The Story Why rivers need human rights
Jul 31, 2025
Adam Vaughan, Environment Editor at The Times, dives into the revolutionary movement to grant personhood to rivers, highlighted by a Hampshire council's decision for the River Test. He discusses the urgent environmental crisis of river pollution and the strong role of water companies and farmers in this issue. Vaughan emphasizes the cultural significance of UK rivers, the rise of grassroots activism, and the transformative potential of recognizing nature's rights. He also touches on the community joy brought by wild swimming and the increasing public connection to natural waterways.
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Symbolic Rights for Rivers
- Granting personhood to rivers is largely symbolic but reflects strong local concern for river health.
- It highlights a new level of civic engagement about environmental protection.
Global Roots of River Rights Movement
- The modern rights of nature movement gained traction with Ecuador's 2008 constitution and New Zealand's 2017 river personhood.
- The UK is only beginning to adopt these ideas, showing a growing but still new trend.
Rivers' Poor Ecological Status
- Only 16% of England's waterways are near their natural ecological status, a figure that has stagnated for years.
- Existing campaigning and legal efforts have not sufficiently improved river health, driving innovative proposals like river personhood.
