Document Type
Research Project
Publication Date
9-28-2025
Abstract
This policy paper asserts that the strengthening of judicial capacity to deal with climate harm, especially ecocide, is urgently needed and that the Paris Agreement can play a huge role in this. Given that climate change has become a more political battle between justice and rights, courts have been playing a major role in holding governments and corporations accountable. Nevertheless, many national judiciaries do not have the instruments, jurisdiction, or the training to successfully adjudicate on complex climate cases. It is then argued that as a case study, Brazil has moved forward on the issue of climate rights through the activities of the Supreme Federal Court. This paper suggests the establishment of the international judicial capacity initiative(IJCI) under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. The proposed initiative would provide legal training, access to climate jurisprudence and Technical Support to the national courts. It is based on, an expanded upon, the ICJ Advisory Opinion, July 2025, which affirmed the legal duty of states when dealing with climate change.
Recommended Citation
Gad, Nourine, "Empowering Courts for Climate Justice: A Policy Proposal to Enhance Judicial Capacity through the Paris Agreement Framework" (2025). COP30. 100.
https://buescholar.bue.edu.eg/cop30/100