Nature law in February 2020
February - September 2020
Juan Diego Vasquez's legal cabinet (Juan Diego Infante, Irma Hernandez, Jorge Jaen) collaborate with Callie and environmental lawyer Luisa Arauz to draft the first draft of the Rights of Nature law from February to September 2020. The first draft of the law was drafted by:
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Juan Diego Infante
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Juan Diego Vasquez
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Callie Veelenturf
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Luisa Arrauz
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Jorge Jaen
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Irma Hernandez
September 2020
Juan Diego Vasquez presents the first draft of the Rights of Nature law to Panamanian Parliament and the law is accepted as a law proposal to be considered and debated in Panama.
September 23, 2020
Diputado Juan Diego Vasquez presented the proposed Rights of Nature law to the Panamanian Parliament.
April 2021
Callie contacts Michelle Bender, from the Earth Law Center to ask if the Earth Law Center team would be willing to contribute their expert opinion in the Rights of Nature to the draft law and revise it.
April 2021 - August 2021
Earth Law Center team works to submit a revised version of the law to Juan Diego Vasquez's team. These substantial revisions were largely incorporated into the second draft of the law, which is much stronger than the original. The ELC team that edited the first draft to produce the second draft of Law 287 consisted of:
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Constanza Prieto Figelist (Director of Latin American Department of ELC)
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Javier Ruiz (Environmental Policy and Climate Expert)
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Carla Cardenas (no longer at ELC)
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Michelle Bender (no longer at ELC)
August 2021
The second draft of the law entered the public debating phase in Panama City, where Juan Diego Vasqeuz, Callie and Jorge Jaen attended publicly during the pandemic and Constanza attended the live stream on Zoom.
August - October
The second draft of the law was debated in the second and third debating periods (private debates) in Panama City where Juan Diego Vasquez represented the law
October 2021
The third draft of the law (including all debate edits) passed the third debate, was signed off on by the General Assembly of Panama and was sent to the desk of the President of Panama for final review
February 2022
The President of Panama Nito Cortizo signed Law 287 on February 24, 2022 "Que reconoce los derechos de la Naturaleza y las oblicaciones del Estado relacionadas con estos derechos"
February 2023
Law 287 went into effect
March 2023
Panama passes Law 371, a national law to protect and conserve sea turtles and their habitats. The law recognizes the inherent rights of sea turtles and their habitats and creates new obligations to protect them from threats such as pollution, bycatch, coastal development, and unregulated tourism.
2023
Panama’s Rights of Nature framework is beginning to be reflected in legal and policy discussions on implementation, including how the State can uphold Nature’s rights in practice.
April 2026
Panama and forNature signed an MOU to work together to advance a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Nature at the United Nations, bringing Panama’s national leadership into a global process.
Partners and Collaborators
This work has been made possible through collaboration across government, civil society, science, law, communities, and conservation organizations.
forNature recognizes the many people and institutions who have contributed to advancing the Rights of Nature in Panama, including Panamanian government leaders, legislators, legal experts, conservation organizations, community partners, scientists, media partners, and advocates who helped move this work from vision to law and from law toward implementation.