The Inquiry - Should rivers have personhood? - BBC Sounds

A BBC Sounds episode titled “Should rivers have personhood?” explores a growing approach to river protection: granting rivers legal rights similar to those of individuals. The program notes that river systems worldwide are under stress from pollution, agriculture, and extractive industries, and that in some places regulations exist but often act as prevention after degradation has already taken hold. The discussion describes legal personhood routes ranging from constitutional changes to local law shifts or court rulings, while questioning whether human responsibility mechanisms could backfire, including the prospect of rivers facing legal action if they hold rights and duties. Contributors include Prof Nick Mount, Dr Erin O’Donnell, Pier-Olivier Boudreault, and Naveeda Khan.