Climate Change and Courts

7 October 2021

Event Tabs

Almost 1,000 climate change cases have been filed in 39 countries since 2015. That figure is more than double the total number of climate lawsuits filed before 2015 (800). Judges face substantial challenges in adjudicating the growing number of climate change cases. A renowned panel of experts will shed light on the unique challenges that judges face, and the tools, resources, and knowledge-sharing opportunities judges benefit from. Participants will comprise judges and representatives from judicial academies and schools, multilateral development banks, academia, and legal communities.

Watch on YouTube to fast forward to specific segments.

Moderators:

  • Vesselina Haralampieva, Associate Director, Senior Counsel, Legal Transition Team,  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  • Christina Pak, Principal Counsel and Team Leader, Law and Policy Reform Program, Asian Development Bank

Opening Remarks (20 minutes - 11:00 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. BST)

  • Hon. Justice Antonio Herman Benjamin, Member of the National High Court of Brazil (STJ) and Founding Member, Global Judicial Institute on the Environment  
  • Thomas Clark, General Counsel, Asian Development Bank 
  • Michael Strauss, General Counsel, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 

Session 1: Climate Cases Coming to Courts Near You (30 minutes - 11:20 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. BST)

  • Professor Christina Voigt, Chair, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law  
  • Joana Setzer, Assistant Professorial Research Fellow, Grantham Research Institute 
  • Briony Eales and Maria Cecilia Sicangco, Climate Law and Policy Specialists, Asian Development Bank 

Session 2: Challenges Faced by Judges in Adjudicating Climate Change Cases (35 minutes - 11:50 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. BST)

  • Right Hon. Lord Robert Carnwath of Notting Hill, Kt, CVO, former Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom 
  • Hon. Justice Beibut Shermukhametov and colleague, Supreme Court of Kazakhstan  
  • Hon. Justice Ganna Vronska, Supreme Court of Ukraine

Session 3: Judicial Tools and Resources and Knowledge Sharing (30 minutes - 12:25 p.m. - 12:55 p.m. BST)

  • Hon. Justice Brian Preston FRSN SC, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Australia and Founding Member, Global Judicial Institute on the Environment 
  • Hon. Justice Luc Lavrysen, President of the Belgian Constitutional Court, President of the EU Forum of Judges for the Environment, and Founding Member, Global Judicial Institute on the Environment 
  • Maryna Yanush, Environmental Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (Aarhus Convention) 

Session 4: Q & A (30 minutes - 12:55 p.m. - 1:25 p.m. BST)

  • This will be an interactive Q & A session and will not be recorded

Concluding Remarks – ADB & EBRD Collaboration (5 minutes - 1:25 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. BST)

Moderators

 

Vesselina Haralampieva
Associate Director
Senior Counsel, Legal Transition Team
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

 

Christina Pak
Principal Counsel and Team Leader
Law and Policy Reform Program
Asian Development Bank

 

Opening Remarks

 

Hon. Justice Antonio Herman Benjamin
Member of the National High Court of Brazil (STJ)
Founding Member, Global Judicial Institute on the Environment

 

Thomas Clark
General Counsel
Asian Development Bank

 

Michael Strauss
General Counsel
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

 

Session 1: Climate Cases Coming to Courts Near You

 

Professor Christina Voigt
Chair of the Climate Change Specialist Group
IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law

 

Joana Setzer
Assistant Professorial Research Fellow
Grantham Research Institute

 

Briony Eales
Climate Law and Policy Specialist
Asian Development Bank

 

Maria Cecilia Sicangco
Climate Law and Policy Specialist
Asian Development Bank

 

Session 2: Challenges Faced by Judges in Adjudicating Climate Change Cases

 

Right Hon. Lord Robert Carnwath
Notting Hill, Kt, CVO
former Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

 

Hon. Justice Beibut Shermukhametov
Supreme Court of Kazakhstan

 

Judge Nurbayev German
Supreme Court of Kazakhstan

 

Hon. Justice Ganna Vronska
Supreme Court of Ukraine

 

Session 3: Judicial Tools and Resources and Knowledge Sharing

 

Hon. Justice Brian Preston FRSN SC
Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Australia
Founding Member, Global Judicial Institute on the Environment

 

Hon. Justice Luc Lavrysen
President of the Belgian Constitutional Court
President of the EU Forum Judges of the Environment, and Founding Member
Global Judicial Institute on the Environment

 

Maryna Yanush
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

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