Lawsuits
UK Supreme Court lifts ban on Heathrow airport third runway
Heathrow still faces major obstacles to carry out its expansion plans, in light of the UK’s 2050 net zero target and uncertain future demand
Bolsonaro’s attack on the Amazon breaches Brazil’s constitution, climate lawyers argue
Brazilian campaigners are fighting in the Supreme Court to reinstate anti-deforestation policies and resources slashed by the Bolsonaro administration
Mayan communities are suing the Mexican government over a million solar panel megaproject
Indigenous communities say they did not give consent for a Total-backed solar megaproject on their land
UK Supreme Court hears climate case on Heathrow airport expansion
Heathrow Airport is challenging a ruling that quashed plans to build a third runway earlier this year, based on the UK commitment to the Paris Agreement
Six Portuguese youth file ‘unprecedented’ climate lawsuit against 33 countries
In the first climate case to be filed with the European Court of Human Rights, six Portuguese youth argue inadequate emissions cuts violate their human rights
Ireland forced to strengthen climate plan, in supreme court win for campaigners
Judges ruled the government’s national mitigation plan fell “well short” of what was needed to meet Ireland’s climate commitments, ordering a more ambitious strategy
Coal generator uses investment treaty to fight Netherlands coal phaseout
Uniper is using a controversial investor dispute system to claim up to €1 billion compensation for being forced to close a coal power station early
Greenpeace takes Arctic oil lawsuit to Norway’s supreme court
After losing at two lower courts, campaigners are taking the fight to ban new oil exploration licences to the top, where it will be heard by all 19 justices
Oslo court backs Arctic oil exploration in defeat for environmentalists
Greenpeace says it will appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing oil exploration violates Norway’s constitutional guarantees of a healthy environment
London police ban on Extinction Rebellion was unlawful, court finds
Lawyers for the protest group say those arrested illegally could claim thousands in compensation
Extinction Rebellion eyes legal challenge after police ban protesters from London
The move prompted a group of politicians and campaigners to protest in Trafalgar Square in defiance of the ban
French court finds climate activists stole Macron portraits out of necessity
‘Faced with the state’s failure to respect objectives that can be perceived as minimal’ the action was ‘a very moderate disturbance’, the judgement said
Court blocks Polish coal plant, in win for climate campaigners
Client Earth successfully challenged the Ostrołęka C project on behalf of shareholders, arguing it was a bad financial bet as renewables become competitive
Families appeal EU court dismissal of ‘People’s Climate Case’
Plaintiffs including a Portuguese forester and Swedish indigenous reindeer herder argue inadequate climate action threatens their human rights
European court throws out climate lawsuit, saying plaintiffs are not unique
Ten families and the Swedish Saami people are set to appeal the judicial order, which found their rights were no more threatened than other individuals
Turkish supreme court blocks coal plant, as wave of new projects stalls
Local opposition won a legal ruling against a major project on the Black Sea coast – the latest challenge to Turkey’s plans to expand coal use
‘End of the road’ for UK citizens’ climate case rejected by appeal court
The case, brought by 11 members of the public and the NGO Plan B argued the UK’s 2050 climate target was not in line with the Paris Agreement
Greenpeace threatens to sue coal utility in Poland
Activists are calling on PGE to phase out coal by 2030 and switch to clean energy, or face legal action
Quebec youth launch climate lawsuit against the Canadian government
Environnement Jeunesse is leading a legal action on behalf of under-35s to demand faster emissions cuts, in line with a 1.5C global warming limit
Dutch government to appeal landmark climate ruling, again
Mark Rutte’s administration asks Supreme Court to review the Urgenda case, which requires the Netherlands to make deeper emissions cuts by 2020