Eco Jurisprudence Monitor

Court

This page identifies ecological jurisprudence initiatives that are established by a court ruling in which ecological jurisprudence principles are not invoked by either claimants or defendants, but rather judges unilaterally invoke these principles in their decisions.

Belize court case: rights of the barrier reef

Belize
Approved in 2011
Court Case
Animal, Marine Ecosystem
In 2011, the Court of Appeal of Belize upheld a witness testimony that acknowledged coral reefs as living and complex ecosystems that are not property.Read More →

Ecuador court case: rights of the Irquis River

Cuenca, Azuay Province, Ecuador
Approved in 2025
Court Case
Freshwater Ecosystem
In 2025, a court in Ecuador recognized the Irquis River’s rights, ordering its restoration and the creation of a water management plan to care for the river.Read More →