Rights of Nature, Laponia, and New Zealand

Granting legal personhood to nature, such as the Laponia World Heritage Site in northern Sweden, could significantly enhance existing protections for its natural and cultural heritage. Current legal frameworks in Laponia lack explicit rights or personhood for the landscape itself, despite robust safeguards. This study applies a Legalist account of nature's personhood to Arctic contexts, demonstrating how such recognition could strengthen environmental governance. By analyzing present legal regimes, it identifies gaps where personhood rights may provide more effective protection, offering a model for balancing ecological and cultural preservation.

Rubenstein, E. M. (2026). Rights of Nature, Laponia, and New Zealand. Legal Personhood and the Rights of Nature, 118–141. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003740186-6