Drilled How Litigation Works to Fight Climate Obstruction
Dec 10, 2025
Joana Setzer, an associate professor at the London School of Economics and an expert in climate law and litigation, discusses how legal frameworks can combat climate obstruction. She highlights the growing trend of climate litigation, with over 3,000 cases worldwide, and notable legal strategies employed against corporations. Joana also explores the role of attribution science in court, successful greenwashing challenges, and the impact of the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on climate obligations for states. She warns about legal tactics that obstruct climate action while advocating for stronger protections for activists.
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Climate Litigation Has Exploded
- There are over 3,000 climate-specific cases across about 60 countries, showing litigation's global scale.
- The recent wave differs from early US cases by focusing on deception and obstruction as central claims.
Translate Attribution Science For Courts
- Use attribution science to link emissions to specific harms and quantify contribution to extreme events for legal evidence.
- Translate scientific findings into courtroom-friendly language and formats so courts can use them as proof.
Global South Plaintiffs Target Northern Firms
- Plaintiffs from the Global South are suing firms in Global North courts, like a Peruvian farmer suing RWE in Germany.
- Courts engaged with attribution evidence and confirmed responsibility could, in principle, be established.
