A critical analysis of the development of the concept of giving rivers a personality: does it in fact help to protect the rivers?

There is a general worldwide move towards the protection and management of the environment and ecosystem of rivers and river basins. Different countries are adopting different regimes to provide that protection including by giving rivers legal personality which has been achieved in three ways: first, under statute, secondly by court decision, and thirdly under national Constitutions relied on by the court. However, there are still some problems as identified by O’Donnell and Macpherson and Magellanes, that are arising from protection through giving rivers a personality.