Nature through the lens of the law: from sustainable development to legal personhood. A philosophical-legal sketch

The Anthropocene narrative highlights that human activities are the main cause of climate changes and environmental degradation. To limit this disaster interventions can be made at different levels, and the legal one is part of the available options. Starting the end of the 1980s attempts to protect nature were based on the concept of sustainable development. However, to manage nature from the sustainable development’s perspective has not proven decisive. Starting the second decade of the 21st century, in different countries throughout the world decisions were made to recognize the qualification of legal personhood to nature or to single natural resources. The paper tries to highlight the advantages of this trend both for humans and for the environment based on the optimistic assumption that following it can contribute to strengthening the original narrative of sustainable development and to reaching higher moral standards based on which changes in ideas and behaviors can be achieved.