How can “Loire” and its watershed be made into a subject of rights, a “person” instead of a “thing,” so that the river might defend its values and its future? This was the question that boatmen, artists, and scientists taking part in La Grande Remontée sought to address on Wednesday, September 1, 2025, when they were invited to the Institute to participate in the very first “Laws to Come” workshop.
Developed from the work of writer and artist Camille de Toledo, associate member of the Institute, together with the “Council of Witnesses,” the workshop invites participants—through a card game—to explore two citizen-proposed laws. These proposals were formally presented on April 30 at a symposium at the French National Assembly, to members of parliament Charles Fournier, Lisa Belluco, and Chantal Jourdan.
Through an interactive card game, everyone was able to discover and debate two citizen-proposed laws, already presented at the National Assembly. The exchanges were rich and passionate: discussions about the boundaries of the estuary, industrial heritage, and the roles of future “guardians” of the river highlighted the creativity and commitment of the participants, giving this first workshop a dimension that was playful, educational, and deeply engaged.
The debates were lively and thought-provoking:
- Is the tidal impact on the river’s flow the right way to define the upstream boundary of the estuary?
- Should industrial heritage be included?
- Could the Prefect decide who would be fit to become a guardian of the Loire?
- How could the Loire dedicate its financial heritage to better defending its rights—and what exactly would those rights be?
A Law for the Recognition of the Loire as a Non-Human Person with Rights
Inspired by similar initiatives in India, New Zealand, and Colombia, this proposal seeks to recognize the Loire River, along with its entire watershed, as a living entity endowed with rights. Its ambition is to make the Loire a full-fledged legal actor, protected for what it is in itself, and not solely for the uses humans make of it.
A Law to Recognize the Rights of the Loire Estuary
This proposal focuses on a territory often overlooked: the estuarine space, where freshwater and saltwater meet - a zone rich in biodiversity and cultural connections. Following international examples of the legal recognition of wetlands, the estuary is here conceived as a “place of attachment” endowed with rights, to be protected as such.
© Jean-Félix FAYOLLE
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If you would like to organize a “Laws to Come” workshop within your organization, you can write to us at loi-a-venir@iea-nantes.fr
