Legal personhood of Latin American rivers: time to shift constitutional paradigms?

Alvez-Marin, Amaya; Banales-Seguel, Camila; Castillo, Rodrigo; Acuna-Molina, Claudia; Torres, Pablo

Abstract

Diverse existing legal paradigms have dealt with the interaction of humans and Nature in different ways. We identify three main lenses through which current constitutional systems in Latin America have operated to resolve conflicts. We focus on rivers as emblematic elements of Nature that offer concrete possibilities to operationalize an emerging paradigm that recognizes legal personhood for Nature. The objective is to examine, from a critical interdisciplinary perspective, the existing paradigms, describe their limits and open the debate to alternative jurisdictional venues for favouring the coexistence of humans and natural systems. Through the comparative analysis of three case studies in Chile, Colombia and Ecuador, we outline the challenges and opportunities offered by an emerging legal tradition, 'The New Latin American Constitutionalism', and question what would effectively be different with a change of paradigm towards the recognition of Nature's rights.

Más información

Título según WOS: ID WOS:000712516100002 Not found in local WOS DB
Título según SCOPUS: ID SCOPUS_ID:85120706519 Not found in local SCOPUS DB
Volumen: 12
Fecha de publicación: 2021
Página de inicio: 147
Página final: 176
Notas: ISI, SCOPUS