Back to Listing
After two years of dedicated work, including a River Rights Summit and the drafting of a Charter for the River Ouse, Lewes District Council delivered a groundbreaking decision to formally support the Ouse River Charter, the first of its kind in the UK.
The Charter recognises the Ouse’s rights, including the right to exist in a natural state, to flow and be free of pollution, and to have native biodiversity. We were privileged and proud to help our long-time pro bono client, Environmental Law Foundation, and to collaborate with Love Our Ouse and Monica Feria-Tinta on the legal side. Whilst the River Charter approach does not yet give the river a legal personality under English law – which would give the river the right to sue and be sued as companies enjoy – it paves the way for discussions about giving nature the same rights in the UK. It is revolutionary and recognises how important nature is to sustain humans and other species.
Councillor Emily O’Brien joined Radio 4's Today programme to explain how Lewes District Council is putting nature at the centre of everything they do and how important they felt it was to support the rights of the River Ouse before is too late - listen in here. The Charter is being championed by Lewes District Council and next steps will be looking at implementation.
This work is only just beginning - there is a lot to do, working with communities, businesses and other stakeholders in the river’s catchment area and relevant statutory agencies to implement the Charter. O’Brien also mentioned that they are considering exploring a guardianship structure which has been implemented for nature in other parts of the world.
We hope that this Charter will inspire other councils to support the rights of rivers and nature more broadly in the UK.
This article was prepared by Emily Julier, Counsel Knowledge Lawyer