Summary
On November 27, 2025, the East Hampshire District Council passed a motion recognizing “the intrinsic rights of rivers within the jurisdiction of East Hampshire District Council.” The motion directs the Council to “work with community groups, river trusts and environmental experts to identify and support the legal and practical recognition of these rights” and to “embed river rights principles into council policies, particularly those concerning planning, development, land use, water quality, water management, and biodiversity.” The motion draws inspiration from the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Rivers, which was developed by the Earth Law Center and its partners.
The motion recognizes six rights of rivers, including:
• The right to flow – unimpeded, seasonal, and natural.
• The right to perform essential functions within the ecosystem.
• The right to be free from pollution and contamination.
• The right to feed and be fed by sustainable aquifers and other freshwater sources.
• The right to native biodiversity and restoration of ecological integrity.
• The right to regeneration and restoration from environmental harm.
Photo: Michael Getreu on Unsplash
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. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/east-hampshire-uk-district-council-motion-rights-of-rivers/.
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