The IBA 2014 ‘Achieving Justice and Human Rights in an era of Climate Disruption’ and the 2020 IBA Model Statute for Proceedings Challenging Government Failure to Act on Climate Change reports highlight the role of public sector litigation in assessing whether governments are taking sufficient action to protect the public. The second report provides detailed rationales, precedents and 23 specific Articles of a model statute for reforms facilitating such public sector litigation. This Dialogue will consider:
- Opportunities and limitations of citizen-initiated climate cases assessing government action on climate change.
- Requirements for “climate competent professionals” including, but not exclusively, lawyers. The need for lawyers to have detailed objectives and proactive steps to take to incorporate climate considerations in their professional context.
- Prospects and challenges of achieving global legal and policy approaches to climate change mitigation.
- Consideration of the role of the ideas and proposals for governments and international organisations, including UNFCCC output such as the Paris Agreement, in aiding the prevention and mitigation of climate change impacts.
The IBA-SG26 Dialogue is intended to create pathways towards a bespoke arsenal of legal frameworks to enforce international, public and private accountability on climate and planetary crises which has been scientifically proven to be in the 2030 horizon.
Opening remarks:
Dr Mark S. Ellis
Executive Director, International Bar Association, London
Chair:
Sara Carnegie
Director, Legal Projects Research Unit, International Bar Association
Speakers:
David Estrin
Co-Chair, International Bar Association Task Force on Climate Change Justice and Human Rights, Toronto
Suzanne Spears
Co-Head, Global Business and Human Rights Practice, Allen & Overy, London