Granting Rights to Naturals Objects: The Future of Environmental Protection or Cultural Mismatch?

Abstract

Conclusion: To conclude, there is no doubt that humanity is currently facing a (man-made) climate crisis. Ecosystems are under increasing pressure and are changing rapidly (IPCC, 2023). Europe has a very extensive network of environmental laws and regulations that attempt to counteract climate change. However, it can be observed that these are not sufficient to solve today's environmental problems. Europeans show a high level of environmental awareness and dissatisfaction with current environmental policy. The insufficiency of environmental policies coupled with high environmental awareness in Europe is calling for a new approach to environmental protection. The answer may lie in civic society: This article has demonstrated that Europe has a stable culture of committed citizens who fulfil their democratic responsibilities. Citizen movements have started to take inspiration from the Latin American examples and mobilize around granting rights to nature. The Rights of Nature initiatives that have emerged in Europe and the case of Mar Menor show that the concept of the rights of nature also fits into our European context and receives support. These actors already have influence as norm entrepreneurs: The study from Ireland shows that transnational networks such as The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund are important norm champions for greater diffusion and effectiveness. The overarching goal is effective environmental protection, and from the above arguments it can be concluded that European civil society is dynamic, flexible and motivated to take the next step with more room for action to achieve direct environmental justice