Seminar on Climate Science and the Energy Transition in Climate Litigation

An ELI Climate Judiciary Project Event

The number and scope of climate-related lawsuits in the U.S. has expanded significantly since 2015. Growing public awareness and urgency about climate risks is driving climate-related litigation in many areas of the law. Meanwhile, climate science has identified links to potential duties of care, establishing a basis for those seeking to demonstrate responsibility and obtain redress, and increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions.

As a result, judges are increasingly having to consider technical and scientific arguments, requiring a basic understanding of climate science and solutions. One key frontier facing society is the energy transition, driven by state “net-zero” policies, federal requirements and priorities, corporate divestment efforts, environment and social governance policies, and market forces. Resulting developments have already started to find their way into the courtroom, including through challenges to pipeline approvals and the siting of renewable energy facilities.

The Climate Judiciary Project, in collaboration with George Washington University, will host an invitation-only, day-long seminar on climate science and the energy transition for the judiciary. The program will feature leading scientific and legal experts, and will cover basic climate science, an overview of climate litigation, and the technical and legal aspects of the energy transition. There will be ample time for Q&A and discussion.

The Climate Judiciary Project of the Environmental Law Institute provides neutral, objective information to the judiciary about climate science and law. ELI, a non-partisan environmental law organization, has more than three decades of experience delivering environmental judicial education in the US and internationally.

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