Lawsuits
Green lawyers get boost – Climate Weekly
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Vanuatu gathers support for UN climate justice statement
Over 100 nations have backed the Pacific Island’s attempt to make it easier for govenrments to be sued over climate failures
Vanuatu publishes draft resolution seeking climate justice at UN court
The Pacific island nation says 100 countries back its call for the International Court of Justice to advise on states’ climate obligations
See you in court: how climate lawsuits could sharpen Cop27 loss and damage talks
If international solidarity with climate victims falls short, litigation offers a vital but imperfect avenue for compensation
G20 Bali meeting highlights Indonesia’s weak climate action
Campaigners are mounting a challenge against the government, arguing that insufficient climate action infringes on their human rights
Chinese court rules bitcoin mining harms the climate
A judge in Beijing quashed a bitcoin contract on the basis it was not in the public interest, citing incompatibility with China’s carbon neutrality goal
Brazilian court world’s first to recognise Paris Agreement as human rights treaty
The Supreme Court ruling requires the Brazilian government to reactivate its climate fund and has implications for international law
‘Politically motivated’: Russian authorities seek to remove climate activist’s citizenship
Arshak Makichyan has been a vocal climate and anti-war activist in Moscow. Russian authorities are accusing him of having illegally obtained his citizenship
Island states back Vanuatu’s quest for climate justice at the UN
Vanuatu is calling on the International Court of Justice to prepare a climate litigation toolkit, but first it needs a majority at the UN general assembly
Philippines inquiry finds polluters liable for rights violations, urging litigation
The national human rights commission found 47 “carbon majors” acted “immorally” and could be sued – giving fresh impetus to legal challenges
Indigenous peoples in Guatemala demand sovereignty over oil and mining resources
The case could set an international precedent for indigenous people to control resources on their land, which they say is critical to climate action
IPCC report a ‘call to arms’ for climate science in courts, legal experts say
Youth, climate disaster victims and vulnerable countries could use the latest UN science report as evidence to sue polluters for damages or remedial action
Shell court ruling is a wake-up call for governments to end fossil fuel support
Government-based public finance institutions that support new fossil fuel projects face the risk of climate litigation, lawyers warn
Paris deal enters boardrooms – Climate Weekly
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Shell ordered to slash emissions 45% by 2030 in historic court ruling
This is the first time a company has been held legally liable for its contribution to climate change – setting a precedent for future lawsuits against the fossil fuel industry
How youth climate court cases became a global trend
From the rise of the youth plaintiff to greenwashing claims, Climate Home News explores the major trends in climate litigation
Top court rules German climate law falls short, in ‘historic’ victory for youth
In a surprise verdict, Germany’s highest court found that government climate targets violate the freedoms of youth plaintiffs by deferring emissions cuts
Why Grenada had to nationalise its electricity for $60m to pursue renewables
A one-sided privatisation deal and flawed World Bank advice landed Grenada with a hefty legal bill to reform its electricity sector and cut reliance on polluting diesel
Court condemns French government over climate inaction with symbolic €1 fine
Campaigners have hailed a ‘historic victory’ after an administrative court concluded the French government could be held responsible for breaching its 2015-18 carbon budget
Shell faces Dutch court in case testing how Paris climate goals apply to businesses
Climate campaigners say Shell is violating human rights by continuing to invest billions in fossil fuels, calling for a much faster shift to clean energy