A new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University shows that climate litigation is being pursued in more countries than ever before, addressing issues such as greenwashing, carbon offsets, and energy-intensive data centres. The fourth edition of the series, Climate Change in the Courtroom: Trends, Impacts, and Emerging Lessons, draws on data from the Sabin Center’s Climate Change Litigation Databases to examine key trends, pending cases, and court decisions.
Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, emphasized that climate litigation has become a powerful tool for advancing climate action and accountability. She highlighted the importance of ambitious, science-based policymaking and independent judicial systems to ensure a just and effective transformation of energy, mobility, housing, and food systems.
As of 30 June 2025, a total of 3,099 climate-related cases have been filed across 55 national jurisdictions and 24 international or regional courts, tribunals, or quasi-judicial bodies. This marks a continuing rise from previous years, with 2,180 cases by 2022, 1,550 in 2020, and 884 in 2017. While cases from the Global South still account for less than 10 percent, their share is steadily growing, reflecting a broader international engagement in climate governance.
The report highlights the evolution of climate litigation, which now encompasses nearly all aspects of climate governance, and notes that similar legal patterns are emerging in cases related to biodiversity loss and pollution. Landmark decisions, including a recent Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice, are shaping global norms by clarifying states’ obligations in addressing climate change and recognizing the scientific basis for climate-related claims through attribution science linking extreme weather events to greenhouse gas emissions.
However, the report also notes a rise in anti-climate litigation aimed at weakening environmental protections or reducing emphasis on environmental, social, and corporate governance issues. Particularly concerning are lawsuits targeting public opposition to high-emitting projects, which threaten climate advocates, journalists, and civil society organizations, highlighting the contested and complex nature of climate governance through the judicial system.
