Summary
On April 24 2024, a ‘Rights for Nature’ motion was submitted to the Nijmegen municipal council that calls for recognizing the rights and legal personality for nature within the city. The motion takes into account that “the recognition of rights for nature entails a society in harmony with nature, where people and nature form one inseparable whole with the ecosystem; Granting legal personality to nature can improve attention to and protection of our natural environment and stimulate innovative approaches to sustainability”
The motion calls on the council:
1) To include in the environmental vision that Nijmegen recognizes that nature in all its life forms has rights and that its interests must be represented;
2) To include in the environmental vision that the interests of nature and nature reserves are always taken into account when new policy is formed and that these interests are made transparent in new council proposals;
3) Involve relevant civil society organizations, local experts and other stakeholders in the implementation of rights for nature;
4) Organize pilots and/or working groups that focus on the implementation of rights for nature.
The motion was deferred.
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/nijmegen-netherlands-motion-for-the-rights-of-nature/.
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