The Forest Fights Back: A Global Movement for the Rights of Nature

“We are at the forefront of a legal revolution that is reshaping the way we view our relationship with nature,” environmental law scholar den Outer asserts in her illuminating debut overview of the rights of nature movement. Modern legal systems, she explains, have historically been centered on rights for humans, but the rights of nature movement, with which den Outer has been involved as a legal advocate since 2017, posits that nature itself has inherent rights to exist, thrive, and evolve—rights that can be secured by granting nature “personhood” before the law. While this sounds pie-in-the-sky at first glance, den Outer points to historical precedents for nonhuman entities such as corporations being granted legal personhood. She then surveys rights of nature’s recent successes in getting legal personhood recognized for the Whanganui River in New Zealand, the Amazon rainforest in Colombia, and the Mar Menor lagoon in Spain, among other ecosystems. Den Outer simplifies complicated legal battles and concepts into easily digestible stories, and, while she acknowledges that the rights of nature movement will not solve the planet’s mounting climate crisis, she persuasively points to it as a “necessary correction to years of exploitation” that can pave the way for further reform. Concluding with actionable steps readers can take in their own communities, this rousing call-to-action contends that change is not only possible but already here. (Jan.)