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Some have called for Nuremberg-style trials against big oil. But there are laws already on the books to describe companies’ conduct

Exclusive: High-level documents show how Copa Cogeca worked to weaken legislation to protect climate and wildlife

Some Western nations are using old legislation or enacting harsh new laws to restrict the right to peaceful protest and impose disproportionate penalties, a report warns. Governments in democratic countries in Europe and the global north are using overly punitive measures to crack down on environmental activists, according to a new report.

States and financial bodies using modelling that ignores shocks from extreme weather and climate tipping points

l'observatoire US de la dérégulation environnementale

The authors of a new book argue that the ocean cannot be saved by legislation alone. Paul Watson is one of the authors, along with academic Sarah Levy. Watson was an early member of Greenpeace, and founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, but is no longer linked to either organization. While he maintains he has never caused physical injury to anyone, he promotes "aggressive non-violent" direct action, and is currently wanted by the Japanese state.

Gains in cutting deaths from tuberculosis at risk as health officials warn clinics forced to ration drugs and testing

Those who destroy the living world should be charged with the international crime of ecocide

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.

When people reflect on how their actions shape the future, they are more likely to support solutions to present-day issues like poverty and inequality.

intimidation from President Donald Trump’s administration and urged Americans to prepare to “possibly sacrifice” in support of democratic values. In a speech Thursday night at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, Obama also accused Trump’s government of working to destroy the international order created after World War II.

Bayer, the corporation behind Roundup herbicide, has paid out nearly $11 billion in lawsuits. Trump’s EPA might move to block the suits.

Are you a federal scientist who took the recent buyout or have been fired? Contact us. Other story tips welcome.

A new declaration aims to make the southernmost continent an autonomous legal entity, akin to a nation-state, with inherent rights to participate in decision making that affects it.

International lawyer challenging dangerous deep water petroleum production offshore Guyana

We are on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster. This is a global emergency beyond any doubt. Much of the very fabric of life on Earth is imperiled. We are stepping into a critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis. For many years, scientists, including a group of more than 15,000, have sounded the alarm about the impending dangers of climate change driven by increasing greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem change (Ripple et al. 2020).

In the UK and around the world, those who challenge rich corporations are being hounded and crushed with ever-more inventive penalties, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

As we mark 100 days until the COP28 UN climate summit, the urgency of addressing the climate crisis has never been more palpable. Global failures to mitigate emissions and adapt to the impacts continue to wreak havoc on the planet, and we’re seeing this in a range of ways. Unprecedented extreme weather events have occurred with frightening regularity in 2023. In March, over 500 people lost their lives when Cyclone Freddy struck Malawi. Last month, flooding in the Philippines caused by Typhoons Doksuri and Khanun displaced more than 300,000 people, and the recent wildfires that ravaged Hawaii – in part exacerbated by climate change – continue to make for distressing headlines. This list is likely to become even longer by the end of the year, when COP28 gets underway in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Energy and extractive industry giants are targeting environmentalists with racketeering charges.

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