Climate Litigation Unleashed: Catalysing Action against States and Corporations

On 22 November 2023, the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, supported by the Leverhulme Trust, Oxfam, Woodsford and the Oak Foundation, hosted a one-day workshop to discuss the current developments in climate change litigation against states and private actors. By bringing together over 50 academics, practitioners, funders, and members of civil society from the UK, several EU jurisdictions and South Africa, the Institute fostered a collaborative environment to explore opportunities for knowledge exchange in the field. Structured across four panels, the workshop featured a dynamic mix of expert presentations and interactive discussions. This format allowed participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of the evolving legal strategies employed in shaping jurisprudence related to climate change and engage in debates about the impacts of litigation.

The event is one of the research outcomes of the project on climate change litigation against corporations led by Dr Ekaterina Aristova, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow. The Institute will publish a follow-up report in the form of a collection of opinions from the expert participants with an editorial comment about the case studies and trends in climate change litigation.