"Inspired by indigenous views of nature, a movement to grant a form of legal “personhood” to rivers is gaining some ground — a key step, advocates say, in reversing centuries of damage inflicted upon the world’s waterways. "Despite the promise held by establishing legal rights for rivers, difficult questions remain. What does it mean for a river to have the rights of a person? Does a river have the right to flow freely, and does this mean its waters can’t be dammed or diverted? Is compensation … Continue reading
Whanganui River to gain legal personhood
"In a world first, a New Zealand river will be recognised as a person. "The Whanganui River [Te Awa Tupua] Claims Settlement Bill was passed today, giving the Whanganui River the same status as a legal person. "Te Urewera, the former national park, was granted the same status when Tūhoe settled with the Crown in 2014. "In Whanganui they have a saying: 'Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au' - which translates into English as, 'I am the river and the river is me.' "The river will now be the first in … Continue reading
