Climate litigation – Shaping corporate response to climate change in the courtroom.

Since the conclusion of the Paris Agreement climate litigation has become a global phenomenon, giving courts an essential role in addressing climate crisis. Climate cases have nearly doubled over the last three years alone, where shareholders, NGOs, municipalities and civilians have launched lawsuits in several jurisdictions around the world against governments, corporations, and more recently financial actors. Litigants are seeking to hold corporations and public bodies accountable to their part in fighting climate change through various legal strategies, including the use of international law, corporate law, human rights, risk management and disclosure practices.

            This project aims to clarify the role and impact of climate change litigation in shaping corporate response to climate change. It will examine the relationship between legislation and litigation and the evolution of legal basis and strategies in climate cases against corporations with special emphasis on the incorporation of climate risk and disclosure practices.

            This project employs mainly doctrinal research method, comparative legal research as well as empirical legal and socio-legal studies and will result in the publications of several articles in leading international law journals. Results will benefit law makers, policy makers, corporations, their boards and directors, investors, financiers, and future litigants by revealing legal pathways towards a sustainable and carbon neutral corporate behavior.