First Country to Grant Constitutional Rights to Nature

In its 2008 constitution, Ecuador became the first country in the world to formally recognize nature, or "Pachamama," as holding legal rights that can be defended in court, rather than treating it purely as property. The provisions allow individuals and communities to sue on behalf of ecosystems for damages caused by pollution or resource extraction. Several other countries have since referenced Ecuador's constitution when drafting their own rights-of-nature laws.