The State Council for Nature Conservation has issued an opinion regarding a draft law aimed at granting legal personhood to the Oder River, emphasizing the difficulties in effectively implementing such an initiative within Poland's legal system. According to Dr. Andrzej Kepel from the Council, the legal tradition in Poland does not favor the type of legal recognition envisioned for the river, which could affect how environmental protections are enforced.

This proposed legislation, currently pending in the Polish Parliament, aims to give the Oder River a committee of representatives that would advocate for its rights and interests, allowing it to seek legal redress in court. If successful, this could set a precedent in Poland, as similar legal recognitions are rare, leading to discussions on how to manage the river’s use for both economic and recreational purposes under the umbrella of environmental justice.

Experts have proposed an alternative to the current draft, which involves the establishment of an Ombudsman for Nature Rights, suggesting that this could be a more viable path forward. They advocate for a framework where river management involves cooperation between various stakeholders, including government ministries and water authorities, to ensure sustainable use of the river without granting it legal personhood, which could complicate existing legal frameworks.