Rights of Nature: Who Holds Them? A Plain Language Legal Guide for Earth Citizens

Abstract

This is the first in an evolving series of guides intended to provide a general, plain-language introduction to Rights of Nature laws. They are intended for anyone curious about the subject, from ordinary citizens to community organizers, business people, scientists, politicians, government officials and Indigenous leaders. The guides survey common features of Rights of Nature laws that have been enacted around the world. Each guide addresses a different question. This one addresses the question "who or what holds rights of nature?" It canvases the wide variety of rights-holders recognized by Rights of Nature laws around the world, including nature or Mother Earth as a whole, water, rivers, lakes, glaciers, aquifers, wetlands, oceans, watersheds, mountains, forests, alpine tundra, parks and protected areas, Indigenous homelands, air, the atmosphere, animals generally, particular animal species, plant species, and metaphysical entities.

Keywords: Rights of nature, Plain language guides, Centre for Law & the Environment

JEL Classification: K32, K38, O13, P18, P48, Q58, Q28, Q38, N40, N50