Summary
On October 14, 2025, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress passed “Motion 067: Living in harmony with rivers through Rights of Nature & ecocentric law,” which calls on IUCN Members to advance freshwater governance toward ecocentric legal frameworks that recognize rivers and associated waterways as living entities with intrinsic rights and value, rather than mere resources, to align human well-being with the vitality of river ecosystems. The motion emphasizes collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and policy support for laws that safeguard rivers, wetlands, and freshwater biodiversity, fostering deeper respect for waterways amid dramatic declines in freshwater wildlife populations and widespread river degradation from dams, pollution, and climate impacts.
Impact Statement
In a historic milestone for Earth law and global conservation, five Rights of Nature motions, and one motion recognizing the crime of ecocide, officially passed at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress. This development demonstrates that the global conservation community is normatively embracing a paradigm shift from managing Nature as a resource to recognizing ecosystems as rights-bearing entities.
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/iucn-2025-motion-067-living-in-harmony-with-rivers-through-rights-of-nature-ecocentric-law/.
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