English references

Healthy environment a human right, UN court says in landmark climate ruling

A German court has delivered a landmark ruling in a climate lawsuit brought by Peruvian farmer, Saúl Luciano Lliuya, against German energy giant RWE. The German Higher Regional Court of Hamm has ruled that, in principle, companies can be held liable to people halfway around the world for their contribution to the impacts and risks of climate change . While the Court ultimately dismissed Mr Lliuya’s claim, its reasoning represents a significant breakthrough for climate litigation globally. Below we explain what the Court decided, why it matters, and what it might mean in a New Zealand context with Smith v Fonterra still moving through the courts.

The Trump administration is targeting climate organizations that received a Biden-era grant.

British police arrest environmental protesters at nearly three times the global average rate, research has found, revealing the country as a world leader in the legal crackdown on climate activism.

In this week’s Down To Earth newsletter: The global crackdown against climate activists and groups is clearly part of the fossil fuel industry’s strategy to crush dissent and keep burning the planet

In the lead-up to COP29, Fausto Corvino emphasized the need for a paradigm shift within the international climate negotiations to ensure that the global rich bear a greater responsibility for climate finance. In this follow-up article, he explains why COP29 has failed in its historic mission to lay the foundations for a rapid and equitable global transition to low-carbon energy....

The Center for Climate Integrity (CCI) helps communities hold oil and gas corporations accountable for the massive costs of climate change.

From farmers to disaster survivors, new plaintiffs and progressing lawsuits are putting pressure on industry polluters.

Outgoing special rapporteur David Boyd says ‘there’s something wrong with our brains that we can’t understand how grave this is’

Weak government climate policies violate fundamental human rights, the European court of human rights has ruled

California has sued five of the largest oil and gas companies in the world, alleging that they engaged in a 'decades-long campaign of deception' about climate change and the risks posed by fossil fuels.

A coalition of British Columbians are organizing their municipalities to take oil and gas companies to court over the costs of the climate crisis

The Youth Climate Justice Fund supports with core flexible funding to emerging youth climate justice collectives. Groups can apply for a grant of up to USD 10,000, which can be used for a period of 12 months.

Vanuatu is asking two questions to the ICJ: what are the legal obligations of states in regard to climate justice, and what are the legal consequences for states that do not meet these obligations.

Several climate court cases have been stuck in legal limbo for years. Now they're about to get a lot more interesting.

Six KCs among more than 120 mostly English lawyers to sign pledge not to act for fossil fuel interests

I cannot support laws that defend those who destroy the planet, and criminalise those who try to protect it, says Jolyon Maugham KC

Over the past 12 months, courts from Indonesia to Australia have made groundbreaking rulings that blocked polluting power plants and denounced the human rights violations of the climate crisis. But 2023 could be even more important, with hearings and judgments across the world poised to throw light on the worst perpetrators, give victims a voice and force recalcitrant governments and companies into

The past year saw major developments in accountability cases against oil companies and national governments around the world, as well as setbacks for several high-profile fossil fuel projects.

Climate Change Laws of the World is a global database of climate change laws, policies, climate targets and litigation cases