The Trials, Tribulations and Celebrations of Climate Change Activism Through Litigation

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are increasingly engaging climate change litigation as a platform for asserting the rights of current (and future) generations in the struggle against climate change. However, little is known about how NGOs conceptualize the role of litigation in shaping climate change action and accountability. More empirical scrutiny of the challenges and successes on this front is warranted. Based on interviews with relevant actors across three environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), Client Earth, Notre Affaire á Tous, and Friends of the Earth, and a review of relevant materials (e.g., ENGO web sites, media coverage, scholarly literature, cases, etc.), this research explores how ENGO litigants conceptualize their capacities to shape climate change action through litigation based on the challenges and opportunities they have faced in their reliance on legal tactics and their interactions with the courts.