The Brian Lehrer Show The Rights of Rivers
Jun 16, 2025
Robert Macfarlane, a nature writer and author of 'Underland' and 'Is a River Alive?', delves into the fascinating concept of rivers as living entities deserving legal rights. He discusses the declining health of English rivers and shares compelling recovery stories from Ecuador, India, and Canada. The conversation highlights a shift in environmental law that recognizes nature's intrinsic rights and the spiritual connections we form with rivers. Macfarlane emphasizes the hopeful potential for global guardianship, inviting listeners to rethink our relationship with these vital waterways.
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Rivers as Living Beings
- Rivers in England are severely damaged after 36 years of privatization, with none in good overall health.
- This crisis calls for reimagining rivers not as mere resources but as living beings and citizens in our communities.
Hudson River Revival
- Brian Lehrer shares his deep connection with the Hudson River, from Manhattan to the Adirondacks.
- The river's revival from pollution shows dying rivers can be restored through environmental efforts.
Ecuador's Rights of Nature
- Ecuador's 2007 constitution grants nature constitutional rights, including rivers' rights to exist and flourish.
- It allows citizens to legally protect rivers, a radical departure from anthropocentric laws.
