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https://theconversation.com/granting-legal-personhood-to-nature-is-a-growing-movement-can-it-stem-biodiversity-loss-227336>
"Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This
suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are
failing.
One emerging concept focuses on giving legal rights to nature.
Many Indigenous peoples have long emphasised the intrinsic value of nature. In
1972, the late University of Southern California law professor Christopher
Stone proposed what then seemed like a whimsical idea: to vest legal rights in
natural objects to allow a shift from an anthropocentric to an intrinsic
worldview.
Ecuador was the first country to enshrine rights of nature in its 2008
constitution. Since then, a growing number of countries have followed in
awarding rights of nature.
This includes Aotearoa New Zealand, where legal personhood was granted to the
Whanganui River, the former national park Te Urewera and soon the Taranaki
maunga.
At its core, the rights-of-nature movement allows persons to take legal action
on behalf of natural ecosystems, as opposed to on behalf of people affected by
environmental degradation.
Ecosystems can become separate entities with their own agency, in the same way
other non-human entities such as charitable trusts and organisations can exist
as separate entities in law.
But can the movement help stem the loss of biodiversity? There is no easy
answer. Our new research shows that many rights-of-nature examples have emerged
because current systems were not enough to protect nature from continued
economic pressure from development.
We find one of the key features of well designed rights-of-nature frameworks
lies in defining who is ultimately liable, and what for."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
