Failure to act or impossible task? The pursuit of climate justice and energy security through litigation

Frustrated with the lack of a meaningful global response to the inequities wrought by climate change, ordinary citizens and advocacy groups are increasingly turning to legal recourse. They are petitioning the courts to defend their rights, to hold governments and fossil fuel corporations accountable for failure to protect their health, safety and welfare interests from foreseeable natural disasters, and to provide energy security. This chapter discusses the international movement using litigation to redress injustices caused by governments and large companies putting economic benefits in conflict with social, environmental and moral obligations to humanity. As courts become the arena where people look to rectify breaches of climate justice, nations and businesses may ultimately bear a duty of care to reduce carbon emissions with compensation and renewable power sources