Atkinson (USA) Ordinance: community water rights and rights of nature
Atkinson, New Hampshire passed an ordinance recognizing personhood for nature and residents’ right to use water from sustainable water cycles in 2008.Read More →
North America
This page identifies ecological jurisprudence initiatives that exist in the United States, Canada, and Greenland. While we acknowledge that Mexico is geographically part of North America, we include Mexico in the Latin American category.
U.S. Supreme Court Case: Sierra Club v. Morton (should trees have legal standing)
In 1972 Supreme Court Justice Douglas wrote a dissent arguing that the Mineral King Valley should have standing to sue for its own preservation.Read More →
Halifax (USA) Ordinance: corporate mining, chemical trespass, community rights, and rights of nature
In 2008, the town of Halifax, Virginia passed an ordinance recognizing rights of nature and opposing corporate mining.Read More →
Tamaqua Borough (USA) Ordinance: sewage sludge and rights of nature
In 2006, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania passed a local ordinance recognizing rights of nature and banning corporations from disposing of sewage sludge.Read More →
Mahanoy Township (USA) Ordinance: sewage sludge and rights of nature
Mahanoy, Pennsylvania passed an ordinance recognizing rights of nature and limiting the powers of corporations within the township in 2008.Read More →
Hawaii (USA) court case: Palila v. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
The Sierra Club won a 1981 lawsuit to protect Palila and their habitat from harm by Hawaii's game management practices involving feral goats and sheep.Read More →
Nottingham (USA) Ordinance (2008): community water rights and rights of nature
Nottingham, New Hampshire passed an ordinance recognizing rights of nature and banning corporate water withdrawals for resale within the township in 2008.Read More →
Florida (USA) court case: Loggerhead Turtle v. County Council of Volusia County
Citizens who filed a lawsuit on behalf of Loggerhead and Green turtles facing barriers to reach the ocean from county vehicles partially lost the case in 1995.Read More →