Washington,USA 

A new and powerful force is reshaping international climate policy: the courtroom. The latest Global Climate Litigation Report: 2025 Status Review, released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, reveals a surge in climate litigation, with a cumulative total of over 3,000 cases now active globally. This judicial tsunami is increasingly holding both governments and corporations accountable for their climate actions—or lack thereof—but a disturbing new trend of “anti-climate litigation” is targeting the very advocates leading the charge.

Surge in Court Cases Signals Legal Turning Point

The report, drawing on data collected up to June 30, 2025, confirmed that a total of 3,099 climate-related cases have been filed in 55 national jurisdictions and 24 international or regional courts. This marks a significant acceleration, building on the trend seen in previous years (2,180 cases in 2022, 1,550 in 2020), and firmly establishing litigation as a “powerful global tool” for demanding climate action and accountability.

Headline Points

 * 3,099 Active Cases: The total number of climate-related lawsuits has surged past the 3,000 mark as of June 2025, affirming litigation’s role as a major driver of climate policy.

 * Policy Redefinition: Recent decisions by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are solidifying the legal obligations of states to address climate change and protect human rights.

 * Greenwashing and Emissions: Legal action is expanding to tackle issues like corporate “greenwashing,” fraudulent carbon offsets, and the emissions footprint of new technologies, such as energy-intensive data centres.

 * Anti-Advocacy Lawsuits: A concerning trend of anti-climate litigation is on the rise, specifically targeting climate advocates, journalists, and civil society organisations who oppose high-emitting projects.

Litigation Redefines International Legal Obligations

The sheer volume of cases is forcing a fundamental shift in legal and governmental thinking worldwide. Crucially, courts are increasingly acknowledging the scientific basis of climate claims, particularly by utilising attribution science to link specific extreme weather events to greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the UNEP, recent landmark decisions are now setting a global precedent. The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), handed down in July 2025, has clarified the obligations of nation states to protect the environment and address climate change in a manner proportionate to their capabilities. This opinion, alongside rulings from other international bodies, is solidifying the legal link between climate action and fundamental human rights, which is expected to catalyse new litigation and force governments to take more meaningful steps to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The impacts are now moving beyond environmental law and into corporate and financial accountability, with cases increasingly targeting:

 * Climate-Washing (Greenwashing): Lawsuits against companies and governments for misleading communications about their climate efforts.

 * Corporate Liability: Claims seeking to hold companies financially responsible for the damages caused by their GHG emissions.

 * Non-Enforcement: Challenges to domestic governments for failing to enforce their own climate-related laws and policies.

The SLAPP-Backlash: Silencing Opposition

While pro-climate litigation is surging, the report flags a “particularly concerning” counter-movement: a rise in anti-climate litigation.

This backlash consists of lawsuits aimed at weakening environmental protections, rolling back investments focused on Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG), and most disturbingly, the use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) against environmental defenders.

The report notes a specific increase in lawsuits filed against climate advocates, journalists, and civil society organizations who express public opposition to high-emitting energy and infrastructure projects. These lawsuits are often filed by fossil fuel companies and other high-emitting entities not with the expectation of winning, but as a tactic to intimidate, drain financial resources, and effectively silence dissent in the public sphere.

This trend weaponises the legal system to suppress public criticism, directly obstructing the democratic freedom of expression and slowing down climate advocacy at a critical time. Experts warn that the power of climate litigation—demonstrated by the growing fear among defendants—is now facing a concerted legal attack designed to undermine the entire movement.

Key Political Developments

The findings of the UNEP/Sabin Center report underscore the mounting pressure on policymakers worldwide.

 * Focus on the Global South: While most cases originate in the US and Europe, the Global South’s share of cases is growing, with a dynamic surge in countries across Latin America, Asia, and Africa. These regions are increasingly using domestic and international legal frameworks to seek climate justice for communities disproportionately affected by climate change impacts.

 * Judicial Overreach Debate: The rise in litigation, especially against governments that fail to meet their own climate targets, intensifies the political debate over judicial activism. Courts are being forced to navigate the separation of powers as they issue legally binding orders requiring greater executive or legislative climate action.

 * Corporate Risk: For the private sector, the report translates directly into increased financial risk. Companies are now having to factor in the potential for multibillion-dollar lawsuits seeking damages for their climate-related harms, with legal risk influencing investment and project planning for major fossil fuel and industrial projects globally.