Legal Innovation

French rivers gain new protections through innovative legal frameworks. Some communities grant rivers legal personhood, following examples from New Zealand and Colombia. The approach seems radical but builds on ancient understanding—rivers as beings deserving respect, not property to exploit.

In 2021, the Tavignanu River in Corsica received legal recognition as a living entity. Local communities, including shepherds maintaining transhumance traditions, become river guardians with legal standing to sue polluters. "The river raised our ancestors," explains guardian Maria Santoni. "Now we protect it like family—because it is family."