Climate Change Litigation in the EU
This keynote address delves into the evolving landscape of climate litigation in Europe, focusing on the challenges when holding States and corporate actors accountable for their failure to address dangerous climate change. The keynote will examine recent developments that underscore the complexities encountered in pursuing climate-related claims before the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights.
Against the backdrop of the European Green Deal and of the European Court of Human Rights considering its first climate cases, the keynote provides a timely opportunity to reflect on state responsibility, its intersection with human rights, and the potential application of existing rules in pending climate cases. Drawing from speakers published works, the keynote considers whether arguments akin to those formulated in national decisions, such as Urgenda, could prove effective before the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
The keynote seeks to elucidate fundamental concepts related to the law of state responsibility and positive human rights obligations, shedding light on how these principles can and should be articulated in the context of climate litigation. By exploring these crucial aspects, the keynote aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the legal dynamics shaping climate litigation in Europe and foster meaningful discourse on the intersection of state responsibility and human rights in the face of the climate crisis.
Speakers
Annalisa Savaresi is Associate Professor of International Environmental Law at the Center for Climate Change, Energy and Environmental Law, University of Eastern Finland, and Professor of Environmental Law at the University of Stirling, UK. She is an expert in environmental and climate change law, with 20 years of experience working with international and nongovernmental organizations. She has published widely, and her list of publications includes over 50 peer-reviewed articles and contributions to highly regarded collections. Her work has been cited widely, including by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Annalisa currently is Director for Europe of the Global Network on Human Rights and the Environment, associate editor of the Review of European, Comparative and International Law and member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law.
Jacques Hartmann is Professor of International Law at Dundee University, UK. Jacques Hartmann holds a PhD from Cambridge University, where he also worked as Research Associate at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law. He has taught international and human rights law in various capacities at universities in the UK, including Durham, Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as overseas, and is currently External Lecturer at La Sabana University, Colombia. Prior to joining Dundee University, Jacques worked as Legal Officer at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representing Denmark at diplomatic conferences and before the International Court of Justice. He has experience collaborating with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.
