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This Subject Spotlight addresses the urgent issue of climate change, focusing on human activities, the shortcomings of current governmental and corporate actions, and the rise of climate litigation. It underscores the need for improved regulations, corporate accountability, and grassroots activism to tackle environmental challenges effectively. It also explores international and regional climate initiatives, such as the Paris Agreement and the EU’s Fit for 55 package, and the difficulties in enforcing these treaties. The discussion covers concepts like "soft law" and various legal approaches to hold governments accountable for climate inaction. The conversation highlights the pressure on corporations to cut carbon emissions, comparing regulatory measures like the EU’s carbon allowances with voluntary ESG policies. It reviews tactics companies use to bypass regulations, greenwashing, and evolving litigation strategies to hold major polluters accountable for environmental damage.
Dr Pia RebeloCity St George's, University of LondonLaw
All episodes
1. An introduction to climate litigation
2. Climate litigation against governments
3. Climate litigation against corporations
4. Activity: building a case
About the university
City St George's, University of London
Established by royal charter in 1836, City St George’s, University of London is the third-oldest university in England. It has around 48,000 distance learning and campus-based students, making it the largest university by number of students in the UK. City St George’s, University of London is a federation of 17 independent member institutions of outstanding global reputation, ranging from larger universities such as UCL or King’s College London to smaller specialised institutions such as the Royal Academy of Music or the Courtauld Institute of Art. Charles Dickens even termed it the 'People's University'!
City St George's, University of London profile →Meet the academic
Dr Pia Rebelo
Dr Pia Rebelo is a lecturer in private law and an admitted attorney from South Africa. She obtained her LLB and LLM at the University of Cape Town and completed her PhD at The City Law School. Her research interests are focused on the contractual mechanisms employed to facilitate and incentivise a green shipping transition. She has published work on green finance frameworks, climate clauses, sustainable supply chain finance, climate litigation, arctic shipping, and other private actor initiatives for addressing climate change. She was appointed an Academic Research Fellow of the Middle Temple in 2023 and teaches commercial law subjects at The City Law School, City St George’s, University of London.
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