Law
The Legal Standing of Non-Human Entities in Environmental Law
Quick fact
In 2008, Ecuador became the first country to constitutionally recognize the rights of nature, allowing lawsuits to be filed on behalf of ecosystems, such as the Vilcabamba River, which won a case against a road-building company that dumped debris into its banks.
Why this is interesting
You've heard that the Amazon rainforest is burning, but what if the forest itself could sue the people cutting it down? Some rivers, mountains, and even entire ecosystems have now been granted that right, and it's changing how we fight for the environment.