Uploaded May 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Abstract: In recent years, individuals and groups around the world have increasingly filed lawsuits asking state and corporate actors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and/or provide redress for harm associated with the impacts of climate change. These lawsuits rely on multiple legal bases, but increasingly, on the rights of youth and future generations. Like youth-led climate protests, climate litigation increasingly raises important questions about solidarity and fairness across generations. This presentation will reflect on climate litigation and on the role of scientists in supporting said litigation. The presenters will share their experience on how science informs climate litigation cases.
Speakers: Dr. Annalisa Savaresi is Associate Professor of International Environmental Law at the University of Eastern Finland. She has several years' experience researching, teaching and working with environmental law and policy. She has previously taught international, European and comparative environmental law at the undergraduate and postgraduate level at the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling, United Kingdom, and Copenhagen, Denmark.
Dr. Wim Thiery is a climate scientist with a specific interest in modelling the interactions between water resources and the atmosphere in a changing world. From 2011 to 2015, he was an FWO research fellow investigating the interaction between climate and the African Great Lakes with a regional climate model. Since October 2015, Wim is a Research Fellow at ETH Zurich, where he investigates the historical and future impacts of irrigation on climate extremes. In 2017, Wim was also appointed at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where he is now leading the Global Hydroclimate Group.
For more information on how get involved with Scientist Rebellion, head over to https://linktr.ee/scientistrebellion and scientistrebellion.com/how-to-join.
Introduction (00:00)
Dr. Savaresi's Talk (01:17)
Dr. Thiery's Talk (23:30)
Q&A (58:56)
Abstract: In recent years, individuals and groups around the world have increasingly filed lawsuits asking state and corporate actors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and/or provide redress for harm associated with the impacts of climate change. These lawsuits rely on multiple legal bases, but increasingly, on the rights of youth and future generations. Like youth-led climate protests, climate litigation increasingly raises important questions about solidarity and fairness across generations. This presentation will reflect on climate litigation and on the role of scientists in supporting said litigation. The presenters will share their experience on how science informs climate litigation cases.
Speakers: Dr. Annalisa Savaresi is Associate Professor of International Environmental Law at the University of Eastern Finland. She has several years' experience researching, teaching and working with environmental law and policy. She has previously taught international, European and comparative environmental law at the undergraduate and postgraduate level at the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling, United Kingdom, and Copenhagen, Denmark.
Dr. Wim Thiery is a climate scientist with a specific interest in modelling the interactions between water resources and the atmosphere in a changing world. From 2011 to 2015, he was an FWO research fellow investigating the interaction between climate and the African Great Lakes with a regional climate model. Since October 2015, Wim is a Research Fellow at ETH Zurich, where he investigates the historical and future impacts of irrigation on climate extremes. In 2017, Wim was also appointed at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where he is now leading the Global Hydroclimate Group.
For more information on how get involved with Scientist Rebellion, head over to https://linktr.ee/scientistrebellion and scientistrebellion.com/how-to-join.
Introduction (00:00)
Dr. Savaresi's Talk (01:17)
Dr. Thiery's Talk (23:30)
Q&A (58:56)
