Global Toolbox on Corporate Climate Litigation Launched
Today BIICL launched the Global Toolbox on Corporate Climate Litigation in a high-profile event in London, marking a transformative phase in the realm of environmental and corporate accountability.
The event was introduced by The Rt. Hon. the Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury (former President of the UK Supreme Court and President of BIICL). Lord Neuberger spoke of the importance of the Toolbox in helping to close the 'big gap between what people know or feel should be done and [what they are] prepared to actually do.'
Opening remarks were provided by Prof. David Boyd (UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment) who gave an overview of the Toolbox and its significance as a pioneering resource in helping to shape government and corporate responses to climate change. Prof. Boyd endorsed the Toolbox and 'attest[ed] to the fact that it contains a wealth of information and insights that will be useful to the litigators, judges, and others going forward.'
Dr. Ivano Alogna (Leader of the project) and Mr. Nigel Pleming KC (Chair of the project's Core Group), set out key features and objectives of the project. The Toolbox is based on three main research axes: (i) Causes of Action, (ii) Procedures and Evidence, and (iii) Remedies. It reflects a rich tapestry of legal claims across different legal systems, shedding light on complexities and potential strategies in corporate climate litigation.
Thirteen speakers - rapporteurs and core group members from across the legal systems studied - spoke at the event on various aspects of the Toolbox research. They highlighted some of the findings of the research and potential applications of the analysis in the current legal landscape.
The Toolbox is a part of a larger BIICL Corporate Climate Litigation (CCL) Platform that consists of (i) the CCL Resources, a literature repository established and growing with the support of the project's International Expert Group; (ii) the CCL Toolbox, including national reports on each of the 17 focus countries, and litigation tools resulting from the comparative analysis of the reports; and (iii) the CCL Database (forthcoming), a user-friendly AI-powered database with translation features to explore legal possibilities in this field and lessons learned from different legal systems.
It is expected that the Toolbox will facilitate effective and speedy corporate climate litigation by legal practitioners and civil society groups, highlighting the elements they can use in their legal system. It will also provide the corporate world with an understanding of their exposure to this kind of litigation and encourage them to foster the necessary transition to Net Zero.
