Madrid (Spain): Declaration of the Rights of the Manzanares River

Summary

Drafted in Madrid on November 15, 2025, a coalition of citizens, artists, researchers, environmental advocates, and river representatives issued the “Declaration of the Rights of the Manzanares River,” recognizing the Manzanares River as a living entity with inherent rights. The declaration was developed as part of the Confluence of European Water Bodies, a transnational initiative exploring Rights of Nature approaches for European rivers, lakes, wetlands, and other aquatic ecosystems. The declaration recognizes rights commonly associated with the Rights of Nature movement, including the right to exist, flow, regenerate, maintain ecological integrity, support native biodiversity, and be restored following degradation. It also calls for human representatives to advocate for the river’s interests and for public authorities to consider those interests when making decisions affecting the river.

The Manzanares River originates in the Sierra de Guadarrama and flows approximately 92 kilometres through the Community of Madrid before joining the Jarama River, a tributary of the Tagus (Tajo) River. Much of the river’s course through the city of Madrid has been extensively modified over the past century through dams, channel engineering, altered hydrological regimes, habitat fragmentation, pollution, and loss of riparian ecosystems associated with the expansion of Madrid. In January of 2025, the Spanish Government and the Madrid City Council signed a new cooperation agreement to establish joint responsibility for the conservation, maintenance, operation, and management of the Manzanares River and its hydraulic infrastructure within the municipality.

The Declaration has not been adopted as a law, and therefore does not create legal personhood for the river or alter Spanish environmental law; however, it does function as a political and normative declaration of community-led care.