How the Rights of Nature Movement Is Reshaping Law and Culture
From The Observatory
The article explores the growing global movement to give Nature legal rights, known as the Rights of Nature movement. It begins with a Māori legend explaining the origins of Mount Taranaki and the Whanganui River in New Zealand. These natural features are deeply respected in Māori culture, which views them as living beings. After years of activism, New Zealand passed laws recognizing these landscapes as legal persons, meaning they have rights like a human would. The Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill of 2025 is a recent example of this effort.
Other countries have also recognized Nature’s rights. In Colombia, the Amazon rainforest was granted legal personhood to protect it and support young people’s rights to a healthy environment. In the U.S., the Lake Erie Bill of Rights tried to protect Lake Erie from pollution but was struck down in court. This showed that such laws must fit within the legal and cultural system of the country.
Many Indigenous communities have long believed that Nature is sacred and should be protected. These beliefs are now influencing modern legal systems. Countries like Ecuador, India, Uganda, and Panama have passed laws recognizing the rights of rivers, forests, and ecosystems.
The article argues that for real change to happen, people must shift how they think about Nature—not as property, but as a partner in life. It calls for both cultural and legal changes to protect the planet. By learning from successful efforts in other countries, communities around the world, including in the U.S., can help build a future where all living things are respected and protected by law.
Read the full article “How the Rights of Nature Movement Is Reshaping Law and Culture” by Dana Zartner
🔭 This summary was human-edited with AI-assist.
