What is a Green Amendment?
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 healthy environments.
What’s Happening in Iowa?
The proposed Iowa Green Amendment would give every Iowan a right to a clean and healthy environment.
The amendment, first put forth in 2021, continues to advance, building support and momentum each year.
The proposed amendment would add the following section to Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Iowa:
“Every person has the right to a clean and healthy environment, including pure water, clean air, ecologically healthy habitats, and the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic, and aesthetic qualities of the environment. The state shall not infringe upon these rights by action or inaction. The state’s public natural resources, including its soils, waters, air, flora, fauna, climate, and public lands, are the common property of the people, including both present and future generations. As trustee of these resources, the state shall conserve, maintain, and restore these resources for the health and benefit of all the people. This section and the rights stated herein are self-executing and shall be in addition to any rights conferred by the public trust doctrine or common law.”
Organizations Supporting the Iowa Green Amendment include:
- Green State Solutions
- Indianola Green Team
- Green Dubuque
- Friends of the Mines of Spain
My organization would like to sign on in support of the Iowa Green Amendment in order to lift up environmental rights in our state so they are given highest constitutional protection. To sign on your organization in support, be listed on the website as a supporter, and start to learn more and engage sign up here.
Learn More & Engage
Learn about the process to amend the Iowa Constitution here. More Iowa specific resources and petition coming soon.
More Fact Sheets, FAQs, Webinars, Education Guides and More can be found on our resources page.
And reach our newsletter and about other interesting happenings on our Discover More page.