Colombia National Law: rights of the Aburrá River

Summary

In August 2025, the Aburrá River (also called the Medellín River) was declared a subject of rights through Law 2533 of Colombia. The law recognizes the “Aburrá River, its basin and tributaries are hereby declared subjects of rights for their conservation, protection, maintenance and restoration.” This recognition means that the river, its basin, and tributaries are considered living entities with rights that the State and civil society must guarantee, just like any citizen. In addition to recognizing the rights of the Aburrá River, the law also establishes the Collegiate Body and Protection of the Aburrá River (COPRA). This committee is designated the legal representative of the river, led by the Regional Autonomous Corporations and the Metropolitan Area of ​​the Aburrá Valley and comprised of public entities and organizations.

The law aims to strengthen environmental management, preserve biodiversity, and ensure the well-being of the communities that depend on the river. As explained by the congressmen, the protect the river as the great structuring axis of the entire Aburrá Valley, which supports approximately 4 million inhabitants. Additionally, this declaration recognizes that without the well-being of the river, it is not possible to conserve biodiversity, nor the ecosystem services that the Aburrá Valley needs for its social, cultural, and economic development.

Law 2533 was submitted on April 3, 2024 and takes effect upon its entry into force on August 12, 2025, with regulations to follow within six months.

In Colombia, multiple ecological entities have been declared a subject of rights, including the Amazon, the Cocora Valley, and Los Nevados National Park. These entities have had their rights recognized through court cases rather than legislative means, and Law 2533 represents recent efforts in Colombia to enshrine the rights of Nature through legislation.