Ecuador court case: mining in the Ortega River basin
In August 2026, a first-instance court in Ecuador ruled that mining activities in the Ortega River basin violated the rights of nature.Read More →
Freshwater Ecosystem
This page identifies ecological jurisprudence initiatives in which the subject of the initiative is a freshwater ecosystem. Examples include watersheds, rivers, lakes, freshwater aquifers, or any type of freshwater wetlands (e.g., ponds, marshes, swamps, etc.).
Madras (India) High Court Case: personhood for the Thamirabarani river
In July 2026, the Madras High Court of India recognized the personhood of the Tamirabarani river on the basis that "She is a deity" and cannot be polluted.Read More →
Wormerland (Netherlands) citizen proposal: rights of the Wijdse Kievitsweide
On 12 April, 2024, a letter was submitted to the Wormerland Municipal Council on behalf of the Wijdse Kievitsweide to annul development for a sports complex.Read More →
Madrid (Spain): Declaration of the Rights of the Manzanares River
On November 15, 2025, a coalition of civil society groups and individuals issued the “Declaration of the Rights of the Manzanares River."Read More →
Florencia (Colombia) Municipal Law: rights of the Hacha river
On 1 December 2025, the Municipal Council of Florencia in Colombia passed a law recognizing the Hacha River as a subject of rights.Read More →
Charter for the Rights of the River Wye
On 24 May 2026, a Charter for the Rights of the River Wye was launched across the entire 130-mile river system as a full-catchment river rights framework.Read More →
North Carolina (USA): Rights of the Rivers Act 2025
On 10 March 2025, a bill was introduced in the North Carolina state legislature to recognize and protect the rights of the Dan and Haw River ecosystems.Read More →
Santa Ana (Ecuador) Court Case: rights of the Portoviejo River
In January 2026, a Santa Ana judge declared the Portoviejo River a rights‑bearing entity and ordered contamination remediation and ongoing protections.Read More →