La Belgique criminalise l’écocide: une (imparfaite) première européenne
Le 22 février 2024, la Belgique a marqué l’histoire en adoptant un nouveau code pénal criminalisant l’écocide dans son droit interne. Il s’agit de la première fois qu’une telle interdiction...
Belgium Recognises the Crime of Ecocide: A (Lukewarm) European First
On 22 February 2024, Belgium made history by adopting a new penal code that criminalises ‘ecocide’ at the national level. This marks the first time that such a domestic prohibition...
Beyond State Responsibility: The Trafigura Case and Corporate Accountability in Africa
Over the last few decades, there has been global recognition that corporations yield considerable social, economic and political power. This recognition has been accompanied by the question of how to...
Canadian Youth Climate Action Challenge Proceeds to Trial: La Rose v His Majesty the King
As frustration with government inaction grows, youth, especially young women, are occupying positions of leadership and taking governments to court to leverage change. In Canada, where climate change effects are...
COP28 and Its Shortcomings: The Inadequate Protection of Human Rights
The 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), or COP28, was held from 30 November to 12 December in...
Is Mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence a Paper Tiger? Lessons from the French Experience (Part I)
In 2017, France became the first country to enact a due diligence law, the Law on the Duty of Vigilance, requiring large French companies to identify risks and prevent serious...
Is Mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence a Paper Tiger? Lessons from the French Experience (Part II)
France was the first country to enact a due diligence law with its Law on the Duty of Vigilance. While the Law has faced challenges in implementation, outlined in a...
The Shell Case: A Viable Path to Establish Corporate Climate Responsibility?
On 26 May 2021, The Hague District Court in the Netherlands ordered energy giant Shell to reduce the CO2 emissions of the Shell group by net 45% in 2030 relative...
A Potential Avenue for Justice: The Possibility of International Criminal Responsibility for Gender-Based Violence caused by Climate Change
Climate change is leading to the rapid degradation of land, forcing communities to abandon their homes in search of habitable land. This forced migration disproportionately affects women, resulting in increased...
Giving Voice to the Vulnerable: How Advisory Opinions Have the Potential to Advance Climate Justice through International Courts
In the context of the current climate crisis, climate change litigation has taken a new form over the past year. There have been increasing requests for advisory opinions from international...
Will Ireland Constitutionalise Environmental Human Rights and the Rights of Nature as a Response to the Biodiversity Crisis?
Earlier this year, a Citizens’ Assembly in Ireland tasked with examining biodiversity loss made a number of far-reaching constitutional amendment recommendations. The Assembly’s Report proposed that a referendum be held...
Serendipitous Sustainability: How Karnataka’s ‘Gruha Jyothi’ and ‘Shakti’ Schemes Can Bolster Climate Action
India, with its growing population and energy demands, faces a multifaceted challenge in balancing its commitment towards economic development with environmental sustainability. However, sometimes the governmental policies primarily designed for...
