Sherrard Conversation | Climate Change as a Human Rights challenge: the rise of the human rights-based climate change litigation

Speakers: Paul Powlesland and Irene Antonopoulos

In September 2022, the Human Rights Committee decided that Australia was violating the rights of Torres Strait Australian islanders, due to the lack of decisive climate action and lack of support to the islanders to adapt to the severe effects of climate change. Challenging states’ inaction or lack of ambitious action against climate change via the use of human rights language has been observed in cases before national and regional human rights courts as well as international bodies’ decisions. This session will examine relevant legal judgments to determine whether human rights courts are the optimal recourse for addressing climate change, and whether human rights language is fit for this purpose. 

Not every aspect of these large themes can be covered in a single session, but the aim will be to get people thinking about the basic questions they raise if they haven’t already, or to add to their thinking if they have, in an informal setting involving as many people as possible at all levels.

Students and transferring lawyers need to attend the whole event including the reception in order to claim a Qualifying Session. 

This event is for members only.

Click here to see details of the QS Requirements and how to be credited with the QS for this session

Learning Outcomes:

After this session, students should be able to:

• Describe the decision of the Human Rights committee regarding Australia and the rights of Torres Strait Islanders
• Examine relevant legal judgments to determine whether human rights courts are the optimal recourse for addressing climate change,
• Assess whether human rights language is fit for purpose

Links to the Professional Statement, wider workings of the Bar, administration of justice or a public interest matter

• 1.4, 1.5

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