Abstract
The argument that human rights and the rights of nature are compatible ways to safeguard environmental sustainability and preserve life is made at the intersection of these two concepts. Traditionally anthropocentric, human rights aim to protect humans’ freedoms, well-being, and dignity as individuals and as groups. Meanwhile, ecosystems and species have intrinsic rights that are protected under the rights of nature, an ecocentric legal theory, regardless of how useful they are to humans. This article made the case that both frameworks are just two sides of the same coin rather than being in conflict. Ecosystems and the human populations that depend on them are both targets of environmental degradation. By addressing the underlying causes of environmental harm, acknowledging the rights of nature ensures a sustainable future for all species on Earth, complementing the rights of humans. Examples of the legal convergence between both frameworks are the Whanganui River’s legal personhood granted by New Zealand and Ecuador’s constitutional recognition of nature’s rights. This article makes the case for an all-encompassing approach to law and policy that incorporates the rights of nature as well as human rights, highlighting the necessity of environmental preservation for the fulfilment of human rights and vice versa.
Keywords: Human Rights, Rights of Nature, Environmental Jurisprudence.