Resources

What is a Green Amendment & Why Do We Need Them?

Green Amendments are self-executing provisions added to the bill of rights section of a constitution that recognize and protect the rights of all people, including future generations, to pure water, clean air, a stable climate, and a healthy environment. Read more about why Green Amendments are important:

• What is a Green Amendment?  Essential Criteria for Securing Effective Environmental Rights Protection
• Green Amendments Overview?
• Demanding and Defending Your Rights to Clean Air, Clean Water, & a Healthy Environment
• It’s Time For a Constitutional Recokoning, published in Earth.org
• Green Amendment Frequently Asked Questions & Their Answers

An Emmy Nominated Show:  Here’s The Story – The Green Amendment 

Here’s The Story, an Emmy nominated show that premiered in 2011 and is produced by acclaimed journalist Steve Rogers, is now featuring a multi-part series featuring the Green Amendment movement. The show joins Maya as she explores the history of the Green Amendment movement and meets with environmental, political and legal leaders key to the movements past, present and future. Among those interviewed is NJ Governor Phil Murphy, PA Senator Franklin Kury who originally conceived of the idea for PA, and the chief justice who wrote the iconic opinion that helped launch the movement.

You can watch the show, see Facebook live chats with some of the key players, and see the full interviews that were conducted as part of the show here: Here’s the Story: The Green Amendment

The Book That Started a Movement

The Green Amendment: The People’s Fight For A Clean, Safe & Healthy Environment, written by Green Amendments For the Generations Founder Maya van Rossum, lays out an inspiring new agenda for environmental advocacy, one that will finally empower people, level the playing field, and provide real hope for communities everywhere. The Green Amendment 1st edition was selected as a Living Now Evergreen Awards GOLD Winner in the Nature Conservation category. The book also received an honorable mention Foreword Indies Book of the Year awards in the category ecology and environment. The book is now in its second edition with new stories, inspiration and guidance on how to become a leader in the Green Amendment movement.

The How, What & Why of Green Amendments & Their Power

• The Green Amendment, The People’s Fight For a Clean, Safe & Healthy Environment —The Book
• What is a Green Amendment Fact Sheet
• Demanding and Defending Your Rights to Clean Air, Clean Water, & a Healthy Environment Info Sheet
• Green Amendment Frequently Asked Questions & Their Answers
• It’s Time For a Constitutional Reckoning (published in Earth.org)
• Green Amendments Will Empower Environmental Protection (published in Bloomberg Law article)
• How Green Amendments Protect Key Environmental Rights — Expert Analysis by Founder M.K. van Rossum for Law360  (published in Law360)
• GREEN AMENDMENT Model Language, Criteria & Step-by-Step Guide
• How To Implement & Apply a Green Amendment
• Protections Offered with Trust Language in a Green Amendment
• Benefits of a Constitutional Provision Protecting Environmental Rights
• Green Amendments Are Good For Attracting & Supporting Quality Business, a handout
• Editing the Constitution: Protect the Environment, a quick primer making the case for Green Amendment constitutional protections at the state & federal level (published in the Boston Globe)
• Green Amendments, Properly Placed and Written, Are A Restraint On Governmental Authority – Article By Team of Attorneys that Successfully Argued PA Case
• General Community Green Amendment Information Sheet
• Misconceptions & Application of Green Amendments, by Todd Ommen, Professor at Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic, printed in ABA magazine
• THE GREEN AMENDMENT: An Idea Whose Time It Has Always Been, by Gerald J. Williams, Esq.
• Constitutional Environmental Rights Worldwide, A Research Paper
• While many states pursue Green Amendments via the legislative path, there are some that have the opportunity to use Citizens Initiatives, that’s how Florida is doing it.  To learn if the Citizens Initiative path is an opportunity in your state check out this great resources compiled in 2023 by Wendi Lederman for Green Grassroots Election Protection Coalition: States With Citizen Initiatives 2023

Rights of Nature & Green Amendments

• The Intersection of  Green Amendments & Rights of Nature  (published by FastCompany)
• Green Amendment as Compared to Rights of Nature, Green New Deal & Youth Climate Litigation — Different Concepts With Different Benefits
• People and Nature Need Environmental Rights Empowerment. (a discussion of the complementary but different values of the Green Amendments Movement & Rights of Nature Movement) (published by Earth 911)

Green Amendments for Environmental Justice

• Click here to learn more about how Green Amendments support and advance environmental justice.

Green Amendments for Addressing the Climate Crisis

• Click here to learn more about how Green Amendments help address the climate crisis.

Legal & Advocacy Successes & Ongoing Uses Demonstrating Green Amendment Protections

• Click here, to learn how Green Amendments have secured critical environmental protections in the 3 states where they exist through both legal action and advocacy.  

Good Models To Help Guide Your Green Amendment Effort

• GREEN AMENDMENT Model Language, Criteria & Step-by-Step Guide
  • Model/Sample Green Amendment Language
• GREEN AMENDMENT Check List
• Model Resolution Supporting Green Amendment to the NJ State Constitution
• Model Resolution Supporting Green Amendment to the NY State Constitution
• Sample Letter of Support for a NY Green Amendment
• New Jersey Green Amendment Petition
• Response to Business Opposition to a Green Amendment for New York 4.23.18

Se puede explorar nuestras materiales aqui

• Que es un Enmienda Verde?
• Exigiendo y defendiendo tu derecho a agua limpia, aire limpio, y un ambiente saludable
• Enmienda Verde lista de control
• Protecciones ofrecidas incorporando el lenguaje de un fideicomiso en la Enmienda Verde de un Estado
• Haciendo que la justicia ambiental sea una obligación real del gobierno

Video Content

• The Green Amendment Films Series
• Watch National Green Amendment Expert Maya van Rossum answer questions posed by legislators during 2024 Committee hearing.’
• What Held v. Montana tells us about the power of Green Amendment protections – panel discussion of experts.
• Legislative Briefing: 50th Anniversary of PA’s Green Amendment
• Here’s the Story: Rivers — PBS/NJTV
• State Legislators On the Importance of Green Amendments, NCEL video
• NYWEA: A NY Constitutional Amendment
• A New York Green Amendment Webinar Series
  • Overview
  • A Legal Perspective
  • Taking Action
• A Maine Green Amendment with Maine Climate Action Now
• For an overview of the value of the Green Amendment approach – watch CT NOFA address
• The Impact of Pennsylvania Green Amendments on Decisionmaking in Pennsylvania
• More video content available on Youtube
• Watch & Listen: press, podcast, & media content
•  Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment in Practice

Notable Reads

• The Constitutional Question to Save the Planet: The Peoples’ Right to a Healthy Environment By Franklin Kury. Buy it at your local bookstore or order on
• Advocating for the Environment” How to Gather Your Power and Take Action By Susan B. Inches. Buy at your local bookstore or order here or on

Resources for Teachers/Educators

• Green Amendment Teacher Guide (Print | Screen) using first edition of book
• Student Guide and more

Article: How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change — & Why You Have To