NAIROBI, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- A surge in climate change litigation has injected vitality into the global green agenda while shielding vulnerable communities from weather-related shocks, says a report that was launched by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Tuesday.

The report, published by UNEP in conjunction with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University in New York, says that climate-related litigation has almost doubled in the last three years, compelling governments and corporations to tighten measures aimed at lowering carbon emissions.

"Citizens are increasingly turning to courts to access justice and exercise their right to a healthy environment," said Arnold Kreilhuber, acting director of UNEP's Law Division. "Judges and courts have an essential role to play in addressing the climate crisis."

The UNEP report says there were 1,550 climate cases filed by interest groups in 38 countries by 2020, up from 884 brought before courts in 24 countries in 2017.

It says that high-income countries comprise the bulk of climate litigation, adding that the scenario is likely to replicate in the global south where the climate crisis is more pronounced.

"The amount of climate change litigation is increasing, the range of legal theories is expanding, and it has become clear that climate cases can contribute in meaningful ways to compel governments and corporate actors to pursue more ambitious climate change mitigation and adaptation goals," says the report.

According to the report, climate litigation is relying on international environmental conventions and national constitutions to compel governments and industry to enforce legislation on curbing the emission of greenhouse gases.

The report says that key issues highlighted in litigations include failure by governments to protect vulnerable communities from adverse impacts of climate change and industry's scant attention to climate risks along value chains.

"As cases move through the process of litigation, parties are advancing sophisticated arguments about how to link specific greenhouse gas emitter's actions to global climate change and how foreseeable climate-driven extreme weather events can be linked to specific harms suffered by plaintiffs," says the report.

It also says that climate litigation backed by science is likely to spike in the near future amid greater appreciation of the role of courts in protecting vulnerable groups like women, children, the elderly and migrants from disasters like floods and droughts.

"Climate litigation is a key lever for keeping governments and corporations on task in the fight to combat climate change," said Michael Burger, executive director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law.

And it is a powerful tool for holding them to account for their failure to do so. Courts can equalize the power imbalances in society and give force to the rule of law," he added. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)