We support communities who use the law to protect our shared future.
About
We believe in a safe and sustainable future for all, where everyone is protected from climate harms.
We work with individuals, organisations and grassroots groups around the world who use the law to protect our future.
We provide communities with the legal tools, insights and strategies to push big polluters to develop and implement emissions reductions plans that keep us safe.
Our partners are ambitious. We support them with legal action that seeks to:
WHY CLIMATE LITIGATION?
Governments are failing to protect us from climate change. Ten years on from the Paris Agreement, almost all countries’ climate plans are falling short of what’s needed to keep us safe. Meanwhile, the world’s highest-emitting companies are taking advantage – making profits on the back of our future.
We can change this. Our laws have the power to protect our planet and safeguard life on earth.
CLIMATE LITIGATION WORKS
Climate litigation is a key tool for communities to hold polluters accountable for climate harms. In the last 10 years, people around the world have brought hundreds of cases against governments and corporations.
These cases have helped shift public opinion, mobilise grassroots movements and cut emissions.
Netherlands
The Dutch Climate Case led the Dutch Government to massively reduce its reliance on coal power plants and invest billions in accelerating the energy transition.
Germany
In Germany, the Federal Government significantly ramped up its climate targets, just two weeks after an order from the country’s highest court in the Neubauer Climate Case.
France
In France, over 2.3 million people signed the petition in support of the French Climate Case – making it the largest online petition in French history.
Switzerland
All 46 member states of the Council of Europe now have a legal obligation to set a carbon budget and develop an emissions reduction plan that keep us safe, thanks to the landmark KlimaSeniorinnen case.
South Korea
The successful South Korea climate case has forced the government to develop science-based emission reduction plans that protect future generations.
Shell
In 2024, the Dutch Court of Appeal found that oil and gas major Shell has a legal obligation to cut its emissions - strengthening the precedent that corporations have a legal duty to reduce their emissions.
Communities are taking their governments to court – in their own words:
Core team
Lucy Maxwell
Sarah Mead
April Williamson
Anna Griffin
Floris Tan
Filippo Fantozzi
Joe Udell
Gaia Lisi
Jasper Teulings
Dennis van Berkel
Elizabeth Donger
Gabriella Locati
Charlie Zajicek
