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Welcome to The Big Read Book on Climate Change Global. This series explores the growing prevalence of climate litigation worldwide, showcasing landmark cases across Africa, Asia, Australia, and beyond. It highlights how courts are increasingly holding governments, corporations, and regulators accountable for environmental harm, inadequate disclosures, and failures to protect communities. 

Contents:

AFRICA

  • Kimeu & 3074 others v Kenya Pipeline Company Ltd & another (Kenya, 2025)
  • Amu Power Company Limited v Save Lamu & 6 others (Kenya, 2025)
  • Export Processing Zone Authority & 10 others v National Environment Management Authority & 3 others (Kenya, 2024)
  • Eco-Sud and two others v Minister of Environment, Solid Waste and Climate Change and another (Mauritius, 2023)
  • Lukwanda and Others v Zambia Airforce Projects Ltd and Others (Zambia, 2020)
  • Gbemre v Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd and Others (Nigeria, 2005)

ANTARCTICA

  • No climate change litigation cases reported.

ASIA

  • M K Ranjitsinh & Others v Union of India & Others (India, 2025)
  • Woodpecker & Others v South Korea (South Korea, 2024)
  • Youth Climate Lawsuit for Tomorrow (Japan, ongoing)

AUSTRALIA

  • Pabai Pabai & Others v Commonwealth of Australia (2025)
  • Seymour Whyte Construction Pty Ltd v Liberty Mutual Insurance Company t/as Liberty Specialty Markets (2025)
  • Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd (2024)
  • Daniel Billy and Others v Australia (Torres Strait Islanders Petition) (2022)
  • Sharma v Minister for the Environment (2022)
  • Gloucester Resources Limited v Minister for Planning (2019)

EUROPE

  • Saúl Ananías Luciano Lliuya v RWE (Germany, 2025)
  • Association Greenpeace France and others v S.A. TotalEnergies Electricité et Gaz France and others (France, 2025)
  • Milieudefensie & Others v Royal Dutch Shell plc. (Netherlands, 2024)
  • R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) v Surrey County Council & Others (United Kingdom, 2024)
  • KlimaSeniorinnen v Switzerland (European Court of Human Rights, 2024)
  • Friends of the Earth v UK Export Finance (UKEF) (United Kingdom, 2023)
  • VZW Klimaatzaak v Kingdom of Belgium & Others (Belgium, 2023)
  • Okpabi v Royal Dutch Shell Plc (United Kingdom, 2021)
  • R (on the application of ClientEarth) v Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (United Kingdom, 2021)
  • Urgenda Foundation v Kingdom of the Netherlands (Netherlands, 2019)

NORTH AMERICA

  • Municipalities of Puerto Rico v Exxon Mobil Corporation & Others (Puerto Rico/USA, 2025)
  • Held & Others v State of Montana (USA, 2024)
  • ClientEarth v Washington Gas Light Co. (USA, 2023)
  • Layla H. and Others v Commonwealth of Virginia (USA, 2022)

SOUTH AMERICA

  • Pirá Paraná Indigenous Council and Association of Indigenous Traditional Authorities of River Pirá Paraná “ACAIPI” v Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development & Others (Colombia, 2024)

ADVISORY OPINIONS

  • Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States with Respect to Climate Change (International Court of Justice, 2025)
  • Advisory Opinion in Response to a Request Submitted by Chile and Colombia on States’ Obligations to Respond to the Climate Emergency under the American Convention on Human Rights (Inter-American Court of Human Rights, 2025)
  • Advisory Opinion in Response to a Request Submitted by the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, 2024)