Why giving River Clyde 'personhood' would make Glasgow like London or Paris

Should the River Clyde be granted the legal rights of a person?

There is no Glasgow without the River Clyde - but should the city be shouting a bit louder about it?

That is exactly what Professor Louise Welsh and architect Jude Barber from the ‘Who Owns the Clyde?’ podcast think.

The pair want to see the iconic river given the legal rights of a person, saying the move could make the river as popular and as famous as the River Thames in London or the River Seine in Paris.

A petition has been launched in support of the proposal, with campaigners arguing granting the Clyde legal personhood would allow for ecological and common human interests to thrive. New Zealand’s Whanganui River - the country’s third longest - is among international examples of natural features granted personhood.

An overhead drone image of the River Clyde | John Devlin/NationalWorld

“There are great things happening on the river,” Prof Welsh told The Scotsman. “There is the new bridge between Partick and Govan, the incredible new houses at Water Row, which are life-changing for people, initiatives like Clyde in the Classroom, so children get engaged, and community gardens.

“There is a lot to celebrate, but we want more. We want the river to be an attraction and something for everyone who lives and works in the city.”

The pair have submitted the petition to Holyrood, asking for the Scottish Government to adopt the universal declaration on the rights of rivers. This would allow the River Clyde to be given the legal right to personhood, and allow a nature director to be appointed as the guardian of the river.

Prof Welsh, who has lived in the city since 1985 and lectures at Glasgow University, said she believed this status could transform the river.

Jude Barber and Professor Louise Welsh (right) on the River Clyde. | Jude Barber

She said: “It used to be the centre of Glasgow, people used to swim in it. It was part of the Empire, whether we like it or not, and was part of our industrial past.

“When you travel to places like London, you have the Thames, or the Seine in Paris, where you can walk along the river, have some coffee or a glass of wine, even touch the water. None of that is happening in Glasgow city centre with the Clyde.

“I can see myself walking along the banks of the Clyde, seeing a great deal of heritage and learning about the history and culture. It could be a whole new place.”

One of the biggest problems Prof Welsh has come across since she started researching the river is it is difficult to know who actually owns the water source.

Jude Barber and Professor Louise Welsh discussing their 'Who Owns the Clyde?' podcast. | Jude Barber

Various private companies own different sections of the Clyde, but it can often be difficult to trace exactly who all the landowners are, she said.

Prof Welsh said: “I thought the council was in charge of the river, but it turns out they don’t own a lot of the city centre section.

“It is managed by various different companies, which means it is not a public asset. Private shareholders make a lot of money, but when it comes to public good there is no wealth generation there.

“As far as I can see, it doesn’t result in any benefit for the city.

“This is a body of water that doesn’t cross any boundaries and the Scottish Government does have the ability to confer personhood on the Clyde and say ‘this river has rights that should be protected’.

“That would give more accountability because some sites have been left in excess of 50 years and it is difficult to pin down the owners of them. It cannot advocate for itself, so we should.”

If the River Clyde was granted legal personhood, it would give the river the right to flow and the right to perform essential functions within its eco-system. The Clyde would also win the right to be free from pollution, the right to feed and be fed by sustainable aquifers, the right to native biodiversity, and the right to regeneration and restoration.

Jude Barber and Professor Louise Welsh discussing their 'Who Owns the Clyde?' podcast. | Jude Barber

This could also bring about benefits for the ecology of the river as it boasts more than 20 species of birds, otters, seals, salmon and a variety of wildlife on the river banks.

Having the river as a legal person could also help with private companies “profiteering” off of small boat users on the Clyde, campaigners have argued.

However, Prof Welsh was keen to point out that giving the river the right to flow would not take away existing flood protections.

She said: “My hope is for the Clyde to generate prosperity. The public could help make this the lifeblood of the city of Glasgow, connecting together all the regions of Glasgow and using it for the good of citizenry, allowing people to engage with it.”

This is not the first attempt to get a British river legal personhood.

There was a push in 2018 to get the River Frome in England declared a legal person, but this was rejected in 2020.

The universal declaration of river rights was created by the Earth Law Center in 2017 and some of the world’s biggest rivers have benefited since.

This includes the Whanganui River in New Zealand, the Magpie River/Mutuhekau Shipu in Canada, Boulder Creek in the USA, and the Alpayacu River in Ecuador, as well as several rivers in Florida’s Orange County, Brazil and Bangladesh.

There are other projects in motion to class rivers as legal people all over the world, including in France, Serbia, El Salvador, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ecuador and Mexico.

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.