Health Evidence and Health-based Arguments in Legal Climate Action (360G-Wellcome-352446_Z_26_Z)

The climate crisis is a health crisis. Indeed, the International Court of Justice recently recognized that global warming affects the right to a healthy environment and the right to health as part of a wider planetary health crisis. World-wide, scientists, policy makers, civil society and the public are increasingly aware of the physical and mental health impacts of climate change, and the strain it places on public health systems. Yet, policy action remains lacking, leading to legal action. This project improves understanding and accessibility of health-related arguments and evidence for legal action on climate change. Specifically, it enhances Columbia University’s Climate Litigation Database with improved filtering for health-related cases, and develops accompanying resources and analytical tools to survey, track and analyse how specific types of health arguments and evidence are driving legal action, with special attention to LMIC countries and disproportionately affected communities. Several themed reports, case-studies and analytical tools will enable legal and health scholars and practitioners to work together on specific health impacts and optimally leverage health-related evidence and arguments in policy contexts, devise improved legal strategies, and understand further opportunities for legal action. The project engages relevant stakeholders throughout to ensure optimal development and use of resources.