It is good to see that a mountain in New Zealand, previously named by its colonial invaders as Mr Egmont, has just been given the same legal status as a person and will now be known as Taranaki Maunga. The mountain is considered an ancestor by Indigenous Maori people and its new status means that its rights cannot be ridden over roughshod by anyone wanting to exploit its natural resources.
This forms part of a process we have seen growing around the world, enabling the protection of natural places by giving them protection under the law equal to a human being. See our story on giving rivers legal rights.
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Photo by Sophie Turner on Unsplash