Eco-Constitutionalism and Climate Justice: Evaluating Green Rights Through Judicial Trends and Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Abstract

Eco-constitutionalism has emerged as a progressive legal response to the escalating global ecological crisis, emphasizing the constitutional recognition of environmental rights as fundamental to human survival. The growing discourse on climate justice further reinforces the need for legal systems to safeguard not only the interests of present communities but also those of future generations. This paper examines the trajectory of green rights through judicial trends across diverse jurisdictions, highlighting how constitutional courts have progressively integrated ecological concerns into fundamental rights jurisprudence. In addition, it underscores the critical role of indigenous knowledge systems as pillars of sustainable environmental governance. Drawing on case law, international conventions, and indigenous practices, the study demonstrates how the fusion of judicial activism and traditional ecological wisdom provides a trans-formative paradigm for advancing Eco-constitutionalism and climate justice in the twenty-first century.