Bill > SJR107

This resolution recognizes Wisconsin's commitment to environmental stewardship by acknowledging the inherent rights of nature, drawing on both Indigenous traditional knowledge and contemporary conservation principles. The resolution highlights Wisconsin's rich natural ecosystems and its historical leadership in environmental protection, particularly through the work of conservationists like Aldo Leopold, John Muir, and Gaylord Nelson. It emphasizes the deep ecological knowledge of Indigenous communities who have lived in harmony with the land for thousands of years and introduces the concept of "rights of nature" - a framework that grants legal rights to ecosystems and species, recognizing nature's intrinsic value and right to exist, evolve, and regenerate. The resolution also addresses current environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecological degradation, suggesting that recognizing nature's rights can provide new legal tools for protecting air, land, wildlife, water, and future generations. By framing environmental protection through a rights-based approach, the resolution seeks to reaffirm the moral and legal responsibility of governments to protect the natural systems that sustain all life.

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/joint_resolution/sjr107