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Since 2018, the United States-based Climate Judiciary Project (CJP) has been providing “reliable, authoritative, and trustworthy” education on climate change directly to judges and the judiciary. The CJP is the first project of this kind. The project collaborates with leading environmental scientists and legal experts in order to put together an objective, neutral curriculum.
The CJP was founded by Mr. Paul Hanle, former President and CEO of Climate Central. The project’s curriculum consists of 13 different modules that judges can follow, featuring for example ‘Drawing the Causal Chain: The Detection and Attribution of Climate Change’ and ‘Procedural Techniques Available for Climate Litigation’. The Project has already reached hundreds of State and Federal judges.
The CPJ states, “As the body of climate litigation grows, judges must consider complex scientific and legal questions, many of which are developing rapidly.” It is a much-needed contribution to the judiciary given the rapid increase of climate litigation over the past years. In the United States in particular, there have been numerous lawsuits seeking damages from the States or private actors, and claims under the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act are also increasingly common.
The project’s activities are framed by Fox News as ‘quietly preparing judges for global warming cases’. In a statement to Fox News, the CJP said, “CJP does not advise judges how to rule”. Rather, the project is focused on offering unbiased and objective information allowing judges to issue a well-informed ruling.
The CJP is a pioneering initiative providing invaluable service at this time. As climate litigation continues to surge globally, the success of the CJP in the United States underscores the urgent need for such initiatives across the globe.
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