Session VIII

Climate litigation and liability
Location:
Examination Schools - South School
Session Time:
14:00-15:15
Speakers:

John Firth

Willis Towers Watson
Senior Director Climate & Resilience Hub

Vesselina Haralampieva

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Senior Counsel

Catherine Higham

Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change & the Environment
Climate Change Laws of the World Coordinator

Ellie Mulholland

Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative
Executive Director

Dr Javier Solana

University of Glasgow
Senior Lecturer

Linus Steinmetz

Fridays for Future DE
Strategy, International Affairs and Fundraising

Session Detail:

Litigation has the potential to help drive the transition to a net zero economy by holding corporations and financial entities to their net zero transition plans, and to re-allocate capital where liability risks are priced into financial decision-making. Yet the risks, opportunities and impacts of climate litigation are not widely understood by financial market participants, regulators and academics alike. We will explore the role of law and litigation in holding companies and financial institutions to account for a failure to prepare, disclose or implement net zero transition plans. What role can and should investors and financial institutions play to support litigation to align corporate and financial decision-making with climate goals? How can litigation risk be factored into financial decision-making? What are the implications for efforts by financial institutions, investors, credit rating agencies and prudential regulators looking to use this analysis in financial decision-making and capital regulation?