Paraíba State (Brazil) Constitutional Amendment: rights of nature

Summary

On October 11, 2022, Estela Bezerra, state representative of the Workers’ Party, proposed an amendment and adds provisions to Art. 227 of the State of Paraíba constitution, recognizing the Rights of Nature. The amendment states that “Nature – where life is also reproduced and realised, has full, intrinsic and perpetual rights, inherent to its existence on the planet, imposing on the public authorities and the community the duty to defend it, ensure its recovery, protection and the maintenance of fauna, flora and other ecological, biological, genetic and biogeochemical processes, ensuring the rights of nature to thrive and evolve, and in harmony coexist with the cultural processes of human life, for the benefit of current and future generations, human and non-human.”. The proposal emphasized the importance of the Caatinga biome as State heritage, describing the affect of Brazil’s anthropocentric law, while referring to NGO MAPAS leader Vanessa Hasson. The document credits previous work done by MAPAS, the Semi-Arid Renewable Energy Committee and the Forum for Climate Change and Socio-environmental Justice. Finally, the document specifies the importance of this amendment serving the pursuit of ‘bem viver’ (good life) and common environment of the people of Paraíba and Brazil.