Rapid Fire
Taranaki Maunga Mountain Gains Legal Personhood
- 10 Feb 2025
- 2 min read
Taranaki Maunga (New Zealand’s 2nd-highest mountain in North Island) was granted legal personhood becoming the third natural feature (after Te Urewera park in 2014 and Whanganui River in 2017) in the country to receive this status.
- It will now be officially recognized by its Māori name, replacing the colonial name Mount Egmont.
- Māori are the indigenous tribes (Iwi) of New Zealand.
About Mount Taranaki:
- Type: Stratovolcano (composite cone) with a symmetrical shape.
- Formation: Result of Pacific Plate subducting beneath the Australian Plate.
- Status: Snow-capped dormant volcano.
- Aoraki/Mount Cook (3724 m), located in the Southern Alps is the highest mountain in New Zealand, while Mount Tasman is second-highest (3,497m).
Legal Rights to Natural Entities in India:
- Uttarakhand HC (2017 & 2018): Granted legal personhood to Ganga & Yamuna rivers, Gangotri & Yamunotri glaciers, and later extended equal rights to all animals. The Supreme Court stayed the river ruling.
- Punjab & Haryana HC (2020): Declared Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh, a living entity for environmental protection.
- The Doctrine of Parens Patriae empowers the state (judiciary) to act as a guardian for those unable to protect themselves, including natural entities like rivers, forests, and wildlife.
Read More: Human Rights and Environment
