News archive
ORF Podcast on oe1 "Rights of Nature"
Design: Juliane Nagiller with the collaboration of Prof. Dr. Nils Schaks
An ORF in-house production, broadcast on Ö1 on Mai 27, 2025
In 2017, New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world to recognize the Whanganui River as a legal entity, thereby granting it rights. The Canadian Rivière Magpie and the Spanish Sallagune Mar Menor now also have "person status". More than 50 years ago, Christopher D. Stone raised the question of whether forests and rivers should be granted rights. As long as nature had no rights, we would regard it as something that had to serve us, argued the US law professor. Until now, the image of nature as a subject of rights has been anchored primarily in the indigenous world view and is in conflict with the western, anthropocentric view. A view that is being increasingly questioned in light of the climate and biodiversity crisis: What does it mean when nature is given rights? How can these be enforced? And what if rivers and forests go to court? (Source: https://sound.orf.at AI translated)
You can listen to the podcast here.
SRF program "Der Club" moderated by Barbara Lüthi on the subject "Sarco - euthanasia for all?" from Oct. 22, 2024
Participation of Prof. Dr. Bijan Fateh-Moghadam
In the coffin-like Sarco capsule, people who wish to die can kill themselves by pressing a button. Sarco has fueled the debate on euthanasia: do we need more laws - or would this jeopardize current practice? Should euthanasia be further liberalized - or would this increase the pressure on elderly people?
You can watch the German program here.
SRF program "Echo der Zeit" on "Constitution provides a good legal basis for climate protection" by Sibilla Bondolfi from Oct. 24, 2024
Statement in the program by Prof. Dr. iur. Nils Schaks
Switzerland is not doing enough to combat climate change, states the European Court of Human Rights. In his new book, journalist and historian - and initiator of the glacier initiative, Marcel Hänggi, comes to the conclusion that the Federal Constitution actually provides a good legal basis for climate protection.