Master Class on Environmental Liability
How law can remedy harm to nature and deliver accountability
Courts may be the last line of defense for nature…
But nature still needs lawyers and plaintiffs ready to stand up for it in court.
This Master Class will help show you how.
Today’s widespread environmental destruction is overwhelming, but in jurisdictions around the world hope can be found within our existing laws: environmental liability provisions provide legal pathways to make offenders accountable and demand remedies for environmental harm. Public interest environmental liability litigation can help nature, securing habitat restoration, pollution cleanup, public apologies, species conservation and public education.
This unique, globally-relevant series introduces key scientific and legal principles and outlines a method that will empower you to strategically put liability provisions into action to advance legal practice and drive transformative change.
Law school, environmental science degrees and even experience in legal practice rarely teach you how to put your skills and passion into action to defend and remedy nature – especially not on comparative law and opportunities overseas.
Legislation rarely explains how harm to nature and remedies should be presented in litigation, and most jurisdictions have limited case law. As a result, practitioners are often uncertain of how to develop successful cases.
Where environmental litigation is usually focused on States, including “framework” litigation, challenging environmental impact assessment and seeking injunctions, this Master Class focuses on legal action against corporates, individuals and organised criminal groups driving harm.
Content-rich and technical, beautifully illustrated, with case examples from around the world and video insights from leading scientists and lawyers.
Over 12 Modules of self-paced online material, full of engaging case examples and videos from legal and environmental practitioners around the world, the Master Class will:
- Introduce you to the various dimensions of environmental harm – helping you integrate scientific and legal concepts of nature.
- Differentiate among the various legal responses to environmental harm and where liability provisions can be found – providing conceptual clarity for what types of legal action are needed and when to use them.
- Introduce you to exciting, precedent-setting cases from jurisprudence you may not have explored before – inspiring you.
- Review key procedural questions, such as about legal standing and legal fora.
- Take you through a practical 5-step approach to developing a claim for remedies in an environmental case, illustrated with an interactive case study in which we develop a lawsuit seeking remedies for harm caused by illegal mining on a small island.
Who is it for?
The Master Class is globally relevant, with a focus on Global Majority countries and for people interested in working internationally, including
- Public interest lawyers and public prosecutors keen to bring precedent-setting cases
- Law students interested in comparative law and overseas legal practices, especially in Global Majority country contexts
- Environmentalists and conservationists interested in learning more about the power of law in promoting accountability
- Scientists interested in serving as expert witnesses in legal cases
- Judges adjudicating environmental cases
- Lawyers in private practice seeking to improve clients’ practices and reduce liabilities
Have you ever wondered...
- How can we hold a corporation liable for remedying the harm it causes through illegal deforestation?
- What would be appropriate remedies in cases where endangered species are killed?
- Can courts recognise the diverse values (e.g., cultural, intrinsic value) that humans hold for nature?
- How do I deal with the challenges of proving causation in environmental cases?
Course leads
Dr Jacob Phelps is a conservation scientist and one of the world’s leading environmental governance scholars. He holds a PhD from the National University of Singapore, an MPhili from University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University. He is Executive Director of the Conservation-Litigation.org, and Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University.
Dr Rika Fajrini is a lawyer and researcher with PhD and M.GES from Kyoto University and a law degree from University of Indonesia, and has a particular interest in the interplay of law and science in environmental litigation. She is Senior Lawyer at Conservation-Litigation.org, Senior Affiliated Researcher at the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law, and Southeast Asia Director for the Global Network for Human Rights and the Environment.
The Master Class is the result of a decade of work among litigators, scientists and legal scholars around the world – researching environmental liability provisions and supporting litigation around the world through the Conservation-Litigation.org network.
Lynne Hempton, Conservation-Litigation.org, UK
Carol Adaire Jones, Environmental Law Institute, USA
Natalia Munoz Casolis, Conservation-Litigation.org and Wildnexus Colombia
Fernanda Salinas, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide
Lovish Sharma, Wildlife Trust of India
Grizelda Mayo-Anda, Environmental Legal Assistance Center, Philippines
Irma Hermawati, Rekam Nusantara Foundation, Indonesia
Frisco Aimé, Eco Activists for Law and Enforcement, Cameroon
John Pendergrass, Environmental Law Institute, USA
Prof. Edward L. Webb, University of Helsinki, Finland
Jose Louies, Wildlife Trust of India
Darak Ullah, Ld. District Judge (Retd.) Assam Judicial Services, India
Nagaraj Narayanan, Special Govt. Pleader (Forests), State of Kerala, India
Debobroto Sircar, Wildlife Trust of India
Sethu Gopinathan, Wildlife Trust of India
Deeya Bhattacharjee, Wildlife Trust of India
Naila Bhatri, Conservation-Litigation.org, UK
Dr Miaomiao Tian, Lancaster University, UK
Maribel Rodriguez, Law & Wildlife
Blair Atwebembeire, Blair & Co. Associates, Uganda
Valerie Fogleman, Cardiff University School of Law and Politics, UK
Emmanuel Kasimbazi, School of Law, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Michelle Lim, School of Law, Singapore Management University
How long will it take
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How much does it cost?
The Master Class is entirely free, supported by the UK Government through the Biodiversity Challenge Fund’s Capabilities & Capacity Grant. Donations are welcomed to help sustain the platform over time and to support frontline litigators taking action for nature.
After completing this Master Class
- You will feel more confident to actively develop liability cases, moving beyond principles and into the practical aspects of strategic litigation.
- You can secure a Certificate that will set you apart in the competitive field of environmental law
- The Master Class will also open the doors for you to join a growing, global Community of Practice of pioneering lawyers and scientists around the world