Summary
In April 2021, the State of Oaxaca (Mexico) passed an amendment recognizing the rights of nature in its state Constitution. The country of Mexico is composed of 32 federal entities: 31 states and Mexico City, an autonomous entity. The states of Mexico are autonomous in all matters concerning their internal affairs, and each state has its own congress and constitution.
The Constitutional amendment establishes the following rights for Nature: the right to preservation, to protection of its elements, to exercise its vital and natural cycles and its ecological functions, to integral restoration of its ecological balance, and to be legally represented. The amendment also provides that everyone within the territory of the State has the right to live in harmony with nature. Deputy Fredie Delfín Avendaño, in partnership with Earth Law Center Mexico, filed the constitutional reform in 2020.
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/oaxaca-constitution-rights-of-nature/.
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