Summary
On 27 June 2024, councillors Louise de Vries and Gert Dijkstra submitted a motion to the Utrecht Municipal Council for a policy memorandum to make nature a legal person within the city. The motion was rejected.
The proposal argues that at present, it is not described how to stand up for the unheard voice of nature, and granting legal personality to nature is a good option for this.
The Policy Memorandum ‘Making the City Together’ states that:
“Utrecht stands up for the unheard voice of nature by working to grant nature legal person status. As part of this, a guardian is appointed to represent the interests of nature. This guardian is actively involved in and heard through participation processes. In this way, Utrecht gives a voice to those and that which cannot speak for themselves: animals, nature, and the environment.”
The proposal reasons that nature throughout the Netherlands is in poor condition; therefore, “Utrecht must take matters into its own hands to properly care for nature in the municipality” and giving nature a voice through a guardian ensures that the interests of nature are better represented.
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2026. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/utrecht-city-council-amendment-to-make-nature-a-legal-person/.
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