Rechte der Natur als Schutzgut der Europäischen Grundrechtecharta

Rights of nature have been accepted in two judgments of the Erfurt High Court. The court interprets rights of nature into several human rights provisions. The article explores the reasoning of the judgement relating to the European Charter of Fundamental Rights and examines it critically. The author argues that a dynamic interpretation of the Charter to include rights of nature is not in line with the law as is stands today. For introducing rights of nature into the corpus of Union law, the primary law has to be changed. However, rights of nature could constitute a useful means for the protection of the environment in the future.

Autor*in PD Dr. Stefan Lorenzmeier