The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. December 8, 2021 Ecuadorian Court Shuts Down Mining Plans in Cloud Forest, Citing Constitutional Rights of Nature ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In a landmark ruling last week Ecuador's Constitutional Court said plans to mine for copper and gold in a protected cloud forest were unconstitutional and violate the rights of nature. The case involved mining permits that were issued in Los Cedros - a protected area in northwestern Ecuador - which the high court argued would harm the precious and unique biodiversity of the forest. Los Cedros also stretches into parts of Peru and Colombia. The rights of nature are enshrined in Ecuador's constitution. .