<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/even-the-most-powerful-must-answer-questions-australia-ranks-2nd-in-world-on-climate-litigation/>
"Australia remains the second-most active jurisdiction in the world for climate
litigations as an increasing number of cases move closer to setting precedents
that would allow some of the world’s biggest fossil fuel producers to be held
responsible for climate harms.
A new analysis by the Grantham Research Institute in the UK found 276
climate-related cases globally had reached apex courts where decisions are
likely to create critical precedents, with nearly half – 44 per cent – finding
in favour of climate action.
Four in five cases challenged governments over a failure to take climate
action, the analysis found, and more than 60 “polluter pays” cases were filed
between 2015 and the end of 2024.
These decisions seek to hold individual companies accountable for their
contribution to climate change, thanks to new developments in attribution
science that can help put a dollar figure to their emissions.
Recently German courts found individual fossil fuel producers could be held
liable for their contribution climate harms when a Peruvian farmer sued energy
giant RWE for its role in driving climate change that in turn created an
inevitable risk of catastrophic flooding in his city.
Though it broke new ground, the farmer ultimately lost on an evidentiary basis.
The result of these cases extends far beyond individual courtrooms. As courts
confirm fossil fuel companies are legally liable for harms caused by their
historical activities, these risks are factored into future decision making by
financial institutions and insurance companies thinking about investment in a
new fossil fuel development."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
