Climate litigation more than doubles in five years
Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Sep 2023
The total number of climate change court cases has more than doubled since 2017 and is growing worldwide, according to a new report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University.
The report, Global Climate Litigation Report: 2023 Status Review, is based on a review of cases focused on climate change law, policy or science collected up to 31 December 2022 by the Sabin Centre’s US and global climate change litigation databases. The report said that climate litigation is now becoming an integral part of securing climate action and justice.
UNEP executive director Inger Andersen said, “People are increasingly turning to courts to combat the climate crisis, holding governments and the private sector accountable and making litigation an important mechanism for securing climate action and promoting climate justice.”
The total number of climate change cases in 2017 when the first report on the issue was published was 884, which has risen to 2,180 in 2022. While most cases have been brought in the US, climate litigation is taking root all over the world, with about 17% of cases now being reported in developing countries, including small island developing states.
These legal actions were brought in 65 bodies worldwide: in international, regional and national courts, tribunals, quasi-judicial bodies and other adjudicatory bodies, including special procedures of the UN and arbitration tribunals.
The report predicts a rise in the number of cases dealing with climate migration, cases brought by indigenous peoples, local communities, other groups disproportionately affected by climate change and cases addressing liability following extreme weather events. M