Rights of Nature Project

In response to concerns about pollution of the River Ouse, working with a local councillor, the Environmental Law Foundation (‘ELF’) co-authored a motion, subsequently adopted by Lewes District Council in February 2023, acknowledging the growth of the global Rights of Nature(RoN) movement as a framework for rethinking our relationship with Nature. The motion provides a two-year period to provide a ‘Declaration of the Rights of the River Ouse’ for adoption by the council. ELF has been working with local group Love Our Ouse, the council and other stakeholders to produce a draft Declaration and supporting documentation. This work has involved reviewing potential legal and policy opportunities at the Lewes District Council level to recognise the rights of the river in decision-making processes.

Taking the learning from the experience in Lewes, the ELF would like to explore the availability of such opportunities elsewhere around the UK. On the legal side these may include via a local authority’s constitution, petitions, byelaws, or the enhanced biodiversity duty. For policy these could be via a local authority’s corporate plan, planning policy documents, climate plan, biodiversity strategy, the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, or other plans. The WarwickLinC Environmental Law Clinic will focus on Coventry City Council with the River Sherbourne as the environmental entity.