1. What is this standard?
The P7019 Standard seeks to provide a thoughtful framework for incorporating the rights of nature into the governance and application of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems (AIS). It is inspired by the evolving concept of Earth Law, a legal philosophy and international movement that emphasizes the intrinsic right of the environment to exist, thrive, and regenerate, independent of human or corporate interests.
Building on transformative Earth Law cases from Ecuador, New Zealand, and beyond—where ecosystems like rivers and forests have been recognized as legal persons—the standard aims to explore how AIS can support the representation of non-human environmental stakeholders in governance. This includes developing: (1) a technical protocol to enable AIS to enhance and support Earth Law practices in areas such as environmental protection, monitoring, and compliance, and (2) a mechanism for environmental accountability, ensuring that AIS use aligns itself with the core principles and objectives of Earth Law.
2. Why is it important?
The Earth Rights movement represents a profound evolution in legal and ethical thought, comparable in significance to the emergence of human rights in the twentieth century. By challenging the human-centric assumptions embedded in most international governance frameworks, it advocates for ecosystems to be recognized as genuine stakeholders. As the movement gains global momentum—with over 500 constitutional amendments, treaty agreements, statutes, local laws, and court rulings underway across 39 countries—current Earth Law practices primarily depend on human intermediaries to represent the interests of non-human stakeholders.
The advent of AIS offers new possibilities to detect, analyze, and interpret complex ecological patterns, ranging from ecosystem monitoring to interspecies communication. With this in mind, our working group is exploring how the Earth Rights movement might benefit from AIS-driven governance platforms that facilitate innovative forms of consensus-building between policymakers and the environment. In the absence of an existing standard for integrating AIS with Earth Law principles, our work aspires to establish a comprehensive global framework that incorporates technical, regulatory, and ethical perspectives from a diverse range of experts.
3. What is a real-world example or case study of how this might help?
In 2017, the Whanganui River in New Zealand was granted legal personhood under the Te Awa Tupua Act, making it the first river in the world to hold such status. Its interests are represented by Te Pou Tupua, a governing body composed of two human guardians: one appointed by the Whanganui iwi, the Indigenous Māori group with ancestral ties to the river, and the other selected by the New Zealand government. Te Pou Tupua works to ensure that the river’s rights and well-being are considered in administrative decisions and collaborates with stakeholders—including local communities and government agencies—to develop policies that uphold its status as a living entity.
The P7019 standard has the potential to further strengthen the governance framework established by the Te Awa Tupua Act by offering guidance on the thoughtful integration of AIS to support Te Pou Tupua in their role as the river’s guardians. This could include leveraging AIS for real-time monitoring of the river’s health, which can generate actionable data to inform evidence-based decision making. AIS could also facilitate participatory governance platforms that integrate community knowledge, scientific insights, and policy considerations into transparent and inclusive decision-making processes, while forecasting the potential long-term impacts of proposed projects or policies on the river’s well-being. Designed as a flexible and adaptable toolkit, the P7019 standard aims to support initiatives such as the Te Awa Tupua Act, and contribute to the broader advancement of Earth Law principles as they manifest in diverse legal and policy frameworks worldwide.
4. What stage is it at?
The working group is set to launch in January, beginning with conceptual and framework development. The initial focus will be on codifying principles that align AIS capabilities with Earth Rights, addressing technical, regulatory, and ethical challenges, and engaging stakeholders from diverse fields to share their expertise. A key priority will be designing a blueprint to ensure interoperability between existing Earth Law practices and emerging AI governance frameworks.
5. What is the current geographical or disciplinary spread of your working members?
The working group brings together members from diverse regions, including the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, reflecting the growing global interest in Earth Rights. It also draws on a broad range of expertise, including AI developers, policymakers, environmental scientists, conservationists, ethicists, and traditional knowledge holders. This diversity provides an opportunity to develop a framework that balances technical insights with place-based governance models rooted in cultural and ecological understanding.
6. What type of people might be interested or well-suited for this standards group?
The group is open to anyone interested in advancing the intersection of AIS and environmental governance. This includes AI and technology developers dedicated to creating ethical and eco-centric systems; lawyers and policymakers seeking innovative approaches to environmental governance; academics and researchers specializing in environmental studies, ethics, or legal theory; community leaders who are custodians of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK); and activists or NGOs committed to fostering collaborative climate action.
7. What triggered your own interest in this area?
For the past decade, I have had the privilege of contributing to the development of AI governance standards. This began with my role as a doctoral researcher at the Harvard-MIT Ethics and Governance of AI Initiative, where I also participated in IEEE-SA initiatives such as The Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems and the Council on Extended Intelligence, and continued with my recent work as a postdoctoral scholar teaching digital ethics and policy at the University of Chicago.
Over the years, I have observed that most AI ethics guidelines emphasize human-centric design as a leading paradigm, with policymakers worldwide advocating for regulations that prioritize human rights and risk-management approaches to align AI development with human values. While these efforts are critical, my research has been inspired by perspectives from critical post-humanist thought and eco-centric design, seeking to explore how AI can both play a transformative role in environmental governance and reshape humanity’s relationship with the natural world.
In 2020, I had the opportunity to establish the IEEE Earth Lab, an industry connections group that has since incubated the foundational ideas for the P7019 standard. These initiatives bring together insights from the humanities and social sciences with technical expertise and policy-oriented approaches to explore how AIS can support governance infrastructures that respond to the ecological dynamics and boundaries that sustain life. Central to this work is a guiding question: Are we prepared to harness AIS in managing complex adaptive systems, even if it challenges us to rethink humanity’s position at the center of governance?
8. Call to Action
We are building the future of eco-centric governance and invite your expertise. Whether you are a technologist, lawyer, conservationist, or advocate, your insights are invaluable. If you would like to join us, please get in touch and email me at [email protected] or contact the IEEE Standards Association Program Manager, Christy Bahn, [email protected] to indicate your interest.
