Summary
In July 2020, bill was drafted that aimed to recognize the Lempa River as a subject of law in El Salvador with fundamental rights, and to enable a caretaking system for the river. The draft law establishes the Lempa River has the right to flow; the right to exercise its essential functions with the ecosystem; the right to be free from all contamination; the right to feed and be fed by its tributaries; the right to native biodiversity; and, the right to regeneration and restoration.
The draft law also recognizes the river’s natural functions, as well as those of the communities that inhabit the ecosystem, and notes the significant and alarming contamination of the Lempa River, and the world’s rivers.
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/draft-declaration-and-recognition-of-the-rights-of-the-lempa-river-as-a-subject-of-rights-in-el-salvador/.
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