Canadian Case Seeking Personhood for Lake Winnipeg
The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) is taking Manitoba Hydro and the Government of Manitoba to court. Decades of poor decision-making and Hydro friendly rRead More →
Personhood
This page identifies initiatives that explicitly recognizes any non-human element of Nature (e.g., ecosystems, plant species, animal species) as possessing legal personhood status. In doing so, these initiatives treat Nature like any other other legal person, like corporations, as opposed to recognizing unique rights of nature. Note that all initiatives included in the Personhood category are also included in the Rights of Nature category, but not all rights of nature initiatives are legal personhood initiatives.
Sault Tribe Resolution Recognizing Rights of Nature
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in northern Michigan passed a resolution in defense of the tribe’s first family: its natural resources.Read More →
Spain Constitutional Court ruling on the Mar Menor Act of 2022
On November 20, 2024, Spain's constitutional court ruled that the Mar Menor Act of 2022 establishing legal rights of the Mar Menor Lagoon is constitutional.Read More →
Chile Declaration of Rights of the Biobío River
In September 2024, the Biobío River becomes the first ecosystem in Chile to have a Declaration of Rights, recognizing its rights to exist, flow, and regenerate.Read More →
Lucerne Switzerland constitutional amendment on the rights and legal personhood of the Reuss river
The Swiss association, Rechtsperson Reuss, aims to enshrine rights and legal personhood for the Reuss River in the Constitution of the Canton of Lucerne.Read More →
Municipality of Groningen, Netherlands Initiative Proposal for Rights of Nature
In September 2024, an initiative proposal was presented to investigate in the Municipality of Groningen, Netherlands whether nature can be granted rights.Read More →
Municipality of Linhares (Brazil) Law on the Rights of the Waves
In June 2024, the municipal council of Linhares in Brazil approved a bill that recognizes the waves at the mouth of the Doce River as entities with rights.Read More →
Finland Citizens Initiative Constitutional Proposal on Animal Rights
December 2023, a citizen's initiative was submitted to the Finnish parliament that proposes adding animal rights to Finlands constitution alongside human rightsRead More →