Tired of constantly battling to protect nature, Abi Ludwig, cofounder of the Olympia group Rights of Nature Initiative (RONI) said they’re “going on the offense.” “We’re at that point where nature has to fight back and we’re ready to take that on from the community level,” said Rachel Kurtz, president and cofounder of RONI. Kurtz and Ludwig are part of a growing movement to establish rights for nature to exist and thrive.
A group of environmentalists is working to enact “Rights of Nature” laws for Washington rivers across the state. Olympia-based Rights of Nature Initiative (RONI) Coalition is pushing for an ordinance that recognizes the rights of the Deschutes River. RONI is in its early stages and started its outreach last week when it pitched its vision to the Local Good Governance Coalition. They also held a webinar this week and talked to interested residents about the concept of the rights of nature.
In a groundbreaking shift in environmental law, the concept of granting legal rights to nature is gaining traction. A recent New York Times article delves into this transformative movement, exploring its implications and the growing number of cases where natural entities are being recognized as legal persons. This legal renaissance is not just a theoretical exercise; it has practical consequences. By recognizing the rights of rivers, forests, and ecosystems, we are witnessing a fundamental change in how nature is protected and preserved. The movement is rooted in the belief that nature has intrinsic value and should have a voice in our legal system.
The Ohio River Bill of Rights petition was submitted to shift the legal view from nature as property, to one that acknowledges the rights of the river’s ecosystem, giving the watershed a right to thrive and exist on its own. httpss://www.alleghenyfront.org/a-cincinnati-group-thinks-the-ohio-river-should-have-rights-of-nature/
A resolution sponsored by Save the Colorado was adopted in 2021 and states that the Board of Trustees intends to protect the creed by including the rights of nature as a primary consideration in town actions.
In 2019 the citizens of Toledo Ohio passed a resolution establishing a bill of rights for the Great Lake and granting it legal standing in suing polluters. httpss://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/toledo-ohio-just-granted-lake-erie-same-legal-rights-people-180971603/