Report by Emily Julier, Greta Gruzdyte, Rosie Shields, Ella George, Steven Minke (Hogan Lovells) and Emma Montlake (Environmental Law Foundation and
Love Our Ouse).

“Recognising Nature as having legal personhood… would revolutionise the human-centric approach of the UK legal system, where Nature is simply regarded as property and a resource.”

By Emma Montlake and Emily Julier, October 2025

The Rights of Rivers report is a clear and compelling call to rethink how we protect the waterways that sustain life, communities and ecosystems. It argues that despite a dense framework of environmental laws in England, rivers remain in crisis – polluted, over-abstracted, and ecologically degraded. The report proposes a transformative shift: recognising rivers not as property or resources to be managed, but as living entities with inherent rights. Drawing on global examples, from New Zealand’s Whanganui River to Ecuador’s constitutional rights of nature, it shows that legal personhood for rivers is no longer a radical idea but an emerging international movement. This reframing challenges long-standing human-centred legal systems and invites a new relationship built on guardianship, responsibility and respect.

At the same time, the report is deeply practical. It outlines concrete pathways for change in England, including national legislation, court-led evolution of common law, local council motions, and community-driven river charters. It highlights grassroots groups, catchment partnerships, and local authorities already pioneering innovative models of river “voice” and representation. By weaving together legal analysis, case studies and community action, the report demonstrates that a Rights of Rivers approach is both achievable and urgently needed. Its message is ultimately hopeful: when people reconnect with their rivers and demand governance that reflects ecological reality, healthier, more resilient waterways and communities become possible.