On 17 October 2025, the Cambridge Seminar on Law and the Climate Crisis welcomed former UK Supreme Court Justice Lord Robert Carnwath for a powerful lecture exploring the evolving role of judges in tackling global climate challenges.
Speaking to legal scholars, practitioners, and students, Lord Carnwath discussed how courts worldwide are grappling with climate-related litigation, exploring judicial activism and the limits of law in driving environmental action across multiple jurisdictions.
Summary
| The Judicial Role in Climate Change |
| Lord Carnwath explained how judges worldwide are increasingly being confronted with climate-related cases, examining how courts have addresses this often politically-charged issue while maintaining their independence. |
| Early Collaboration and Global Dialogue |
| He recalled organising the 2015 Supreme Court conference Climate Change and the Rule of Law: Adjudicating the Future, which brought together judges from around the world and inspired forums such as the EU Forum of Judges for the Environment and the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment. |
| Key Cases and Global Perspectives |
| He highlighted cases from Norway, Pakistan, India, and the United States, showing how courts approached climate issues differently—from Pakistan’s recognition of a constitutional right to a healthy environment to the U.S. Supreme Court’s divided stance in Massachusetts v. EPA (2007). |
| Trends and Reflections |
| Carnwath observed that while European courts remained cautious, Asian and South American courts displayed greater creativity. He warned against excessive activism but supported judicial intervention where governments ignored scientific consensus. |
| Emerging Legal Ideas |
| The Q&A session following this talk included discussion on legal personhood for nature and landmark climate cases such as Lliuya v. RWE. Carnwath expressed some scepticism of certain trends in litigation and research, affirming that climate-related cases should seek practical outcomes through strong legal foundations. |
About the Cambridge Seminar Series on Law and the Climate Crisis
The Cambridge Seminar Series on Law and the Climate Crisis is co-hosted by the Centre for Climate Engagement at Hughes Hall, Cambridge Zero, the Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance (C-EENRG) at the Department of Land Economy, the Cambridge Climate Society, the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, and the Cambridge University Law Society. Find out more here.
Slingshot