06 April 2022
Energiesicherheit durch Außenwirtschaftsrecht
Der völkerrechtswidrige Angriffskrieg Russlands hat auch die Frage der Versorgungssicherheit im Energiebereich aufgeworfen. Die deutsche Energieversorgung ist von russischen Gaslieferungen abhängig. Fast 40 % des deutschen Gases stammen aus Russland. Das Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWi) versucht nun, die Versorgungssicherheit auf verschiedenen Wegen zu gewährleisten und nutzt hierzu auch das Außenwirtschaftsrecht. Das Investitionskontrollrecht ermöglicht es, jedenfalls kurzfristig sicherzustellen, dass für die Energieversorgung zentrale Unternehmen nicht an unbekannte Personen und Unternehmen übertragen und anschließend aufgelöst werden. Längerfristig muss jedoch überlegt werden, wie mit diesen Unternehmen verfahren werden soll. Continue reading >>
0 
Arming for Peace
The German chancellor’s speech on February 27, 2022, stating that changed times also demand changed policies, has been readily interpreted as a plea for a primarily military-focused policy aimed at deterrence, which may now finally once again be oriented towards political realities. It is almost breathtaking how, in a very short time, entire traditions of thought are nominally being laid to rest in this debate, without any critical questioning of whether this is justified: Does the war in Ukraine really demonstrate that diplomacy or the approach of interdependence have failed? How wise can a policy be that simply wants to reverse past policy by means of a „turning point“? Continue reading >>
0
Für den Frieden rüsten?
Aus der Aussage des Bundeskanzlers am 27. Februar 2022, dass veränderte Zeiten auch eine veränderte Politik verlangen, wird gern ein Plädoyer für eine primär militärische, auf Abschreckung zielende Politik abgeleitet, die sich nun endlich wieder an den politischen Realitäten orientiere könne, ganz wie es Vertreter des Realismus in den Internationalen Beziehungen, wie etwa John Mearsheimer fordern. Es ist geradezu atemberaubend, wie in kürzester Zeit in dieser Debatte ganze Denktraditionen mit offenkundiger Begeisterung zu Grabe getragen werden, ohne dass kritisch hinterfragt wird, ob dies gerechtfertigt ist: Zeigt der Ukrainekrieg denn wirklich, dass Diplomatie oder der Interdependenzansatz gescheitert ist? Wie klug kann eine Politik sein, die per „Zeitenwende“ einfach das Gegenteil des Vorangegangenen in Szene setzen will? Continue reading >>
0
Why They Win
It is difficult for us to acknowledge that populist illiberalism is successful and, until it is confronted by a serious economic crisis, cannot be replaced by elections. That, however, seems to be the case, at least in a society where there is little appreciation for freedom and almost none for limiting power. Let us at least be honest with ourselves: such electoral victories can hardly be explained by anything else. Continue reading >>
0
Enlarging the Hole in the Fence of Migrants’ Rights
With the judgment in A.A. and others v. North Macedonia, the European Court of Human Rights further branches out the creative exception to the prohibition of collective expulsions and turns it into an obligation to offer a place to apply for asylum somewhere at the border. But not only are these legal access points for asylum applications often de facto restricted, the ever more creative exceptions to rights of the Convention and its Protocols threatens the credibility and authority of the Court. Continue reading >>
0
05 April 2022
A Backdoor Exit from the European Convention on Human Rights
Russia left the Council of Europe on 16 March 2022. The European Court of Human Rights declared that Russia will remain a Party to the Convention until 16 September 2022. This resolution is inconsistent with applicable termination rules. But even beyond technicalities, it reveals fundamental defects in the design of the ECHR denunciation clause. Forced withdrawal and expulsion from the Council, as mechanisms to sanction severe violations of human rights, should not have the effect of relieving the delinquent State of its conventional human rights obligations. Continue reading >>
0
04 April 2022
Why We Lost
The united opposition in Hungary has suffered a crushing defeat at the parliamentary elections yesterday. Some of my friends and acquaintances will blame for the outcome the new electoral rules produced by Viktor Orbán’s government, and his high degree of control over electronic and printed media. They will be wrong, as they often were before. We lost! And by numbers that completely falsify the electoral rule thesis, that suggested in all its versions that the rules give Fidesz 3-5 % advantage. Continue reading >>The Council of Europe as an AI Standard Setter
On 4 April 2022, Member States of the Council of Europe commences negotiations on the world’s first international binding legal instrument in the field of artificial intelligence. The CoE has a large reservoir of both experience and expertise in the field of standard setting, as far as the three key priorities are concerned: promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Given the undisputed need for regulating AI activities, the CoE appears a prime candidate for this undertaking. Continue reading >>
0
Kontinuität womit? Alternativlos wozu?
Review Essay
Die Behördenforschung ist etwas in die Jahre gekommen. Vielleicht hat sie sogar ihren Zenit überschritten und wir müssen über neue, innovative(re) Formate nachdenken. Ist der ersten Untersuchung zur NS-Vergangenheit des Auswärtigen Amts noch sehr viel Aufmerksamkeit zuteilgeworden, haben spätere Untersuchungen, auch die zur Rosenburg, dem damaligen Sitz des Bundesjustizministeriums, weit weniger Aufmerksamkeit erfahren. Continue reading >>
Brain-Dead Debt Brake
The debt brake is brain-dead—pull the plug. Germany’s financial super-ego fails to protect the democratic self-governance of future generations. Instead, it shackles us and our decendents to a small-c conservative agenda animated by yesterday’s economic orthodoxy. Continue reading >>03 April 2022
Rule of Law, AI, and “the Individual”
The institutional safeguards formulated under the Rule of Law tend to focus on “an individual” or “the individual” who can be the bearer of the rights and protections it awards. This pre-digital formulation worked well in an era where law was the pre-eminent form of social regulation. However, increasingly, individual interests are impacted not only on the basis of the actions and choices of the concerned individual, but also on the basis of data collected about her social context and that of other similarly situated individuals. In order to reconcile these tensions, in this blog, I argue for supplementing the existing individual protections recognized under the Rule of Law framework with recognition of collective interests in order to strengthen the Rule of Law in the age of AI. Continue reading >>
0
02 April 2022
Internationale Rechtsordnung als nationales Sicherheitsinteresse
Die Zeitenwende vom 27. Februar 2022 ist faktisch das Eingeständnis einer Kluft zwischen den lang anerkannten Interessen an Multilateralismus und Völkerrecht einerseits und den außen- und verteidigungspolitischen Strategien zu deren Durchsetzung andererseits. Ein Bekenntnis zum Multilateralismus und den zugrunde liegenden rechtlichen Verpflichtungen reicht nicht mehr aus — wenn das überhaupt jemals der Fall war. Deutschlands künftige Nationale Sicherheitsstrategie muss sich mit den beschwerlicheren politischen und militärischen Verpflichtungen befassen, die notwendig sind, um ein solches System zu ermöglichen. Continue reading >>
0
International Legal Order as a National Security Interest
The "Zeitenwende" of 27 February 2022 is, in effect, an admission of a gap between long-recognised interests in multilateralism and international law, on the one hand, and the sufficiency of foreign and defence policy strategies for upholding them on the other. A primary commitment to the modes of multilateralism and underlying legal obligations is no longer sufficient—if indeed it ever was—and Germany’s forthcoming National Security Strategy must address the more arduous political and military obligations necessary to make such a system possible. The turning point is, in short, the realisation of commitments deeply embedded in national foreign policy identity, which emerges as the foundation for broad legitimacy in the policy revolution. Continue reading >>
0
The Paradox of Efficiency: Frictions Between Law and Algorithms
On the 13th of January 2022, a Spanish Administrative court ruled in favour of algorithmic opacity. Fundación Civio, an independent foundation that monitors and accounts public authorities, reported that an algorithm used by the government was committing errors. BOSCO, the name of the application which contained the algorithm, was implemented by the Spanish public administration to more efficiently identify citizens eligible for grants to pay electricity bills. Meanwhile, Civio designed a web app to inform citizens whether they would be entitled for this grant. Continue reading >>01 April 2022
A Constitutional Framework for Bundeswehr Operations Abroad Based on International Law
The postulated „Zeitenwende“ should not be understood simply as a historic opportunity to quickly pass the proposed reform in parliament. Even beyond the specific occasion of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the substance of the constitutional provisions on defence appears to be in need of reform. According to the opinion expressed here, the Basic Law should tie Bundeswehr missions abroad to their compliance with international law. Continue reading >>
0
Ein verfassungsrechtliches Fundament für Auslandseinsätze der Bundeswehr durch Bindung an das Völkerrecht
Die postulierte „Zeitenwende“ in der Sicherheitspolitik sollte nicht bloß als historische Chance verstanden werden, die vorgeschlagene Reform schnell durchs Parlament zu bekommen. Auch jenseits des konkreten Anlasses des russischen Angriffs auf die Ukraine erscheinen die materiellen verfassungsrechtlichen Grundlagen der Wehrverfassung reformbedürftig. Nach hier vertretener Auffassung sollte das Grundgesetz Auslandseinsätze der Bundeswehr an deren Völkerrechtsmäßigkeit binden. Denn wie die Initiatorinnen dieses Symposiums betonen, besteht für die deutsche Sicherheitspolitik auch eine Verantwortung für die internationale Ordnung und die Wahrung und Durchsetzung des Völkerrechts. Continue reading >>
0
Letters from Brussels with Love and the Issue of Mutual Trust in Nationality Matters
In a recent article on this blog, I have set out that the spotlight will soon be turning on the European passportization of Russian oligarchs. And well, what shall I say, it did not take long for the Commission to come out swinging. In a recommendation issued on March 28, the Commission urged “Member States to immediately repeal any existing investor citizenship schemes and to ensure strong checks are in place to address the risks posed by investor residence schemes”. Continue reading >>
0
Thoughts on the Black Box: Getting to Cooperative Intelligence in Public Administration
The requirement of explanation for administrative decisions can be found, in one guise or another, in most legal systems. This requirement is a positive obligation on decision-makers in public administrative bodies (among others) to provide the legal basis for their decision. With the continuing growth of artificial intelligence/machine learning technologies being used to streamline administrative decision-making, providing for a right to explanation from black box algorithmic decision-making systems is not a straightforward endeavor. Continue reading >>
0
High Tech, Low Fidelity? Statistical Legal Tech and the Rule of Law
The advent of statistical ‘legal tech’ raises questions about the future of law and legal practice. While it has always been the case that technologies have mediated the concept, practice, and texture of law, a qualitative and quantitative shift is taking place. Statistical legal tech is being integrated into mainstream legal practice, particularly that of litigators. These applications mediate how practicing lawyers interact with the legal system. By shaping how law is ‘done’, the applications ultimately come to shape what law is. Continue reading >>
0
31 March 2022
Global Inequities in Algorithms
Algorithms can seem like esoteric subjects, often relegated to the realm of engineers and technology companies, given the technical nature of algorithmic design. Algorithms, when applied, take on a social character that invites us into peer beneath the hood to understand both their function and application. Given the growing ubiquitousness of algorithms in our daily lives, policymakers are looking to capture algorithms within regulatory mechanisms. This article seeks to understand the inequalities that undergird algorithmic applications, in order to understand how to regulate these systems. Continue reading >>
0
Russia’s Eurasian Großraum and its Consequences
The available options for the German and Western policy towards Russia have to be based on the correct diagnosis of the causes of the conflict. The purpose of this analysis is to shed some light on the structural reasons for the Russian expansionism and make some projections on the possible long-tern consequences. The rivalry between the Russian-dominated space (Großraum – greater space) and the EU/NATO systems fuels an intense geopolitical antagonism in Europe, which can be transformed into actual conflict. I understand the Großraum in the sense of Carl Schmitt as a tightly managed sphere of interests, under the direct or indirect control of an authoritarian Great Power (infra II).
Continue reading >>Regulating News Recommender Systems in Light of the Rule of Law
Many online services - search, e-commerce, movie streaming, social media, and news - use recommender systems. I argue that it is largely unnecessary and, in any case, contrary to the rule of law to regulate how news media deploy recommender systems to select and rank the news for individual users. Instead, I consider an alternative for state regulation of news recommenders, should empirical research show that certain news recommender systems have harmful effects on individual rights and societies. Continue reading >>
0
30 March 2022
The National Security Strategy and the Zeitenwende in German Foreign Policy
The “Zeitenwende” in German foreign policy continues to require justification and facilitation, strategic and material underpinning, as well as structural and procedural changes. But time and again, it will require critical reflection. After years of partial denial of reality and misinterpretation of behavioural patterns of key international actors, there is a risk that everything will now be pressed into the scheme of great power and systemic rivalry, and that a new bipolarity between the Western world and the authoritarian states centred around China and Russia is conjured.
Continue reading >>
0
Die Nationale Sicherheitsstrategie im Zeichen der außenpolitischen Zeitenwende
Die Zeitenwende in der deutschen Außenpolitik bedarf weiterhin der Begründung und Vermittlung, der strategischen und materiellen Unterfütterung sowie struktureller und prozessualer Veränderungen. Sie bedarf aber auch immer wieder der kritischen Reflektion. Die Gefahr ist groß, dass nach Jahren der partiellen Realitätsverweigerung und der Fehlinterpretation von Handlungsmustern zentraler Akteure der internationalen Politik nunmehr alle Vorkommnisse in das Schema der Großmacht- und der systemischen Rivalität gepresst werden, gar eine neue Bipolarität zwischen der westlichen Welt und den sich um China und Russland scharenden autoritären Staaten heraufbeschworen wird. Continue reading >>Proactive Contestation of AI Decision-making
Liberal democracies have an artificial intelligence problem. The disruptive impact and complex harms of artificial intelligence (AI) decision-making, including their intrusive surveillance, unjustifiable biases, and deceptive manipulations matter in all societies, but they matter more in open, pluralist democracies, which depend on messy human accountability processes. AI decision-making systems are notoriously resistant to demands for external scrutiny. Continue reading >>
0
29 March 2022
If you are Europe, what is your Story in 2022?
The war in Ukraine confronts Europe with the question about the very raison d’être of integration. The courage and the resistance of the Ukrainians have bought us citizens of the European Union precious time to rethink who we are, what is dear to us and how we understand our ideals and values. Continue reading >>Two Heads, One Crisis
The President of the Chamber of Deputies has just authorized the creation of a working group to discuss the possibility of adopting a semi-presidential system of government in Brazil. With the successive political crises since the promulgation of the constitution culminating in two successful impeachments, a growing number of voices are expressing support for the adoption of a semi-presidential system. It is unlikely, however, that such reform will bring political stability by itself. Continue reading >>Algorithm Centrism in the DSA’s Regulation of Recommender Systems
The regulation of recommender systems is often framed as an issue of algorithmic governance. In this post I want to argue that this focus on recommender algorithms can be restrictive, and to show how one can go about regulating recommender systems in a broader sense. This systemic view pays closer attention to recommendation outputs (i.e. recommendations) and inputs (i.e. user behavior), and not just processing logics. Continue reading >>
0
Regulating Recommending: Legal and Policy Directions for Governing Platforms
Digital platforms have strategically positioned themselves as intermediaries between individuals, businesses, organisations, governments, and others. Platform companies frequently adopt business models based around extensively tracking user behaviour and using that information to supply targeted advertising, algorithmically personalise services, and grow user engagement, revenue, and market position. While platform capitalism can be immensely profitable, the problems this brings are increasingly stark. As we have argued elsewhere, it’s time to regulate recommending. Continue reading >>
0
28 March 2022
Is Berlin’s Overdue Defence Policy Adjustment Also a “Game Changer” for Franco-German Relations?
What does the “paradigm shift” (Zeitenwende) – as Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the readjustment of German security and defence policy – mean for the Franco-German couple? Relations between Paris and Berlin had cooled down in recent years, particularly in relation to security and defence dossiers. Can we now expect that the ice between the two countries will melt? By no means. Even though Germany has sent a first signal that it no longer wants to close its eyes to the geopolitical realities of the 21st century, a number of touchy security and defence issues remain on the table. Continue reading >>
0
Our Minds, Monitored and Manipulated
Well-functioning democracies require a well-informed citizenry, an open social and political discourse and absence of opaque or deceitful influence. Western democracies have however always been prone to power asymmetries and to coercion and the curbing of these freedoms through oppression and propaganda. Adoption of AI and datafication has raised concerns whether society is sliding into an Orwellian nightmare, where all of our actions are being scrutinized, controlled and manipulated at a scale that has never been possible before. So, what is it exactly that makes this time so different? Continue reading >>
0
Ist Berlins verteidigungspolitische Kurskorrektur auch eine „Zeitenwende“ für die deutsch-französischen Beziehungen?
Was bedeutet die „Zeitenwende“ – wie Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz sie nennt – für die deutsch-französischen Beziehungen? Insbesondere im Bereich Sicherheit und Verteidigung war es zwischen Paris und Berlin in den vergangenen Jahren frostig geworden. Ist nun Tauwetter angesagt? Mitnichten. Auch wenn Deutschland ein erstes Signal gesendet hat, dass man die Augen nicht länger vor den geopolitischen Realitäten des 21. Jahrhunderts verschließen möchte, bestehen einige sicherheits- und verteidigungspolitische Themen mit Sprengkraft fort. Drei davon werden im Folgenden näher unter die Lupe genommen. Continue reading >>
0
A Strategic Culture Must be Part of the National Security Strategy
The handling and development of the war in Ukraine will be a test of the effectiveness of Germany's role in the EU and the world. The most important part of the turning point must be a return to Realpolitik and the development of a national security strategy based on smart power. The turning point in Germany concerns four areas in particular: 1) German armed forces (Bundeswehr) 2) strategic culture 3) National Security Strategy 4) strengthening crisis prevention and the development of a "civilian reserve". Continue reading >>
0
Eine strategische Kultur muss Teil der Nationalen Sicherheitsstrategie sein
Der Umgang mit und die Entwicklung des Krieges in der Ukraine wird zum Lackmustest für Deutschlands Rolle in der EU und der Welt. Wichtigster Teil der Zeitenwende muss die Rückkehr zur Realpolitik und zudem auch die Entwicklung einer Nationalen Sicherheitsstrategie sein, die auf Smart Power setzt. Die Zeitenwende in Deutschland betrifft dabei insbesondere vier Bereiche: 1) Bundeswehr 2) Strategische Kultur 3) Nationale Sicherheitsstrategie 4) Stärkung der Krisenprävention und die Entwicklung einer „Zivilen Reserve“. Continue reading >>
0
Artificial Intelligence Must Be Used According to the Law, or Not at All
Democracy requires to strengthen the Rule of Law wherever public or private actors use algorithmic systems. The law must set out the requirements on AI necessary in a democratic society and organize appropriate accountability and oversight. To this end, the European Commission made several legislative proposals. In addition to the discussion on how to use algorithmic systems lawfully, the question when it is beneficial to use them deserves more attention. Continue reading >>
0
How Emmanuel Macron’s Quest for Efficiency Undermines French Democracy
Emmanuel Macron presented his program for the next presidential election on Thursday, March 17. He plans to relaunch his major reform of the institutions to make them work more efficiently and reaffirmed his desire to have a “strong executive power”, that is, a President who is not encumbered by too many counterweights. This concern for efficiency is a clear sign of impatience with the democratic process. By letting the executive power decide alone, the whole balance of powers could be affected. Continue reading >>27 March 2022
Ukraine, Realism, and the Synchronization of Political Time in the US and Germany
What the US and Germany face today with Russia is evidently not a peaceful competition of rivals that can be managed by the pursuit of equilbrium and balance, the leitmotifs of 19th century Realpolitik. Nor is the Russian invasion a result of Western failure to heed realist caution about the project of NATO enlargement in Eastern Europe.
Continue reading >>26 March 2022
‘Don’t Look Up’, Look ‘South’
There is no doubt: climate law is about to become one of the most important issues in comparative constitutional and international law. The institutional and legal questions are tricky, the number of cases exploding, and, more importantly: the stakes are high. On the very day we kicked off this blog debate the world was hit by the news of an “impossible” and “unthinkable” temperature surge in the Arctic and Antarctic, with climate journalists stating in shock that “Antarctic climatology has been rewritten”. On the day this blog debate concluded we learned of an “unprecedented sixth mass coral bleaching event” in the Great Barrier Reef, with scientists demanding immediate action yet again. Continue reading >>
0
Distrust – Trust – Recognition
Could it be that even Russia’s current political leadership is in truth not necessarily interested in conquering the land and people of Ukraine, but in proving Russia’s great power status? If so, the classification as a „regional power“ would be a violation of Russian self-esteem and status consciousness, for the healing of which Russia is starting a war that is contrary to international law, morally reprehensible, economically absurd and cruel, and devoid of any pragmatic rational explanation. Continue reading >>
0
Misstrauen – Vertrauen – Anerkennung
Könnte es sein, dass es selbst der gegenwärtigen politischen Führung Russlands in Wahrheit gar nicht unbedingt um die Eroberung von Land und Leuten der Ukraine geht, sondern um den Beweis des russischen Großmachtstatus? Dann wäre die Einstufung als „Regionalmacht“ eine Verletzung russischen Selbstgefühls und Statusbewusstseins, für dessen Heilung Russland einen völkerrechtswidrigen, moralisch verwerflichen, ökonomisch widersinnigen und grausamen Krieg bar jeder realpolitisch-rationalen Erklärungsfähigkeit vom Zaune bricht. Continue reading >>25 March 2022
Brazilian Judicial Branch v. Telegram (and Bolsonaro)
On March 18, 2022, the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes suspended Telegram’s functioning in Brazil through an individual injunction. In brief, the platform was blocked because its owners ignored their duty to cooperate with the Brazilian state in the repression of the illicit activities committed over the platform. However, only analyzing the issue’s core misses one of its essential surrounding elements: the direct interest of President Jair Bolsonaro in the free operation of the platform and the growing antagonism between him and Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Continue reading >>
0
Indigenous Climate Litigation in Anglophone Settler-Colonial States
The legacy of colonialism suggests a shared affinity between climate litigation in the Global South, and climate litigation brought by Indigenous peoples in the settler-colonial states of the Global North. This blog post focuses on claims brought by Indigenous peoples in the Anglophone settler-colonial states of Australia, Canada, the United States and Aotearoa/New Zealand. I begin by setting out the disproportionate impact of climate change experienced by Indigenous peoples, as well as Indigenous movements of resistance and adaptation. In doing so, I draw on claims brought by various Indigenous groups and individuals in the course of climate litigation. Framing climate litigation as part of this response, I then survey Indigenous climate litigation across the four jurisdictions. I end with some notes of caution regarding the essentializing and exploitation of Indigenous peoples by the climate litigation movement, cautions which may be applicable to litigation in the Global South. Continue reading >>
0
The Council of Europe’s Sharp Turn
The Council of Europe (CoE) responded promptly to Russia’s act of aggression against Ukraine first by suspending Russia’s representation rights on 25 February 2022, and then by expelling it on 16 March 2022 in accordance with Article 8 of the Statute. The Committee of Ministers used the Article 8 procedure for the first time in the history of the CoE. This might have crucial implications for the broader CoE context and could make the threat of suspension and expulsion more credible for other member states as well. Continue reading >>
0
Lessons on “Adaptation Litigation” from the Global South
Adaptation litigation is not only a tool to better prepare infrastructure through tort and administrative law. It is a more ambiguous and creative category, drawing on everything from refugee law to human rights and legal provisions recognizing the rights of nature. While adaptation litigation in the Global North has largely focused on infrastructure, litigation in the Global South has addressed a broader range of factors that contribute to adaptive capacity, from environmental factors like deforestation, to human governance and resourcing systems like disaster response and migration systems. Continue reading >>
0
The Dangers of Freezing and Seizing
The Polish government argues that the only way to effectively seize the assets of Russian oligarchs is to amend the Polish Constitution, since it is currently impossible to do so without obtaining a final judgment of a court of law. Although the official goal may seem to coincide with the actions undertaken by the EU Council, the measures planned by the Polish governing powers should not be accepted without a second glance at their possible legal dangers. Continue reading >>
0
24 March 2022
Climate Law as a ‘Living Tree’
Last year, the Australian decision of a Federal Court judge in Sharma v Minister for the Environment made headlines around the world. In the decision, the judge found that the Federal Environment Minister owed Australian children a duty of care to prevent harm from climate change. This year, the Sharma case has once again attracted attention, albeit for the opposite reason. In March 2022, the Full Court of the Federal Court allowed the Minister’s appeal and overturned the primary judge’s finding of a novel duty of care. This decision has emphasised the limits of legal concepts and courts in addressing future climate damages. However, the unfavourable outcome does not mark the end for climate litigation in Australia. Continue reading >>
0
As the Lungs of the Earth Dry Out, Climate Litigation Heats Up
The Amazon Forest – el pulmón del mundo – has been at the center of four recent rights-based climate lawsuits in the region. Interestingly, the existence of solid legal grounds for environmental litigation has not stopped petitioners and courts from using some degree of creativity in shaping new rights. I argue that any evaluation of the potential benefits and impacts of (new) rights strategies must consider their limitations in setting clear legal boundaries and achieving immediate political change. Nonetheless, rights-based climate lawsuits play an important symbolic role, as they recognize the vulnerability of certain groups to climate change. Continue reading >>
0
No Kidding!
The strategy of challenging a plurality of states directly before international adjudicating bodies has been, so far, a youth’s distinct move in the field of climate litigation, and it is by far the largest vehicle for transnational complaints. Our contribution provides an overview of the relevant cases, many of which still pending, and tries to pinpoint the drivers and possible trajectories of a global phenomenon which could go some way towards redressing the injustice the Global South is suffering as a result of global warming. Continue reading >>
0
23 March 2022