Cross-cutting Issues

476 posts

A Request for an Advisory Opinion at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights: Initial Reactions

On January 9, 2023, the Foreign Ministers of Chile and Colombia requested an advisory opinion from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) on the scope of state obligations for responding to the climate emergency under the frame of international human rights law and, specifically, under the American Convention on […]

New Details about the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund & Takeaways for Cities

This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released preliminary program design details for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) established by Section 60103 of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Specifically, the EPA published two “assistance listings” designed to help potential applicants identify funding opportunities. The publication stops short […]

The Fiduciary Duty of Directors to Manage Climate Risk: An expansion of corporate liability through litigation?

On  February 9, 2023, ClientEarth filed a derivative action against the Board of Directors of Shell at the High Court of Justice in England and Wales (ClientEarth v. Shell’s Board of Directors). The lawsuit alleges that the Board has failed to manage material and foreseeable climate risks, therefore breaching UK […]

A review of the first year of the Peer Review Network on Global Climate Litigation 

By Maria Antonia Tigre & Juan Sebastian Castellanos   In December 2021, the Sabin Center launched the Peer Review Network of Global Climate Litigation (Network), through which practitioners and scholars from the around the world act as “rapporteurs” for their jurisdictions, helping to update and maintain the Global Climate Change […]

Recent developments on carbon dioxide removal: Increasing policy support but governance issues remain

Support for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is growing globally. Governments are, it seems, beginning to listen to the growing chorus of scientists who have warned that deploying CDR is essential to avoid catastrophic climate change. Government funding for research and deployment of CDR is increasing. Many governments are beginning to […]

Just Transition Litigation in Latin America: Sabin Center launches new report

Just transition litigation is a novel and under-researched field. Today, the Sabin Center’s launches a new report that analyzes 20 just transition cases from Latin America, filling an important gap in existing research by increasing the visibility of affirmative actions for just transition from the Global South and improving our […]

A look back at significant decisions in climate litigation in 2022

By Maria Antonia Tigre As noted at the end of last year, 2021 was significant for climate litigation, with several decisions worldwide providing a fresh look at stakeholder responsibility for climate change. 2022 was no different, with courts further delineating the procedural dimensions of climate cases and expanding on the […]

Sabin Center files third-party intervention in the Klimaseniorinnen case at the European Court of Human Rights

On Monday, December 5, the Sabin Center filed written observations as a third-party intervener at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen and others v Switzerland. The case was brought in November 2020 by a group of senior women who allege that their health is threatened by […]