TED Talks Daily Why is China appointing judges to combat climate change? | James K. Thornton
Feb 16, 2022
James K. Thornton, an eco-lawyer with extensive experience in China, discusses the country's groundbreaking strategy to combat climate change through the judicial system. He reveals how thousands of judges are being appointed to environmental courts, empowering them to hold even the government accountable for environmental issues. Thornton highlights China's commitment to legal action on climate and its recent shift away from funding coal projects abroad. This collaborative spirit with NGOs marks a transformative moment in the quest for ecological justice.
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China's Environmental Shift
- Chinese officials invited Western environmental group CEOs to encourage more environmental groups in China.
- James Thornton was invited to Beijing by the Supreme People's Court to advise on new environmental laws.
Cost Provisions for Environmental Litigation
- Thornton advised Chinese officials on cost provisions for environmental litigation, ensuring NGOs' costs are covered when they win.
- China accepted Thornton's recommendation, making their system more NGO-friendly than many other countries.
Training Environmental Judges
- China appointed 1,000 environmental court judges, a rare specialization globally.
- Thornton and his team then trained these judges, starting with the Supreme Court, on climate litigation.