Several states have recently enacted—or are considering enacting—constitutional amendments that protect our right to live in a healthy environment. Such policies ensure that in every action the government takes, the protection of our world is prioritized. Yet, in conversations about our fundamental rights, such as freedom of speech and religion, the right to a stable climate and access to clean water and air are often overlooked. Veteran environmentalist Maya K. van Rossum proposes raising environmental rights to the highest constitutional standing is critical to ensuring essential climate justice. She is the founder of Green Amendments for The Generations, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring the passage of environmental legislation in every state constitution across our nation and at the federal level when the time is right. Green Amendments–a term coined and defined by Maya in her 2017 award-winning book–recognize and protect environmental rights on par with other inalienable civic and political freedoms. She has also served as the leader of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network for over 30 years, a regional advocacy organization that works throughout the four states of the Delaware River watershed and at the national level using advocacy, science, and litigation to protect the Delaware River and its tributaries. In this episode, Maya and I discuss the specific language written into Green Amendments that make them so powerful, and what an environmental right at the federal level might look like for the U.S.

Resources mentioned in today’s episode:
https://forthegenerations.org/
https://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/

The Green Amendment: Securing Our Right to A Healthy Environment
https://www.amazon.com/Green-Amendment-Securing-Healthy-Environment/dp/1633310213

Connect with Maya van Rossum:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-van-rossum-21803114/
https://twitter.com/MayaKvanRossum

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