Resulting from the Rights to Nature movement, Mount Taranaki on New Zealand's north island was granted rights equal to those of a human and assigned legal personhood in 2017.  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948, enabling the protection and recognition of each person.  Some say we need such rights for nature, to allow us to preserve sacred natural spaces.  We need laws that enable individuals to claim nature’s rights since the environment can’t speak up for itself.  One major barrier to such civic action and laws is that most land is private property and must be treated as such without legal consequences.  Although interested in the protection and preservation of nature, many countries and communities are having difficulty granting such rights to their ecosystems.

Mammitzsch, Julie. "Legal Rights of Nature". HOPE Australia. April 01, 2023. https://www-006.clevvi.com.au/...

Posted on 01/04/24

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