Nature – a Legal Subject: Could the Colombian model work for Germany?
In sensational rulings, Colombia's High Courts have granted natural features such as the Atrato River and the Colombian Amazon legal personality.
In view of growing climate litigation in Germany, Colombia's jurisprudence, which grants rights to rivers, forests and animals, is getting increasing attention in this country. The German legal tradition is no stranger to recognizing rights in favor of entities that are not natural persons, for example legal persons. However, granting subjective rights in favor of the environment might shift the sovereignty to interpret such rights from the legislature to the courts.