The burning of fossil fuels and other human activities are continuing to cause rapid temperature rise. 2024 was the hottest year on record, and the planet’s 10 warmest years since 1850 have occurred in the past decade. Achieving global climate goals will require rapid and dramatic greenhouse gas emissions reductions, […]
Cross-cutting Issues
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This blog post is Part 3 of a three-part series highlighting the main legal arguments presented during the hearings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the request for an advisory opinion regarding the obligations of States with respect to climate change. Part 1 focused on discussions on applicable […]
This blog post is Part 2 of a three-part series highlighting the main legal arguments presented during the hearings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the advisory opinion request related to States’ obligations regarding climate change. Part 1 focused on discussions regarding applicable law, and the no-harm rule. […]
On March 29, 2023, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on States’ obligations regarding climate change. This request was widely seen as an opportunity for the Court to clarify States’ legal obligations, advance climate justice, and […]
NEW Community Advocacy Tools Released by WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Columbia University’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law In January of 2025, the Trump Administration removed almost 80 crucial executive orders, including those supporting environmental justice, and set into motion a false “energy emergency” and directives to “Unleash […]
On November 26, 2024, the Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic dismissed the country’s first strategic climate case (Klimatická žaloba ČR v. Czech Republic), finding that the European Union (EU)’s commitment to reduce emissions by 55 percent by 2030 is a collective obligation, not an individual one for Czechia. […]
In Japan, climate litigation (‘気候訴訟 / Kiko soshou) has been used to challenge the legality of the construction and operation of the coal-fired power plants and promote coal phase-out. The first climate case in Japan was filed in Sendai in 2017 (Sendai Citizens v. Sendai Power Station). Subsequently, two administrative […]
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, together with New York Sea Grant, is pleased to announce a writing competition for law students interested in writing on legal and policy issues associated with marine carbon dioxide removal. The competition is being held in connection with a […]