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by climatelitigation.uva.nl
Between Heat and Hope - a climate litigation podcast for for students, fellow academics, and everyone interested in developments around climate litigation as a tool for propelling necessary climate action. With our guests from legal practice, academia and activism we discuss the most recent developments and shed light on the background, rationale, and theory surrounding the phenomenon.This podcast forms part of the ERC funded project on climate litigation and democracy. You can find us at: climatelitigation.uva.nl
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- 3 weeks ago40 min
When David Sued Goliath – Lliuya v RWE | with Noah Walker-Crawford
When David Sued Goliath – Saúl Luciano Lliuya v RWE | with Noah Walker-CrawfordFor this episode, we are joined by Noah Walker-Crawford. Noah is a research fellow at the LSE Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment where he studies climate litigation as a social anthropologist, so in a different way than most of the guests we have heard from so far. He leads a project examining how climate change attribution science shapes litigation. Next to his affiliation with LSE, Noah is also affiliated with the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London.What brings us together today, is Noah‘s recently published book “The Climate Trial” which provides an account of the case of Saúl Lliuya against German energy company RWE. Starting with the book, we speak about Lliuya v RWE. From there, we dive into Noah’s approach to studying and understanding climate litigation as a social anthropologist. And discuss his work on climate science and how that shaped Lliuya and possible future cases. ReferencesNoah Walker Crawford, The Climate Trial – Law and Justice on a Melting Planet (Duke University Press, 2026).Saúl Lliuya v RWEPakistani Farmers CaseThe Odette Case RecommendationsUrsula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed (Harper & Row, 1974). AboutEditing: Eliza ChiritoiuMusic: “Delayed Flight” by Michael Ramir C. via mixkitRecorded at the University of Amsterdam, September 2026The LitDem ProjectThis project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 101125511).
- Sep 23, 202651 min
Anti-Democratic Strategic Litigation | with Svenja Ahlhaus
In this episode we are joined by Professor Svenja Ahlhaus. Svenja Ahlhaus is junior professor of Political Theory at the University of Münster in Germany. Her research interests span from theories of political representation in ecological crises to the boundaries of political communities, migration, citizen- and membership, to questions of democracy and religion. In this episode we discuss some of Svenja’s recent and ongoing work on strategic litigation and its role in democracy; specifically whether there is such a thing as anti-democratic strategic litigation and how this concept relates to the context of strategic climate litigation.Svenja explains some possible traits of strategic litigation that could mean that it actually undermines some core functioning of democracy. Through this conversation we gain insights on a more nuanced picture of strategic litigation. Which becomes only more important as strategic litigation becomes a more prevalent phenomenon and we are continuing to struggle with democratic backsliding. By understanding the risks it bears better, the conversation hopefully also inspires on how to address these challenges. ReferencesSLAPP of Energy Transfer against Greenpeace International (decision from North Dakota)Greenpeace International fighting SLAPP under EU legislation RecommendationDavid Kirkpatrick, The Next Targets for the Group that Overturned Roe (October 2, 2023 in The New Yorker) AboutEditing: Simon WaswaMusic: “Delayed Flight” by Michael Ramir C. via mixkitRecorded at the University of Amsterdam, June 2026The LitDem ProjectThis project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 101125511).
- Jul 8, 202648 min
International Investment Law as an Obstacle to Climate Protection | with Stephanie Triefus and Wiebe Hommes
International Investment Law as an Obstacle to Climate ProtectionThe episode introduces the basics of international investment law, zooming in on Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), a system of dispute resolution which allows foreign investors to seek damages, amounting on average to several hundreds of millions of euros, against governments.Wiebe delves into the history of ISDS, explaining how fossil fuel companies like Shell were actively involved in the creation and shaping of international investment law. Stephanie outlines the most common criticisms of ISDS, including the system's lack of transparency and its potential to create a chilling effect on climate policy. She explains these dynamics further using the example of the case of ExxonMobil v the Netherlands concerning the closure of the Groningen gas field.Finally, Stephanie and Wiebe reflect on perspectives for reform, concluding that procedural reforms of ISDS fall short of meaningfully addressing concerns around regulatory chill and the legitimacy of ISDS as such. Ending on a hopeful note, Stephanie brings up how ISDS was discussed as a potential barrier to climate action at the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, indicating that internationally political momentum is building towards a potential overhaul of or exit from the system altogether.ReferencesWiebe Hommes & Laurens Ankersmit, Shell and the Creation of International Investment Law, 1957–1968Investor-State Dispute Settlement: What Are We Trying to Achieve? Does ISDS Get us There?Investor-state dispute settlements: a hidden handbrake on climate actionICSID Caseload Statistics 2024Kyla Tienhaara & Christian Downie, Risky Business? The Energy Charter Treaty, Renewable Energy, and Investor-State DisputesConference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (Santa Marta)SOMO & Both Ends Road Map for Santa Marta Conference RecommendationsDocumentary: The TribunalReport: Aftershock in GroningenThe Nutmeg's Curse AboutEditing: Clara KammeringerMusic: “Delayed Flight” by Michael Ramir C. via mixkitRecorded at the University of Amsterdam, May 2026The LitDem ProjectThis project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 101125511).
- Jun 25, 202652 min
Educating Climate Conscious Lawyers | with Julia Dehm
Educating Climate Conscious LawyersJulia Dehm speaks about what it means to work, teach, and think as a lawyer in the midst of the climate crisis. Julia reflects on the relationship between theoretical research and real-world impact, the importance of collaborative and community-engaged scholarship, and the need to make climate change central rather than peripheral to legal education and legal practice. The conversation also explores how historical approaches can help lawyers better understand the structures that have produced ecological harm, while also opening space for more just and imaginative legal futures.The episode further discusses the practical and personal dimensions of doing climate-related work: avoiding burnout, balancing academic life with family responsibilities, and building supportive communities. The episode offers an invitation to think about law not only as a tool for responding to environmental crisis, but as a field that must itself be transformed by ecological awareness, responsibility, and care.Julia Dehm is an Associate Professor and ARC DECRA Fellow in the School of Law, La Trobe University Australia. Her research addresses issues of international and domestic climate change and environmental law, natural resource governance and human rights, economic inequality and social justice. She visited the UvA as participant in the Decolonial Futures Scholars in Residence Programme 2026.ReferencesBecoming a climate conscious lawyer: Climate change and the Australian legal system, edited by Julia Dehm, Nicole Graham and Zoe NayScorecard — Law Students for Climate AccountabilityJulia Dehm and Erin Fitz-Henry, ‘Climate Reparations in Australia’ Alternative Law JournalYouth Verdict v. Waratah Coal - The Climate Litigation DatabaseASRA Network | Waratah Coal v. Youth VerdictHome - The Australian Climate Case"Daniel Billy" CaseRecommendationsWHO'S GONNA SAVE US?Saving The Franklin | Dig with Jo LauderAboutEditing: Martyna DurlikMusic: “Delayed Flight” by Michael Ramir C. via mixkitRecorded at the University of Amsterdam, May 2026The LitDem ProjectThis project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 101125511).
- Jun 10, 202644 min
Science and Justice in Climate Litigation | with Joyeeta Gupta
Science and justice in climate litigationIn this episode of Between Heat and Hope, we are joined by Professor Joyeeta Gupta. Joyeeta Gupta is Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South at the University of Amsterdam and Professor at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. Her work sits at the intersection of climate law, earth system science, and environmental justice, with a particular focus on the Global South. She has been involved in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeThe conversation begins by unpacking the role and working methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, where Joyeeta has been involved as a lead author. It then turnsto the current state of climate science and the prospects of limiting global warming to 1.5°C with no or limited overshoot. Joyeeta walks us through key concepts such as carbon budgets, net zero and overshoot, and explains how these concepts shape mitigation pathways and questions of equity. From there, we discuss the role and limits of science in climate litigation. The episode then turns to North-South equity, fossil fuel phase-out, carbon lock-in, and the particular justice questions raised by climate cases in Europe and the Global South. Finally, Joyeeta reflects on her long engagement with global climate policy and on what a more sustainable and equitable future would require.ReferencesIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)Earth CommissionGlobal Commission on the Economics of WaterGlobal Constitution ProjectCLIFF ProjectInternational Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on climate changeRecommendationsExtinction RebellionYUMI: Documentary about ICJ Court CaseFossil fuel Non-Proliferation InitiativeGlobal Constitution ProjectAboutEditing: Martyna Durlik, Clara KammeringerMusic: “Delayed Flight” by Michael Ramir C. via mixkitRecorded at the University of Amsterdam, April 2026The LitDem ProjectThis project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 101125511).
- May 13, 202641 min
The Indirect Impacts of Climate Litigation | with César Rodriguez-Garavito
The Indirect Impacts of Climate LitigationIn this episode of Between Heat and Hope we are joined by Professor César Rodriguez-Garavito. César Rodriguez-Garavito is Professor of Law at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University School of Law. He is the founding director of the More-Than-Human Life Program, the Earth Rights Research & Action Clinic, and the Commons on Machines, Policy, Automation & Society at NYU Law. His work focuses on international environmental law, Indigenous peoples’ rights, technology, and more-than-human rights. In 2025, Cesar published Climate Change on Trial: Mobilizing Human Rights Litigation to Accelerate Climate Action with Cambridge University Press.The conversation explores the indirect impacts of climate litigation and the ways in which climate cases shape politics, public discourse, and the democratic process beyond the courtroom. Cesar reflects on his trajectory from socio-economic rights and socio-environmental conflicts to climate litigation and the rights of nature. Throughout the talk, we compare the development of climate litigation in Europe with experiences from Latin America and other regions of the world, discussing how different legal cultures and political contexts shape climate cases.Drawing on Cesar’s earlier work on judicial activism and socio-economic rights, we discuss the distinction between direct and indirect effects of litigation, as well as the material and symbolic dimensions of climate judgments. We also explore the emergence of a global “litigation ecosystem,” where lawyers, scientists, activists, and communities increasingly collaborate across jurisdictions and disciplines. From the KlimaSeniorinnen judgment before the European Court of Human Rights to broader questions of standing, representation, and access to justice, the episode reflects on the democratic implications of climate litigation and the risks and opportunities of rights-based approaches to the climate crisis. Finally, Cesar shares his thoughts on the future of climate litigation and the transformative potential that climate cases may still hold.RecommendationsCesar Rodriguez-Garavito, Climate Change on Trial: Mobilizing Human Rights Litigation to Accelerate Climate Action (Cambridge University Press, 2025).Cesar Rodriguez-Garavito (2011) Beyond the Courtroom: The Impact of Judicial Activism on Socioeconomic Rights in Latin America, Texas Law Review, 89 (7), 1669 – 1698.Robert Macfarlane, Is a River Alive? (Penguin, 2025).David Wallace-Wells, The Uninhabitable Earth (Penguin, 2019).AboutEditing: Clara KammeringerMusic: “Delayed Flight” by Michael Ramir C. via mixkitRecorded at the University of Amsterdam, April 2026The LitDem ProjectThis project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 101125511).
- Apr 23, 202627 min
Standing at the European Court of Human Rights | with Corina Heri
Standing at the European Court of Human RightsIn this episode of Between Heat and Hope we are join by Professor Corina Heri. Corina Heri is Associate Professor of human rights and climate change at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Primary Investigator of the TEMPORALAW project. In this capacity she works on human rights law, climate change, the role of courts as well as the role of vulnerability in the law.The conversation sets out discussing climate litigation before the European Court of Human Rights and particularly looks at different questions related to access to court and what kind of applicants can and should bring climate cases. Corina walks us through her critique of climate litigation exclusively being brought by associations as flattening the claims that can be made that way. From KlimaSeniorinnen we look to the wider set of climate cases before the ECtHR and discuss how Duarte Agostinho, Greenpeace Nordic, and possible the pending case Müllner v Austria fit into the puzzle and what they tell us about the Court’s approach to the climate crisis. Corina also shares some more structural insights on the functioning of the Court in relation to its narrative of limited resources and how that impacts its treatment of climate cases. Finally, we get a taste of the questions Corina’s new project TEMPORALAW will investigate.ReferencesKlimaSeniorinnenDuarte AgostinhoGreenpeace NordicMüllner v AustriaCorina Heri, ‘Climate-related vulnerabilities and the European Court of Human Rights: Reimagining victim status through intersectional thinking’ (2025) 38/5 Leiden Journal of International Law, 88.TEMPORALAW, Corina Heri PI (funded by the Research Foundation Flanders, Odysseus scheme)RecommendationsSunaura Taylor, Beasts of Burden: Animal and Disability Liberation (The New Press, 2017).Law at the End of the World (Podcast)AboutEditing: Simon WaswaMusic: “Delayed Flight” by Michael Ramir C. via mixkitRecorded at the University of Amsterdam, April 2026The LitDem ProjectThis project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 101125511).
- Apr 9, 202642 min
A Law and Political Economy Approach to Climate Litigation | with Ioannis Kampourakis
A Law and Political Economy Approach to Climate LitigationIn this episode, Ioannis Kampourakis, Associate Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam and co-director of the Law and Political Economy (LPE) in Europe project joins Rena Hänel, PhD researcher at the University of Amsterdam, to talk about what is to be learned from applying a Law and Political Economy lens to climate litigation.The episode begins with Ioannis describing the theoretical foundations of Law and Political Economy as a stream of legal scholarship that emphasizes the law as being constitutive of markets and the economy more generally. He then applies these insights to explain both how law has helped to create and sustain unsustainable economic patterns at the root of the climate crisis, and how climate litigation could harness the transformative potential of the law by focusing on what he calls structural enablers of economic power.The conversation then turns to the practical work that the LPE in Europe project is doing with civil society organizations engaged in strategic litigation, including climate litigation, to integrate insights from scholarship into their legal strategies. In the end, Ioannis and Rena discuss ideas for potential future case strategies that could address the climate crisis as part of a wider "polycrisis" of climate change, widening economic inequality and wars, among others.ReferencesLPE in Europe ProjectUrgendaMilieudefensie v ShellLliuya v RWEWorkshop: Advancing a Law and Political Economy Approach to Strategic Litigation, LPE in Europe (2024)RecommendationsIlias Alami and Adam D. Dixon, The spectre of state capitalism (Oxford University Press, 2024).Thea Riofrancos, Extraction: The frontiers of green capitalism (WW Norton & Company, 2025).David McDermott Hughes, Who Owns the Wind?: Climate crisis and the hope of renewable energy (Verso Books, 2021).AboutEditing: Martyna Durlik, Clara KammeringerMusic: “Delayed Flight” by Michael Ramir C. via mixkitRecorded at the University of Amsterdam, February 2026The LitDem ProjectThis project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 101125511).
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About Between Heat and Hope
Between Heat and Hope - a climate litigation podcast for for students, fellow academics, and everyone interested in developments around climate litigation as a tool for propelling necessary climate action. With our guests from legal practice, academia and activism we discuss the most recent developments and shed light on the background, rationale, and theory surrounding the phenomenon.This podcast forms part of the ERC funded project on climate litigation and democracy. You can find us at: climatelitigation.uva.nl
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