{{Short description|Granting political or institutional standing to non-humans within governance systems}}
[[File:Snæfellsjökull in the Morning (7622876302).jpg|thumb|[[Snæfellsjökull]], a glacier in the Snæfellsnes peninsula in [[Iceland]], was a nominee to run in the [[2024 Icelandic presidential election]]s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kassam |first=Ashifa |date=2024-04-19 |title=Bid to secure spot for glacier in Icelandic presidential race heats up |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/19/bid-to-secure-spot-for-glacier-in-icelandic-presidential-race-heats-up-snfellsjokull |access-date=2024-09-18 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>]]
[[File:The Earth seen from Apollo 17.jpg|thumb|In 2024, [[The Planetary Democrats]] nominated planet [[Earth]] as a symbolic candidate for the [[2024 European Parliament election|European Parliament election]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Planetary Democrats |url=https://www.resurgence.org/magazine/article6444-the-planetary-democrats.html |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=Resurgence & Ecologist |language=en}}</ref>]]
'''Political representation of nature''' is the concept and practice of granting political or institutional standing to nonhuman [[Entity|entities]]—such as animals, plants, and ecosystems—within governance systems.<ref name=":0">{{Citation |last1=Burke |first1=Anthony |chapter=Across Species and Borders: Political Representation, Ecological Democracy and the Non-Human |date=2020 |title=Non-Human Nature in World Politics: Theory and Practice |pages=33–52 |editor-last=Pereira |editor-first=Joana Castro |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-49496-4_3 |access-date=2024-09-18 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-49496-4_3 |isbn=978-3-030-49496-4 |last2=Fishel |first2=Stefanie |editor2-last=Saramago |editor2-first=André|chapter-url-access=subscription }}</ref> This concept has developed to incorporate natural entities in political decision-making, reflecting debates about the effectiveness of human-centered governance in environmental protection.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Pereira |first1=Joana Castro |chapter=Introduction: Embracing Non-Human Nature in World Politics |date=2020 |title=Non-Human Nature in World Politics: Theory and Practice |pages=1–9 |editor-last=Pereira |editor-first=Joana Castro |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-49496-4_1 |access-date=2024-09-18 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-49496-4_1 |isbn=978-3-030-49496-4 |last2=Saramago |first2=André |editor2-last=Saramago |editor2-first=André|chapter-url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Watts |first=Jonathan |date=2024-01-01 |title=Could 2024 be the year nature rights enter the political mainstream? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/jan/01/could-2024-be-the-year-nature-rights-enter-the-political-mainstream |access-date=2024-09-18 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Emerging trends, including the ''political turn'' in [[environmental ethics]] and the ''representative turn'' in [[political theory]], drive the debate in this field. Following progress in legal representation for nonhuman nature, such as the granting of [[legal personhood]] to animals,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-11-07 |title=Orangutan Sandra granted personhood settles into new Florida home |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/sandra-orangutan-florida-argentina-buenos-aires |access-date=2024-09-18 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> rivers<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2019-11-29 |title=Saving the Whanganui: can personhood rescue a river? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/30/saving-the-whanganui-can-personhood-rescue-a-river |access-date=2024-09-18 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> and ecosystems,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Sam |date=2022-09-21 |title=Endangered Mar Menor lagoon in Spain granted legal status as a person |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/21/endangered-mar-menor-lagoon-in-spain-granted-legal-status-as-a-person |access-date=2024-09-18 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> the conversation has broadened to consider how nature can be represented within [[Legislature|legislative]] and [[Executive (government)|executive]] branches of government.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Magaña |first=Pablo |date=2022-10-07 |title=The Political Representation of Nonhuman Animals |url=https://www.pdcnet.org/soctheorpract/content/soctheorpract_2022_0048_0004_0665_0690 |journal=Social Theory and Practice |volume=48 |issue=4 |pages=665–690 |doi=10.5840/soctheorpract2022811171|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Historical and theoretical background ==
Early thinkers, including [[Thomas Hobbes]], have historically framed nature as passive and separate from human society. Later, theorists such as [[Bruno Latour]] introduced concepts, such as a 'parliament of things,' proposing that democratic processes consider nonhuman actors. Latour's approach has been cited as influential in political theories addressing ecological issues, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human and environmental systems.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Brown |first=Mark B. |date=2018-02-15 |title=Speaking for Nature: Hobbes, Latour, and the Democratic Representation of Nonhumans |journal=Science & Technology Studies |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=31–51 |doi=10.23987/sts.60525 |issn=2243-4690|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Since the early 2000s, frameworks such as [[Earth jurisprudence|Earth Jurisprudence]] and Rights of Nature have further influenced the concept of nonhuman representation. These frameworks propose that nature has intrinsic value deserving of legal and moral rights.<ref>{{Citation |last=Crews |first=Chris |chapter=Environmental Justice and the Global Rights of Nature Movement |date=2023 |title=The Palgrave Handbook of Environmental Politics and Theory |series=Environmental Politics and Theory |pages=467–501 |editor-last=Jay Kassiola |editor-first=Joel |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-14346-5_20 |access-date=2024-09-18 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-14346-5_20 |isbn=978-3-031-14346-5 |editor2-last=Luke |editor2-first=Timothy W.|chapter-url-access=subscription }}</ref> The works of political theorists like Andrew Dobson,<ref>Dobson A (1996) Representative Democracy and the Environment. In: Lafferty W M and Meadowcroft J (eds) Democracy and the Environment: Problems and Prospects. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 124-139.</ref> [[Robyn Eckersley]],<ref>Eckersley, R. (2000). Deliberative Democracy, Ecological Representation and Risk: Towards a Democracy of the Affected. In ''Democratic Innovations: Deliberation, Association and Representation'' (pp. 117 - 145). Routledge.</ref> [[Robert E. Goodin|Robert Goodin]],<ref>Goodin RE (1996) Enfranchising the Earth, and its Alternatives. Political Studies 44 (5): 835-849</ref> and [[John O'Neill (philosopher)|John O'Neill]]<ref>O'Neill J (2001) Representing People, Representing Nature, Representing the World. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 19(4): 483-500.</ref> have contributed to this shift. They propose that humans have an ethical responsibility toward nature, suggesting that democratic systems might evolve to account for nonhuman interests.

== Institutional mechanisms ==
Various institutional mechanisms have been proposed and implemented to incorporate nonhuman entities and ecosystems into formal political decision-making processes.

[[Electoral reform]]s like proportional representation and lowering electoral thresholds have been suggested to facilitate the entry of green parties into parliaments. These changes could help increase the political influence of parties dedicated to environmental advocacy, further amplifying the representation of nature in governance.<ref name=":1" /><ref>Lijphart, Arend, and Bernard Grofman, eds. 1984. ''Choosing an Electoral System''. New York: Praeger.</ref>

[[Deliberative assembly|Deliberative initiatives]], such as citizen assemblies and deliberative mini-publics, engage randomly selected citizens in structured discussions on environmental issues, providing a platform for nonhuman interests to be included in political discourse. While these bodies typically do not have formal decision-making power, they can influence policy indirectly by informing legislators.<ref name=":1" /><ref>Curato, N., Chalaye, P., Conway-Lamb, W., De Pryck, K., Elstub, S., Morán, A., Oppold, D., Romero, J., Ross, M., Sanchez, E., Sari, N., Stasiak, D., Tilikete, S., Veloso, L., von Schneidemesser, D., & Werner, H. (2023). ''Global Assembly on the Climate and Ecological Crisis Evaluation Report''. University of Canberra.</ref>

Dedicated [[Ombudsman|ombudspersons]] or [[commissioner]]s are independent offices that investigate and advocate for the rights of natural entities, operating similarly to human rights commissioners.<ref name=":1" /><ref>Hooley, Daniel. 2018. "The Political Status of Nonhuman Animals." PhD thesis, University of Toronto.</ref>

The allocation of seats in existing [[parliament]]s to specific [[Member of parliament|representatives]] of nature mirrors systems of political reservations used to ensure representation for marginalised human groups. These nature representatives would advocate for the interests of ecosystems and nonhuman entities within legislative bodies.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cochrane |first=Alasdair |date=2018-10-18 |title=Securing Sentientist Politics |url=https://academic.oup.com/book/5971/chapter-abstract/149332364?redirectedFrom=fulltext |journal=Oxford Scholarship Online |volume=1 |doi=10.1093/oso/9780198789802.003.0007|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

On a global level, new [[Supranational union|supranational]] [[institution]]s have been proposed. Suggested frameworks include regional ecosystem assemblies for different biomes and an Earth System Council to coordinate global environmental action. Both institutions aim to include representation from states, indigenous communities, and proxy guardians for the non-human.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-28 |title=Animals Could Play a Pivotal Role in Climate Talks—if We Let Them |url=https://sentientmedia.org/animals-could-play-a-pivotal-role-in-climate-talks-if-we-let-them/ |access-date=2024-09-18 }}</ref>

== Political representation of nature in practice ==
Examples of nonhuman representation exist in several countries.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lawrence |first=Peter |date=November 2022 |title=Justifying Representation of Future Generations and Nature: Contradictory or Mutually Supporting Values? |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2047102522000176/type/journal_article |journal=Transnational Environmental Law |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=553–579 |doi=10.1017/S2047102522000176 |bibcode=2022TELaw..11..553L |issn=2047-1025|url-access=subscription }}</ref> According to the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor, as of August 2025, there are 589 laws that have institutionalized nonhuman political epresentation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eco Jurisprudence Monitor |url=https://ecojurisprudence.org/ |access-date=2025-08-02 |website=Eco Jurisprudence Monitor |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Putzer |first=Alex |last2=Lambooy |first2=Tineke |last3=Jeurissen |first3=Ronald |last4=Kim |first4=Eunsu |date=2022-01-01 |title=Putting the rights of nature on the map. A quantitative analysis of rights of nature initiatives across the world |journal=Journal of Maps |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=89–96 |doi=10.1080/17445647.2022.2079432}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Putzer |first=Alex |last2=Cook |first2=John |last3=Pollock |first3=Ben |date=2025-12-31 |title=Putting the rights of nature on the map. A quantitative analysis of rights of nature initiatives across the world – Second Edition |journal=Journal of Maps |volume=21 |issue=1 |article-number=2440376 |doi=10.1080/17445647.2024.2440376|doi-access=free }}</ref> Nevertheless, there exist also other forms of political representation.

In New Zealand, the [[Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment]] monitors environmental issues. This office conducts investigations, reviews, and reports on environmental conditions and evaluates the effectiveness of government policies. Its role is intended to support transparency and accountability in environmental governance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Functions and powers |url=https://pce.parliament.nz/about-us/functions-powers/ |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=Parliamentary Commissioner of Environment }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Diaz-Rainey |first=Ivan |date=2019-03-28 |title=NZ's environmental watchdog challenges climate policy on farm emissions and forestry offsets |url=https://theconversation.com/nzs-environmental-watchdog-challenges-climate-policy-on-farm-emissions-and-forestry-offsets-114281 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=The Conversation }}</ref>

The [[European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety|European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare]] updates animal welfare regulations within the European Union. The position also promotes the One Health approach, which recognizes the interdependence of people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mission Letter |url=https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/b1817a1b-e62e-4949-bbb8-ebf29b54c8bd_en?filename=Mission%20letter%20-%20VARHELYI.pdf |access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-17 |title=Err … him?! EU's new animal welfare chief yet to win hearts and minds |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-commissioner-oliver-varhelyi-health-animal-welfare-commissioner/ |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=POLITICO }}</ref>

In Wales, the [[Future Generations Commissioner for Wales|Future Generations Commissioner]] ensures that the interests of future generations are considered in policy-making. The office evaluates the long-term impacts of current policies and promotes sustainable development practices aimed at safeguarding both human and environmental health.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Future Generations Commissioner for Wales – The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales |url=https://www.futuregenerations.wales/about-us/future-generations-commissioner/ |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=www.futuregenerations.wales}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=What does 'longtermism' mean to you? |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/wales-welsh-future-generations-environment-climate-b2449654.html |access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref>

In Germany, the Federal Animal Welfare Officer provides oversight on animal welfare matters and advises the federal government across sectors such as agriculture, research, and industry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Good news for Germany's chickens – DW – 06/16/2023 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/good-news-for-germanys-chickens/a-65935901 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=dw.com }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tierschutzbeauftragte der Bundesregierung |url=https://www.bmel.de/DE/ministerium/organisation/tierschutzbeauftragte/tiersschutzbeauftragte_node.html |access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref>

Australia's Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports advises the federal government on issues related to animal welfare and oversees the development of policies to improve the treatment and protection of animals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports |url=https://www.igawlae.gov.au |access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Elizabeth (Liz) |date=2023-07-05 |title=Why Australia banning live sheep exports may be a net loss for animal welfare |url=https://theconversation.com/why-australia-banning-live-sheep-exports-may-be-a-net-loss-for-animal-welfare-205831 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=The Conversation }}</ref>

In Spain, the General Director of Animal Rights manages animal welfare policies at the federal level, developing strategies to enhance animal rights and incorporating these into broader social and legislative frameworks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Director General de Derechos de los Animales |url=https://www.mdsocialesa2030.gob.es/el-ministerio/curriculums/90-director-general-de-derechos-de-los-animales.htm |access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-03 |title=Spain rolled out a new animal welfare law. It has many contradictions |url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/10/03/spain-rolled-out-a-new-animal-welfare-law-it-has-many-contradictions |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=euronews }}</ref>

The Commissioner for Animal Welfare in Malta enforces animal welfare laws and oversees the proper treatment of animals, ensuring compliance with national regulations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR ANIMAL WELFARE |url=https://agricultureservices.gov.mt/en/commissioneranimalwelfare/Pages/home.aspx |access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-16 |title=Animal welfare reform facing 'agonising' delays, Commissioner complains |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/animal-welfare-reform-facing-agonising-delays-commissioner-laments.1091044 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=Times of Malta }}</ref>

In New York City, the Office of Animal Welfare focuses on policies related to the health, safety, and welfare of wild animals and pets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Animal Welfare |url=https://www.nyc.gov/site/animalwelfare/about/about.page |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=www.nyc.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Too Many Cats, Too Few Vets: New York City Animal Shelters Are Bursting |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=13 August 2023 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/13/nyregion/nyc-animal-shelters-overcrowding.html |access-date=2024-09-18 |last1=Nolan |first1=Erin }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Rights of nature]]
* [[Environmental ethics]]
* [[Environmental justice]]
* [[Environmental crime]]
* [[Environmental personhood]]
* [[Human impact on the environment]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Environmental humanities}}
{{Environmental social science}}
{{Environmental justice}}

[[Category:Environmental ethics]]
[[Category:Environmental social science concepts]]
[[Category:Environmental justice]]
[[Category:Environmental law]]