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Courts and Climate Change Global Conference

Monday 29 November 2021, 5am – 12pm CET / 3pm – 10pm AEDT

Across the world, political pressure is mounting for governments to act on climate change. In the face of increased extreme weather events, citizens and pressure groups increasingly turn to litigation to seek judicial order forcing governments to act. 

Within this context several questions arise: Are domestic and international courts empowered to order governments to take action concerning climate change? What success has climate change litigation had? What lessons can be drawn for Australia and Australian politics from comparative experiences? What can other jurisdictions learn from Australian decisions, such as the landmark Rocky Hill mine decision? Is climate change mitigation through means of the judiciary legitimate and effective? 

The Courts & Climate Change Global Conference aims to explore what role judges play and ought to play in holding governments and private actors accountable for failing to mitigate climate change.

In this online event, Macquarie University Law School and Ghent University Faculty of Law and Criminology, bring together world-leading experts in climate change and the law to host conversations, which aim to affect policy-making and generate new perspectives on the judicial role in this field of critical global relevance.



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Macquarie University is located on the land of the Wallumattagal clan of the Dharug people. We pay respects to the Elders and knowledge holders who have, and continue to share their wisdom and knowledges, nurturing and sustaining our environments, cultures and education.


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