New in the Climate Court Litigation Database: A Landmark Grievance Testing the Equator Principles

The latest addition to our global climate litigation database is a groundbreaking non-judicial complaint that could reshape how the world’s biggest banks approach fossil-fuel finance, environmental and social due diligence, and Indigenous rights protections.

This newly filed grievance challenges the financing pathway of a major liquefied natural gas project and, most notably, constitutes the first complaint of its kind brought directly under the Equator Principles. Financial institutions are facing more and more scrutiny for their role in climate-intensive projects, which is also clearly shown by this latest development.

Why This Case Matters

At the centre of this dispute is the Equator Principles, the voluntary environmental and social risk framework adopted by over 130 of the world’s leading financial institutions. These principles require banks to assess and manage environmental, human-rights, Indigenous, biodiversity and climate-related risks before lending to major infrastructure or extractive projects.

The new grievance alleges that a high-profile LNG development fails to satisfy core EP requirements, raising far-reaching questions about financial-sector due diligence, community consultation, Indigenous Free, Prior and Informed Consent, and environmental risk disclosure. It also tests whether the EP framework can function as an effective governance tool when civil-society organisations trigger its oversight mechanisms.

For climate-finance academics, ESG professionals, lawyers, investors, and anyone tracking global decarbonisation pathways, this case offers insight into how voluntary standards intersect with climate accountability, and how communities and NGOs are increasingly using non-judicial mechanisms to challenge fossil-fuel expansion.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

If you work in climate law, ESG, responsible finance, advocacy, or environmental policy, this is not a case you can afford to miss. It sits at the intersection of climate governance, global finance, Indigenous rights, and energy-transition strategy, and its implications will ripple far beyond the project at issue.

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