R4 A13: Establish a European Right to Access Nature

From the forests of Sweden to the highlands of Scotland and the coastal paths of
Portugal, natural landscapes offer space for rest and reflection, cultural
connection, and environmental awareness. In Sweden the allemansrätt is a law
that gives everyone the freedom to walk, camp, and forage in nature, as long as
they do so responsibly. This right exists regardless of land ownership and is
based on the principle that nature should be shared and protected by all.
Equivalent laws also exist in Norway and Finland.

In much of Europe however such rights are limited. Access to nature is often
restricted by legal and private boundaries, leaving many people disconnected
from the landscapes around them. This weakens the relationship between people
and the environment and undermines efforts to build a more ecologically aware
and responsible society.

As Europe faces ongoing environmental and mental health crises, ensuring the
right to experience and care for nature is more important than ever. Everyone
should have the opportunity to connect with the land — not just for recreation,
but as a part of democratic life and environmental responsibility.

Both the European Green Deal and EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 acknowledge
the importance of public access to green spaces. These commitments must now be
turned into concrete action. Access to nature must become a right — not a
privilege.

The Federation of Young European Greens therefore calls to:

• Establish a European Right to Access Nature that guarantees every person
  the right to move through natural landscapes, regardless of ownership,
  under clear environmental and social guidelines.

• Support member states in harmonizing national laws with this right, while
  respecting cultural traditions, ecological limits, and existing legal
  frameworks.

  
  

  Establish a European Right to Access Nature that guarantees every person the right to move through natural landscapes, under clear environmental and social guidelines. First and foremost, the wilderness and their animals have to be respected, there should be a limit of (to be established) meters on how deeply humans can enter into the wilderness therefore granting that the natural barriers and animals will not be disturbed. The access can also be given to privately owned territory only under following circumstances: if lands are privatly owned and or used for animals, like farmerland, these animals have to be treated respectfully, especially by tourists. It should not become the farmers obligation to warn tourists and or locals that (most) animals don‘t want to be approached and or that their territory is in difficult terrain, therefore farmers shouldn`t be liable or responsable for people`s behaviour, actions and or accidents. This requires every person to do an appropriate amount of research before camping and or accessing privately owned land, to ensure the understanding of the the terretory, of the animals who live there, which cultural customs exist and how they are performed to be sure to respect the owner of the land (for example farmers), legal and social norms and which difficulties or conditions the terrains have and weather influences they are under.

  These guidlelines come with the understanding that different regions have different cultures and rules, but the most important rule being that all animals have to be respected. This implies:

  - not feeding wild animals or cattle

  - not leaving anything behind, especially no trash and or food

  - not approaching animals and or petting them

  - not taking pictures of animals with a flash

  - avoiding light pollution and or loud sounds that (wild) animals are not used to

  - not disturbing natural waterflows

  During summer months the farmlands that are used for harvest have to be left without disruption, this means, leaving no trash and no visible marks in the field behind, as it can harm farmers chances to mow the property leading to a lack of food for their animals. Access can be restricted at any time, if following conditions aren’t given or met:

  - if the owner objects because the land is used for crops or cattle

  - The owner objects to the access because the social rules and or the guidelines are not respected

  - Animals have been harmed by people

  - Natural waterflows have been disrupted by people

  - Land was left more than three times in bad conditions, and or trash was found after people have been camping on the privately owned lands

  - there is an overflow of people who exhaust the terrain and harm the environment

  As much as nature should be a right for everybody it is also a responsibiltiy that everybody has to carry.