Exploring Environmental Law, Activism, and the Rights of Nature

Last month, we submitted a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on ‘A Human Rights Bill for Scotland' to emphasise the importance of taking an ecological approach to the Right to a Healthy Environment, and to highlight the role that Rights of Nature can have in realising this.

At 8.15am on Monday 20th November, the music and chatter of community radio stations across the UK will quieten, and give way to the sweet sound of birdsong.

We wanted to share some of the recent work we have been doing at Lawyers for Nature, and some news, updates and what to look out for in the coming months.

A year ago, in collaboration with Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle from House of Hackney, we launched the We Are Nature campaign, a grassroots movement to persuade dictionaries to update English-language dictionary definitions of the word Nature to include humans.

Lawyers for Nature stands in firm opposition to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025 in its current form. While we acknowledge the government's stated aim to streamline development and enhance environmental outcomes, the Bill's current provisions risk undermining existing environmental protections, democratic processes, and the fundamental rights of nature itself.

We wanted to share some positive news from the world of Rights of Nature. It’s these moments that remind us why we’re reimagining the law for Nature—ensuring it has the opportunity to thrive and flourish, just as it should.

Last week, LFN founder Paul Powlesland was called to serve on a jury. For his oath, he decided to swear on what was most sacred to him: nature, via the River Roding, represented in the courtroom by a water sample in a small bottle.

We are proud to announce the release of a new research report, ‘Realising Rights of Nature: Understanding the Variety of Legal Instruments’, written by LFN Researcher Alex May.