#107 - The Lawsuits Demanding Accountability on Climate Change

Apr 30, 2025

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, Nikki Reisch, Director of the Climate & Energy Program at CIEL, joins us to unpack the global rise of climate litigation. From landmark cases in the Global South to parallels with Big Tobacco, she explores how legal strategies are holding fossil fuel companies accountable, defending human rights, and driving systemic change. As political action stalls, the courtroom is emerging as a powerful arena for climate justice.

Key Points:

Litigation as a Tool for Climate Justice: Nikki highlights how climate lawsuits are shifting the power dynamic, giving communities a legal avenue to challenge fossil fuel companies for environmental harm and human rights violations.
From Big Tobacco to Big Oil: Drawing parallels with tobacco litigation, Nikki explains how courts are examining decades of corporate deception — aiming to make fossil fuel giants financially and morally accountable for climate damages.
A Call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty: Nikki underscores growing calls for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, arguing that legal action through international courts can reinforce global efforts to hold polluters accountable for climate-related damages.

Voices on The Show:

Nikki Reisch, Director, Climate & Energy Program at Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
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Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
LinkedIn: Lisa Ann Pinkerton
X - Lisa Ann Pinkerton
Instagram - @LisiAnni
Technica Communications
Women in Cleantech and Sustainability

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