Short Course: Climate Change Litigation

Course Outline

Climate Change Litigation is an increasingly critical component of climate governance at the local, national, regional and global levels, exerting pressure on the executive and legislative branches of government to act on the climate change issues. At the same time, climate change-related cases have also been filed against private actors, mostly fossil fuel and cement companies, which are major greenhouse gas emitters. Young people, NGOs and others have taken to the courts to challenge governments' and corporations' actions or inactions.

This course is based around the most compelling practical issues and relevant sectors, while combining the scientific and legal frameworks and obstacles through which climate change litigation takes place. Finally, climate change litigation will be analysed as a global phenomenon, taking stock of landmark examples at the international and domestic levels, wherever they appear.

By the end of the course, participants will:

• Be cognizant of the role of climate litigation in pursuing climate action
• Have a clear understanding of the principal issues, dynamics and obstacles of climate change litigation, both from a domestic (comparative) and international perspective;
• Be better able to critically understand and assess the legal tools and principles related to climate change litigation;
• Be able to identify critical domestic, comparative and international climate-related cases and opportunities for climate action.

 
Course Topics:

• Global Perspectives on Climate Change Litigation
  Dr. Ivano Alogna, BIICL and  Dr. Shaina Sadai Union of Concerned Scientists
  
• Evidentiary and Attribution Science-related Issues in Climate Change Litigation
  Prof. Petra Minnerop, Durham University and Rupert Stuart-Smith, University of Oxford
  
• Justiciability Issues in Climate Change Litigation
  Hon. Justice Brian J. Preston, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment, Court of New South Wales and Nigel Pleming KC, 39 Essex Chambers
  
• International and Transboundary Climate Change Litigation
  Harj Narulla, Doughty Street Chambers and Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and Dr Noah Walker-Crawford, University College London
  
• Climate Change Litigation and Human Rights
  Ingrid Gubbay, Hausfeld and BIICL, and Alina Holzhausen, BIICL and PhD Candidate, University of Aberdeen
  
• Climate Change Litigation, ESG and Business
  Dr. Irene Pietropaoli, BIICL and Krishnendu Mukherjee, Doughty Street Chambers
  
• Climate Change Litigation, Product Liability and Sustainable Consumption
  Prof. Duncan Fairgrieve KC, BIICL and Dr Benjamin Franta, University of Oxford
  
• Climate-related Trade and Investment Dispute Resolution
  Dr. Markus W. Gehring, University of Cambridge and Nathalie Allen, Addleshaw Goddard LLP
  

Download the Programme

Who is the course for?

This course would benefit practitioners in private law firms and NGOs; civil servants, provincial departments and local authorities; environmental managers in private sector; civil society organizations; activists, academics and students.

Course Format

The virtual course format will consist of a series of 8 sessions in which live (synchronous) teaching is offered via Zoom. Participants will be able to interact with the tutors and amongst themselves on screen.

Participants at BIICL short courses are also invited to join exclusive events for trainees following completion of the course.

Testimonials from Past Attendees

"This is a really excellent course. Really informative and well structured. It is suitable for anyone interested in this area including non-lawyers."

Pricing and registration

The course cost is £775 per person (including VAT).

Course Discounts

Member discount: 15% discount for individual members of BIICL
Details of individual memberships at BIICL 

Group discounts:

• 15% discount for groups of 3 or more attendees from Governmental Entities and Non-Governmental Organisations
• 15% discount for groups of 5 or more attendees from commercial organisations

To apply for any of the group discounts please Contact Us.

Training scholarships

The British Institute of International and Comparative Law is committed to equality and opportunity in the legal profession and to support greater engagement of under-represented groups in the legal profession.

In our efforts in this regard we are delighted to offer 3 scholarships for each of our short courses to participants from communities and backgrounds currently under-represented in the legal community.

Applications for training scholarships must be received at least three weeks ahead of the course start date (31 August 2023)

Find out more about training scholarships 

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