Joana Setzer

There is no country in the world that does not have at least one law or policy dealing with climate... Read more

Yoshida, K. & Setzer, J. (2020). The Trends and Challenges of Climate Change Litigation and Human Rights. European Human Rights Law... Read more

This article contributes to the study of transnational climate adaptation through an investigation of international connectivity on climate adaptation between regional policy-makers. Read more

New scholarship has identified trends, constraints, and opportunities for climate litigation in the Global South. While countries in the Global... Read more

Cases involving climate change have been litigated in the courts for some time, but new directions and trends have started... Read more

Subnational diplomacy has become an increasingly important part of foreign policy and international relations. This observation concerns a state of... Read more

The urgency of the climate crisis requires several degrees of intervention and the involvement of state powers, the private sector... Read more

The urgency of the climate crisis requires several degrees of intervention and the involvement of state powers, the private sector... Read more

The urgency of the climate crisis requires several degrees of intervention and the involvement of state powers, the private sector... Read more

Studies of climate change litigation have proliferated over the past two decades, as lawsuits across the world increasingly bring policy... Read more

Non-state and subnational climate actors have become central to global climate change governance. Quantitatively assessing climate mitigation undertaken by these... Read more

This paper discusses the history and the future prospects of private climate litigation, which seeks to hold private entities legally... Read more

Setzer, J., and Nachmany, M. 2018. National Governance The state’s role in steering polycentric action. In: Jordan, A., Huitema, D.,... Read more

A deepening understanding of the importance of climate change has caused a recent and rapid increase in the number of... Read more

Abstract The distinct role of subnational governments such as states and provinces in addressing climate change has been increasingly acknowledged.... Read more

Abstract This article examines the local outcomes of São Paulo city’s engagement in transnational networks for climate protection. The participation... Read more

The article shows that the diplomatic activity of local and regional governments is still constrained by international and domestic legal frameworks. Read more

Setzer, J. (2014). In: Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning. November 2014. DOI: 10.1080/1523908X.2014.984669 Read more

Rei, F., Cunha, K. and Setzer, J. (2013). In: Brazilian Journal of Environmental Law, v. 71:265-286 (Portuguese). Read more

Rei, F., Setzer, J. and Cunha, K. (2012). Brazilian Journal of International Law, 9(3), p. 129-140 (Portuguese). Read more

In a number of cities around the world the adoption of climate policies has been driven by partnerships between multiple... Read more

Rei, F., Cunha, K. and Setzer, J. (2012).  TIP – Trabajos de Investigación en Paradiplomacia, 1(2), p. 50-63 (Spanish). Read more

Climate change litigation has been growing in importance over the past three decades as a way of either advancing or delaying effective action on climate change. This report reviews key developments around the world in climate litigation over the period May 2019 to May 2020. Read more

This report provides a strategic overview of the potential effects of the low carbon transition on the general insurance market.... Read more

This policy report provides an overview of current issues in climate change litigation, focusing on selected cases and developments from May 2018 to May 2019.  Read more

The Urban Climate Change Research Network’s Second Assessment Report on Climate Change in Cities (ARC3.2) is the second in a... Read more

This brief summarises the most recent trends in climate change litigation and legislation, now with global coverage. Read more

This submission to the Talanoa Dialogue covers themes of climate legislation, institutions and governance, and the credibility of climate change commitments. Read more

This brief summarises and updates the latest annual stocktake of trends in climate change litigation and legislation. Read more

This report summarises key trends in climate change legislation and litigation. It is the sixth stock-take in a series of global Climate Legislation Studies that dates back to 2010. Read more

This report summarises the main insights from the 2015 Global Climate Legislation Study. It is the fifth edition in a... Read more

Note: New and updated 2015 edition available The GLOBE Climate Legislation Study is the most comprehensive audit of climate legislation... Read more

Yoshida, K. & Setzer, J. (2020). The Trends and Challenges of Climate Change Litigation and Human Rights. European Human Rights Law... Read more

Subnational diplomacy has become an increasingly important part of foreign policy and international relations. This observation concerns a state of... Read more

The urgency of the climate crisis requires several degrees of intervention and the involvement of state powers, the private sector... Read more

The urgency of the climate crisis requires several degrees of intervention and the involvement of state powers, the private sector... Read more

The urgency of the climate crisis requires several degrees of intervention and the involvement of state powers, the private sector... Read more

Setzer, J., and Nachmany, M. 2018. National Governance The state’s role in steering polycentric action. In: Jordan, A., Huitema, D.,... Read more

A deepening understanding of the importance of climate change has caused a recent and rapid increase in the number of... Read more

This article considers the implications of a court case brought against Royal Dutch Shell in the Netherlands. If the case is successful it could force the company to sharply reduce its carbon emissions. The article also looks at the growing number of climate litigation cases against companies and companies as analysed in a recent study by the Grantham Research Institute at LSE. Read more

The first climate case to reach the Supreme Court in Brazil - brought by four opposition parties - had its public hearing in September. Joana Setzer, who made a presentation to the hearing, reports from the Court and considers the case’s wider significance. Read more

During a global pandemic it is easy to overlook other impending threats, such as climate change. COVID-19 struck at a critical time for international action against climate change and has interrupted its momentum – hopefully only temporarily. Read more

The Grantham Research Institute has contributed to a new report on the transition to a low-carbon economy, published by Lloyd’s... Read more

In advance of the final judgement in the landmark Urgenda v. State of the Netherlands climate litigation case, this commentary shines the spotlight on whether human rights can serve as a basis for obliging states to reduce their emissions, and on the justifications behind the minimum 25 per cent emissions cut stipulated by the Hague District Court. Read more

Joana Setzer discusses the case of a 24 year-old Brisbane man is taking legal action against his superannuation fund for not factoring climate change into its investment decision. Read more

Joana Setzer says it is likely that more and more litigation cases will go beyond environmental law, delving into tax and commercial law, or going after subsidies the companies have taken. Read more

Nature.com report on the analysis of climate litigation cases worldwide, noting that citizens and organizations have filed more than 1,300 lawsuits related to climate change in at least 28 countries around the world. Read more

he findings of the report also feature as one of the lead stories on the CNN homepage. Read more

Joana Setzer comments on new research which shows that there have been more than 1,300 legal actions over global heating brought since 1990 Read more

The Times Law reported the findings that legal actions over failure to act on climate change have kicked off in at least 28 countries. Read more

As the implementation guidelines to the Paris Agreement are negotiated at COP24, this commentary asks whether and to what extent they will include human rights language, and reviews examples from around the world of how human rights issues are gaining more prominence in relation to climate action. Read more

On 6 to 8 November 2018, LSE will be hosting the UK hearings of the Philippines-initiated inquiry seeking to attribute the impacts of climate change to the 'Carbon Majors' - the world’s largest fossil fuel and cement producers. This commentary provides some background to the hearings. Read more

Last week families from across the EU launched the first strategic climate court case against the European Union (EU). Some... Read more

Independent, 2 June 2017 Read more

Our annual round-up about global climate legislation delivered at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change intersessional conference in... Read more

France24, Sébastian Seibt, 10 May 2017 Read more

A recent study from the Grantham Research Institute found that the mere existence of Paris had prodded dozens of countries to enact new clean-energy laws. Read more

Nations around the world have adopted more than 1,200 laws to curb climate change, up from about 60 two decades ago, a sign of widening efforts to limit rising temperatures, according to a new study. Read more

Quebec Huffington Post, 10 May 2017 Read more