Climate Change and the Courts: A Global Perspective

Courts worldwide are increasingly central to confronting climate change. The paper highlights how judges enforce environmental rights, compel governments to follow scientific evidence, and hold corporations accountable when political action is inadequate. Lord Carnwath reviews major cases from the US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, showing universal judicial acceptance of climate science and expanding legal duties to prevent harm. Constitutional rights, human-rights law, and innovative remedies—such as climate commissions and Scope 3 emissions assessments—are reshaping climate governance. The reflections stress judicial independence, up-to-date science, and the growing expectation that courts will help safeguard a livable planet.

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