December 12th, 2023

NYU Law Hosts a Full-Day Dialogue with High-Level Judges on Climate Law and Science

On 9 December, CLX and the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment (GJIE) co-hosted the “Dialogue on the Latest Scientific and Legal Developments in Climate Change Law” with Justices of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts of Belgium, Brazil, Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan, and South Africa, as well as other experts in the field. 

The day-long dialogue fostered conversations on existing climate and environmental jurisprudence, emerging legal doctrines, and current climate science. The event was held at NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus and counted with the support of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Union of Concerned Scientists, the International Association of Judges, World Commission on Environmental Law, the International Council of Environmental Law and the European Union Forum of Judges for the Environment. 

Justice Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant (ICJ) and Chief Justice Luís Roberto Barroso (Supreme Court of Brazil) engage during the Dialogue’s session “Climate Law Developments – Looking Forward”. Credit: CLX
Participants of the Dialogue from left to right, back to front: Juliana Almeida (UNEP); Justice Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant (ICJ); Professor Pavlos Eleftheriadis (NYUAD); Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah (Supreme Court of Pakistan); Ambassador Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado (Brazil); Professor Aude Solveig Epstein (NYUAD); Chief Justice Luís Roberto Barroso (Supreme Court of Brazil); José Gilberto Scandiucci Filho (Supreme Court of Brazil); Andy Raine (UNEP); Justice Oscar Amugo Angote (Environment and Land Court of Kenya); Justice Nambitha Dambuza (Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa); Professor César Rodríguez-Garavito (NYU Law); Dr. L. Delta Merner (Union of Concerned Scientists); Ashley Nemeth (NYU Law); Professor Nicholas Bryner (GJIE); Chief Justice Luc Lavrysen (Constitutional Court of Belgium); Professor Christina Voigt (IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law); Justice Antonio Herman Benjamin (High Court of Brazil; GJIE President); Professor Melina De Bona (NYU Law); Jacqueline Gallant (NYU Law). Chief Justice Martha K. Koome (Supreme Court of Kenya); Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla (Supreme Court of Nepal); and Rose Wachuka Macharia (Chief of Staff, Supreme Court of Kenya) also attended the event. Credit: CLX
Chief Justice Luc Lavrysen (Constitutional Court of Belgium) presents in the Dialogue’s session “Global Overview of Climate Jurisprudence: Cases, Doctrines, and Remedies.” Credit: CLX

On 10 December, CLX partners — the GJIE and UNEP — carried many of the ideas from the prior day’s Dialogue into COP-28. CLX attended and supported the official event “Climate Change: Judicial Perspectives on Climate Litigation.” This high-level dialogue between Supreme Court and Constitutional Justices, as well as climate experts explored approaches and solutions to climate change-related disputes. This event marked the first time that senior judges held an official event at a climate COP.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah (Supreme Court of Pakistan) presents at COP-28 event “Climate Change: Judicial Perspectives on Climate Litigation.” Credit: CLX
Justice Antonio Herman Benjamin (High Court of Brazil; GJIE President) opens the event “Climate Change: Judicial Perspectives on Climate Litigation.” Credit: CLX
Chief Justice Martha K. Koome (Supreme Court of Kenya) presents at COP-28 event “Climate Change: Judicial Perspectives on Climate Litigation.” Credit: CLX