About The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is recognised globally for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility.
Concept Note
As climate change progresses, individuals and groups are increasingly turning to the courts in pursuit of climate justice.
At the time of writing (February 6th 2026), the Climate Litigation Database maintained by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law lists over 4700 climate court cases, nearly 70% of which were filed in the USA [1].
These cases have in turn spurred a proliferation of literature on climate litigation in the social sciences and law [2].
Philosophers and political theorists, on the other hand, have not yet had much to say on this topic, even though climate litigation raises many important questions of justice. Our workshop aims to address this gap.
Climate lawsuits have been used to pursue a variety of goals, including injunctions on fossil fuel extraction, stronger regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, the implementation or funding of adaptation measures, compensation for climate loss and damage, and even punishment of those who contribute to severe climate-related harm.
Climate litigation may also be undertaken for strategic reasons, in an effort to promote awareness of the climate crisis, undermine the social license of those contributing to it, and spur more systemic change.
Though climate litigation is often used in an attempt to pursue goals of climate justice, its use for this purpose raises various normative questions.
These include questions about the legitimate role of the courts in climate governance, and the potential for litigation to reproduce patterns of disadvantage due to the unequal accessibility of legal remedies.
Some have also raised concerns that climate litigation could prove strategically counterproductive, for example by spurring political backlash.
About the Workshop
This workshop will examine how litigation might be used as a tool in the pursuit of climate justice, new concerns of justice that are raised by such efforts, and how such concerns might be addressed.
Questions that papers may examine include:
- How might litigation serve to promote or undermine climate justice?
- What role should courts play in climate governance?
- When should judicial interventions into climate policy be viewed as legitimate or illegitimate?
- How might climate litigation provide access to justice without reproducing existing inequalities?
- What kinds of legal innovation or evolution might be required for the law to adequately respond to the problem of climate change?
- What are the ethical responsibilities of legal practitioners regarding climate litigation
- What is the proper role of scientists, and scientific research, in supporting climate litigation?
- What role might philosophers and political theorists play in supporting climate litigation?
Call for Papers
If you would like to present a paper at this workshop, please send an abstract of 300-500 words to m.blomfield@sheffield.ac.uk, by midnight UK time on Monday the 11th of May.
Please include your name and any affiliation. We will endeavour to inform you whether your paper has been accepted by May 22nd.
Papers will be pre-circulated and everyone attending the workshop will be asked to read the whole set of papers in advance (anticipated to be approx. 6-10 papers).
The deadline to submit full versions of the conference papers (maximum 8000 words) will be confirmed after acceptance, but is likely to be around August 20th.
Important Dates
- Last date to submit the abstract is 11th of May.
- Notification for paper selection is May 22nd.
- Last date for paper submission is August 20th.
