Colombia joins New Zealand and India as countries that have recognized the legal status of rivers in recent months.
"In a landmark verdict, Colombia’s Constitutional Court has recognized the Atrato River basin as having rights to 'protection, conservation, maintenance and restoration,'" reports Sarah Bardeen for the International Rivers site.
The river is the third around the world to receive legal protections, after the Whanganui River in New Zealand was granted the status of a human entity in March. The ruling on the legal status of the Atrato River actually came earlier, in November 2016, but has only recently been publicized. As explained by Bardeen, Colombia's decision regarding the Atrato River doesn't include the same language about the river's human or living status. The decision does, however, "offer protection to the Atrato River while simultaneously guaranteeing the fundamental rights of the communities that inhabit its banks. Under this new paradigm, known as 'biocultural rights,' the Court has asserted that the most effective way to protect ethnic communities’ rights is through biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration."
In March, the Yamuna and Ganges rivers in India were also granted legal status as living entities, following the lead set by New Zealand.
FULL STORY: Colombian River Gains Legal Rights
Lawsuit Would Recognize the Human Rights of the Colorado River
Corporations have rights in the United States, and an organization called Deep Green Resistance is going to federal court in Colorado to argue that rivers should too.
River Given Human Status
A New Zealand river revered by the Maori people is granted the status of a living being by the country's parliament.
Bill Would Double Protections for Montana Rivers
The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act would double the number of wild and scenic rivers in the state of Montana.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
Savannah Reduces Speed Limits on Almost 100 City Streets
The historic Georgia city is lowering speed limits in an effort to reduce road fatalities.
A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena
Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.
Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs
The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions