COP26: What to expect?
By Nicola Sharman, PhD Researcher. First published in the 2035Legitimacy blog on 28 October 2021. On 1 November, delegates from around the world will come together for two weeks at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, to discuss the international response to climate change. After a one-year delay due to the pandemic, the Glasgow conference marks a […]
The UN Human Rights Council recognizes the right to a healthy environment and appoints a new Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change. What does it all mean?
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
The Global Methane Pledge: a timely new step in global climate governance
Photo by Markus Branse on Flickr By Harro van Asselt, Professor of Climate Law and Policy and Veera Pekkarinen, PhD Researcher The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) once again highlighted the need to drastically cut our greenhouse gas emissions to avert climate disruption. While for many years, measures to tackle […]
Just Transition in national climate law: Lessons from Scotland
Photo by Carl Jorgensen on Unsplash Nicola Sharman The concept of just transition is going to play an increasingly prominent role in climate mitigation policy as global decarbonisation processes gather pace. Legal recognition of the concept remains limited, yet Scotland – where COP26 takes place – has positioned itself as a global leader in this […]
Mistä EU:n Fit for 55 -lakipaketissa on kyse ja miksi se on tärkeä?
By Kati Kulovesi and Päivi Leino-Sandberg. Julkaistu alun perin 2035Legitimacy-blogissa. Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash. Euroopan komissiolta odotetaan heinäkuussa Fit for 55-lainsäädäntöpakettia. Se sisältää ehdotukset lakimuutoksista, joiden avulla toteutetaan EU:n tavoite vähentää kasvihuonekaasupäästöjä 55:llä prosentilla vuoden 1990 tasosta vuoteen 2030 mennessä. Mikä on paketin tärkein anti ja miten se vaikuttaa Suomeen? Entä miten pakettia koskevia […]
The case for an EU grand climate strategy
By Sebastian Oberthür and Claire Dupont. First published as an Opinion on EURACTIV, 10 June 2021. Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash. The time has come for the EU to move its international climate leadership to the next stage and upgrade the external dimension of the European Green Deal by developing an integrated EU grand climate […]
Where do countries stand in UN climate negotiations after 2020?
By Dr Yulia Yamineva, Senior Researcher, and Dr Jen Allan, Lecturer at Cardiff University, UK. Photo credit: IISD/Earth Negotiations Bulletin The UN Convention on Climate Change is holding its intersessional meetings from 31 May to 17 June in a virtual mode. This is the first official meeting since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic as only […]
Friends of the Earth (Netherlands) v Royal Dutch Shell: Human rights and the obligations of corporations in the Hague District Court decision
By Annalisa Savaresi and Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh. First published in The Global Network for Human Rights and the Environment (GNHRE) blog on 31 May 2021. Photo by Lawrence Makoona on Unsplash. After its landmark ruling in the Urgenda case in 2015, on 25 May 2021 the Hague District Court marked another milestone in the history of climate litigation worldwide by ordering Royal […]
Keeping fossil fuels in the ground: From slogan to legal obligation?
By Harro Van Asselt. First published in the University of Oslo, Blogging for Sustainability on 31 May 2021. Photo by Liam Briese on Unsplash. Last week’s ruling by the Hague District Court in the Netherlands ordering the oil and gas company Royal Dutch Shell – the parent company of the broader Shell group – to reduce its […]
Shell-shocked: a watershed moment for climate litigation against fossil fuel companies
Harro van Asselt, Kati Kulovesi, Mikko Rajavuori and Annalisa Savaresi. Photo by Marc Rentschler on Unsplash. The Netherlands is no longer known just for its tulips, windmills and bicycles. Its latest export product is climate change litigation. Following 1.5 years after the Dutch Supreme Court in Urgenda decided that the Dutch government should step up its emission reduction […]