UK National Rights of Nature Law

Summary

On 1 June 2026, a private member’s bill was introduced in the UK House of Lords “to recognise nature as a legal subject; establish and protect the rights of Nature; establish a legal duty of care for public bodies, businesses, and individuals; provide procedural rights for the protection of Nature” (page 1). The bill would also require Rights Impact Assessments; provide for economic and financial system alignment; establish a Nature Guardianship Council, Bioregional Councils and a Nature’s Rights Tribunal; and provide for public participation, education, non-adversarial resolution, enforcement and phased implementation.

The Nature’s Rights Bill [HL] is sponsored in the House of Lords by Baroness Natalie Bennett of Manor Castle, and was originated and authored by Mumta Ito, UK lawyer, founder of Nature’s Rights and architect of the Integrated Rights Framework.

At the start of each session of Parliament, a ballot is held to allocate the order in which the first 25 private members’ bills will be introduced in the House of Lords. The Nature’s Rights Bill was placed 2nd on the ballot and therefore introduced. The bill is the first time rights of nature have entered the UK parliamentary process. The bill received its Second Reading in the House of Lords on 3 July 2026 and has been progressed to the Committee stage of the Whole House.

Jurisprudential Framing & Integrated Rights Framework
The rights set out in the bill apply to Nature as an interconnected living whole and may be applied to particular ecosystems, habitats, species, natural communities or systems. There are three aspects at the core of the proposal:

1) Integrated Rights Framework: This Framework is the distinctive legal architecture behind the Bill. It establishes a hierarchy of rights, with rights of Nature recognized as the foundation of human rights, social wellbeing, corporate activity, property rights and economic life. It does not simply add Nature as another interest to be balanced; it restructures the hierarchy of rights so that economic activity operates within the ecological conditions necessary for life. Human rights are protected within the rights of nature and planetary boundaries. Economic, corporate and property rights are exercised within, and in a manner that supports, the rights of nature and human rights (page 2-3). When a question arises as to the relationship between the rights of Nature, human rights, economic rights, corporate rights or property rights, the decision-maker must apply the hierarchy established by the Framework (page 4).

2) Duty of care towards Nature: It establishes a legal duty of care toward Nature for all individuals, businesses, and public bodies, not just state institutions, and requires decision-making to respect ecological limits both domestically and internationally. It mandates Rights Impact Assessments for activities with significant environmental impacts to ensure that development aligns with Nature’s rights.

3) New governance bodies: A Nature Guardianship Council to oversee implementation and resolve disputes, and Bioregional Councils to apply the law at a local ecological scale, and an independent Nature’s Rights Tribunal as a last-resort forum focused on enforcement and restorative justice. Compliance would be monitored through annual reporting, phased implementation targets, and independent verification, supported by incentives such as grants and tax reliefs to encourage regenerative practices.

The law states that “recognition of Nature as a legal subject does not of itself (a) transfer ownership of land, water, natural resources or other property, (b) create a right of public access to land or water, (c) prevent the lawful use of land or property where that use is compatible with the rights and duties established under this Act (see section 42), or (d) make Nature liable for natural processes, functions or events.” (page 2)

Legal Process
Private members’ bills are draft laws proposed by individual Members of Parliament (MPs) or members of the House of Lords, rather than the government ministers. They can be introduced in either House and must pass through the same legislative stages as government bills. At the start of each session of Parliament, a ballot is held to allocate the order in which the first 25 private members’ bills will be introduced in the Lords.

However, only a small proportion become law. Because parliamentary time allocated to Private Members’ Bills is limited, many proposals are never debated or do not progress through all legislative stages. Despite this, such bills can indirectly influence legislation by raising public awareness around an issue.

Impact Statement

As a Private Members’ Bill, the proposal faces significant procedural and political obstacles and the chances of legislative success are unlikely. Beyond its immediate legislative prospects, the proposal is helping raise awareness of Rights of Nature and establish the concept in political discourse at the national level in the UK. Jonathan Elmer, the Green Party’s nature spokesperson, said the bill should be seen as part of a long-term strategy to advance Rights of Nature within the United Kingdom.

Involved Organizations