ABA Journal: Seattle settles case involving 'rights of nature,' a theory gaining steam in other countries
May 16th, 2023
A Rights of Nature Landmark Achievement
Debra Cassens Weiss and the ABA Journal reported this week on the latest updates on the “rights of salmon” lawsuit in Washington.
In April, a May 2 press release by the Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights declared that the city of Seattle settled a “rights of nature” case pending in the Sauk-Suiattle Tribal Court of Appeals that was filed on behalf of salmon harmed by dams on the Skagit River. These dams would hold to a commitment to operate fish-passage facilities.
The rights of nature movement have seen significant success in countries like Ecuador, New Zealand, and Switzerland, with the Sauk-Suiattle lawsuit being one of the first of its kind in the United States, putting this legal theory to the test. Lawyers are beginning to take very seriously their roles as guardians, and this article shares more about this important journey.
To read this article by the ABA (American Bar Association) Journal, please visit here.