Summary
In November 2023, SOS Durance Vivante and Notre Affaire à Tous drafted a Declaration of the Rights of the Durance River in order to support its recognition as a legal natural entity. The declaration emphasizes that “rivers and streams are essential to all life” as well as “the absolute dependence of humans on rivers and aquatic systems.” The declaration outlines seven rights of the Durance River, including the right to exist and live freely in accordance with natural cycles, the right to conservation, and the right to take legal action through representatives.
The rights of the river also include all of its tributaries and sub-tributaries, particularly the Eze tributary, which has been extensively modified, channeled, urbanized, and subject to torrential flow or periods of drought. SOS Durance Vivante filed a complaint with a local residents’ association regarding pollution of the river, and legal action is underway before the environmental court in Nîmes, which has recognized the associations as victims. SOS Durance Vivante says that many residents and those living along the river are unaware of the seriousness of the situation.
In April 2024, an online petition supporting the Declaration of the Rights of the Durance River was launched. In October 2024, the associations held a “Towards a Durance Spokesperson” Assembly, which included workshops on legal and democratic experimentation around the river and a collaborative drafting of Statement of Principles for the Constitution of the Spokespersons’ Assembly. Speakers and participants included lawyers, scientists, researchers, artists, and activists.
Since the launch of the declaration, two members of France’s National Parliament, Charles Fournier and Sandrine Le Feur, have brought up the issue of the legal personhood for nature at the national level, most notable for the Seine River in Paris.
SOS Durance Vivante association is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the Durance River. The Notre Affaire à Tous is a legal organization working to combat the triple environmental crisis regarding climate, biodiversity, and pollution.
Involved Organizations
Related Initiatives
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2026. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/declaration-of-the-rights-of-the-durance-river-in-provence-france/.
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