Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement

Climate litigation playing increasing role in activism

Taking fossil fuel companies, governments, and other organisations to court for environmental negligence is become more commonplace. 

A new report published by the Climate Social Science Network (CSSN), suggests climate-related legal action is now a vital tool in increasing public awareness, encouraging debate, and pushing for greener policies. 

The first legal battle of this kind took place in 1984, and by 2014 a further 800 had been brought to trial. In comparison, over 1,000 have been heard in the past six years alone. The new analysis suggests this rise is a sign climate change is becoming more visible, catalysing direct action, but also reflects a change in attitude among activists, scientists, media professionals, and lawyers. 

CSSN’s research cites the practice of ‘climate-washing’ as a major reason for legal action – whereby a gap exists between an organisation’s public relations and marketing output and its actual climate commitments. This idea goes beyond greenwashing, and includes claims related to human and civil rights. 

These strategic lawsuits are becoming much more commonplace, as are those targeting ‘financial actors’. For example, ClientEarth’s action against the Belgian National Bank for failing on both climate and human rights by ‘purchasing bonds from fossil fuel and other greenhouse gas intensive companies’. 

brown wooden chess piece on brown book

However, the report also highlights the prevalence of climate washing campaigns. A 2009 study by the environmental marketing firm TerraChoice analysed thousands of products that made claims about environmental responsibility or friendliness. Those conducting the research found 95% were guilty of at least one instance of ‘washing’. 

CSSN’s work makes a number of recommendations. For private businesses, these include ‘making every attempt to not over-claim climate actions the company is taking’, and ‘review advertisements with marketing, scientific, and legal teams to take into consideration net-zero commitments or other climate pledges’. 

Meanwhile, policymakers are advised to: ‘Review the legal mechanisms available in your jurisdiction, including soft and hard law mechanisms, to enhance transparency and compliance of companies to existing climate commitments, whether they are voluntarily adopted or mandated by regulation.’

In related news, a new UN report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will be published on 28th February, and is expected to present the starkest warning yet about the impact humans are having on the environment. 

Image credit: Sasun Bughdaryan

Help us break the news – share your information, opinion or analysis