Beyond riverine rights
Identification
- Public canonical key
- doi:10.4324/9781003581208-9
- Authors
- Malene K. Brandshaug · Axel Borchgrevink
- Reported year
- 2026
- Reported language
- en
- Source type
- book-chapter
- First detected
- 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
- Last metadata observation
- 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
- Last HTTP verification
- Not checked
Documentary abstract — original language
This chapter sums up the findings on legal personhood given to rivers in Aotearoa New Zealand (Whanganui River), Colombia (Atrato River) and India (Ganga and Yamuna rivers). It explores the reasons behind these three legal innovations, their outcomes and the lessons learned. These cases were driven by distinct local factors, including Māori’s deep relationship to the river and their efforts to rectify historical injustices against them (Aotearoa New Zealand), severe environmental degradation and impacts on local communities (Colombia) and the environmental concerns of an activist judge (India). The outcomes have varied significantly. The Whanganui case is the most promising, fostering Indigenous rights recognition, participatory governance and potential long-term environmental benefits. The Atrato ruling recognizes biocultural rights and has empowered local communities but faces implementation challenges. The Ganga and Yamuna rulings were stayed and have therefore had minimal impact. The chapter concludes that effective riverine rights regimes require inclusive participation, reflection of local knowledge and values and state capacity and will for enforcement. The transformative potential lies in creating new participatory governance models that include local people and bridge different knowledge systems. Ultimately, focusing on “riverine rights” that consider both the river and its related living beings and human communities is crucial. These cases, despite their differences, represent local efforts to address global socio-environmental crises.
Identifiers
- OPENALEX
- W7125503106
- DOI
- 10.4324/9781003581208-9
Documentary context
- Documentary family
- Book chapter
- Source-reported types
- book-chapter
- Natural entities mentioned
- River
Entity mentions are not evidence of legal recognition. Jurisdiction studied is separate from author affiliation country.
Book bibliographic description
Access status unknown
Sources
OpenAlex · Record 1 · Record 2
Documentary field provenance
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- Authors
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- Not recorded
- Official identifier
- Not recorded
- Source URL
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- Not recorded
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Cite this reference
Malene K. Brandshaug; Axel Borchgrevink. Beyond riverine rights. 2026. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003581208-9
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APA, Chicago, ISO 690: bibliographic formats using available fields. OSCOLA / Bluebook: structured data only; full legal citation compliance is not claimed without verification of required elements.
- APA
- Malene K. Brandshaug; Axel Borchgrevink. (2026). Beyond riverine rights. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003581208-9
- Chicago
- Malene K. Brandshaug; Axel Borchgrevink. Beyond riverine rights. 2026. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003581208-9
- ISO 690
- Malene K. Brandshaug; Axel Borchgrevink. Beyond riverine rights. 2026. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003581208-9
UDTR Global Rights of Nature Legal Library. Beyond riverine rights. Documentary record: https://www.declarationuniverselledesdroitsdelarbre.org/global-rights-of-nature-radar/reference/r-eac7747cb25dbba77580ed2c5074ff86/ · Last HTTP verification: not performed
Field provenance and record version
Version 3ec45dfa14fe1bcb · udtr-reference-1.1.2
- Title
- OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
- Authors
- OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
- Year
- OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
- Identifiers
- OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
- Source URL
- OpenAlex · source · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
History tracks record metadata and does not certify the state of the law.
f9204c70f4024608 · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
bce518a1d23dc8ca · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
99e611c9896e4b56 · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
3ec45dfa14fe1bcb · 2026-11-09T19:04:47.940280+00:00
Research dossiers and documentary relations
Source roles
Discovery source · https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003581208-9
Discovery source · https://openalex.org/W7125503106
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Documentary status
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Library
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