Paris Moves to Grant Personhood to River Seine for Protection

Paris is taking a groundbreaking step to protect the River Seine by proposing to grant it legal personhood status. This move aims to recognize the river as a living entity with rights, allowing for stronger environmental safeguards and legal recourse against pollution or ecological harm. Inspired by global precedents, the initiative reflects growing efforts to combat climate change and preserve natural ecosystems through innovative legal frameworks that give nature a voice in its own protection.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo emphasized the need for the Seine to have legal standing, not just as a passive entity but as one capable of defending itself due to ongoing threats to its health. Authorities in France are pushing to assign legal rights to the Seine to better protect the river in court and preserve its delicate ecological balance, aligning with a global push to give legal personhood to natural environments.

A resolution passed by the Paris City Council on Wednesday urged lawmakers to enact legislation that would give the Seine legal status, allowing a designated authority to represent its rights legally. The mayor reiterated the importance of empowering the Seine legally to safeguard it from constant environmental threats.

Environmental advocates have increasingly supported the concept of assigning legal rights to vulnerable natural systems like rivers and mountains to enhance their protection. New Zealand set a precedent in 2017 by recognizing the Whanganui River, significant to Indigenous communities, as a living being through legislation that blends Maori traditions with Western law.

In 2022, Spain also followed suit by granting legal personhood to the Mar Menor lagoon, aiming to strengthen protections for its deteriorating ecosystem. The decision by the Paris Council was influenced by recommendations from a citizen-led forum held earlier this year to explore the future of the Seine.

Participants of this forum, selected randomly, suggested that the river should have fundamental rights including the ability to exist, flow naturally, and regenerate. They stressed the Seine should be acknowledged as a shared natural habitat, free from ownership, with its preservation taking priority above all else. The citizens also observed improvements in biodiversity, noting that the river now supports about 40 species of fish, up from just four in 1970.

Leading up to the 2024 Olympics, the French government invested $1.5 billion to restore the Seine, a river that winds past many of Paris’s historic landmarks. Despite the progress, the Seine still faces risks from pollution, increased water temperatures, and the impact of agricultural chemicals.

Plans to open the river for public swimming this summer could raise new health and environmental concerns, the forum warned. Starting July 5, the public will be allowed to swim at three designated sites along the Seine, marking a symbolic and environmental milestone tied to the Paris Olympic Games legacy.

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Source: NDTV‍