How can we use the law to ensure governments deliver climate justice?

At a time when the impacts of the climate crisis are becoming ever more urgent, this event offers a vital space for people committed to using the law to hold those in power to account.

This conference will provide a forum for legal advocacy and activism, bringing together community groups, lawyers, NGOs, and policymakers to share insights, strengthen networks, and help drive meaningful change.

This conference is presented in partnership with King’s College London Legal Clinic and Centre for Climate Law and Governance and Landmark Chambers.

This page is to book for the online only version of the event, which has slightly reduced programme. To book for the in-person version please visit this page.

To view a full screen version of Sajan Rai’s illustration for the event click here.  

Date: Tuesday 3 March from 10:00 to 6:00pm
Location: Great Hall, King’s College London, The Strand
Format: In-person with hybrid option available for some parts of the event

Ticket pricing

  • Standard: £80 online
    For those in private practice, government and public bodies
  • Discounted: £65 online
    For NGOs, charities, trainees, pupils and paralegals, researchers and academics at universities
  • Concession: £30 online
    For community groups or smaller charities with under circa £250k income
  • Contribution: £20 online
    For organisations or individuals who can just afford a contribution towards events costs.
  • Student: £10 online
    For students in full-time education making the booking using a valid university email address. Please note student tickets for the in-person version of the event are very limited.
  • Free / complimentary tickets:  Available to activists and campaigners with no budget.  Please contact [email protected].

Please note:

  • Unfortunately, we are unable to issue invoices for tickets under £50 due to our finance policy.
  • There is a webinar, free to those booking for Public law and the planet,  ahead of this event.  An introduction to public law for environmental campaigners on Tuesday 24 February to help prime those less familiar with pubic law and the environment to prepare for this event.  You need to book this separately here.

Programme

09:30-10:00 Registration & refreshments

10:00 Welcome to delegates

  • Sue Willman KC (Hon), King’s Legal Clinic

10.00 – 10.15 Opening address

  • Jamie Peters, Interim CEO, Public Law Project

10:15-11:00 Debate: How do we best use the law to tackle the climate and nature crisis?

Our panel will debate perspectives on the use of the law, from using public law to enforce and improve climate governance,  to campaigning for better law and policy, to protest and civil disobedience.

• Tessa Khan, Uplift
• Tim Crosland, Plan B Earth
• Kate Tandy, Office of Environmental Protection

11:00-11:50 Environmental and climate governance: The duties on the state

What are the UK’s duties to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss? We’ll consider this question in the light of the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s ruling in July 2025, as well as the impact of related opinions from the ITLOS and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) and other sources. Our panel will also consider the duty on states to regulate private actors effectively. 

  • Margherita Cornaglia, Landmark Chambers
  • Harj Narulla, Doughty Street Chambers
  • Dr Leslie-Anne Duvic-Paoli, King’s College London

11:50-12:10 Break

12:10-13:10 Morning breakout (choose one of two )

1. Climate reparations

This session looks at state responsibility for ensuring there are reparations for rights and nature violations, including displacement, caused by climate change and related impacts. It will take a cross disciplinary approach looking at public law, public international law and corporate responsibility where there are clear regulatory or state failures. Our panelists will specifically look at how climate change is accelerating coastal erosion, which disproportionately affects smaller coastal communities across the UK.

  • Harj Narulla, Doughty Street Chambers
  • Yumna Kamel, Earth Refuge
  • Simon Measures, Save Hemsby CoastlineMore speakers TBC

2. Data rights and evidencing environmental campaigns and cases

This session will look at data rights, enforcing transparency and obtaining relevant data, as well as preparing and presenting evidence for campaigns and cases.

  • Lucas Amin, Investigative Journalist and co-founder at Democracy for Sale
  • Josephine Moulds, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
  • Alex Shattock, Landmark Chambers
    Another speaker TBC

13:10-14:15 Lunch

14:15-15:15 Strategic litigation and climate governance in the UK

The panel will provide insight and outlook for legal challenges, mainly through public law, in the UK domestic courts, with an emphasis on strategic litigation and cases that advance the law. They will also consider new opportunities for enforcing international law domestically.

  • Chair: Dr Sonam Gordhan, King College London
  • Will Rundle, Friends of the Earth
  • Ricardo Gama, Leigh Day
  • Alex Goodman KC, Landmark Chambers
    Another speaker TBC

15:15-16:30 Afternoon breakout (choose one of two)

3. Developing and enforcing Rights of Nature

This session looks at the concept of the rights of nature, and how campaigners and lawyers are advancing the concept in the UK, in other jurisdictions and internationally.  

  • Chair: Alice Wood, Public Law Project 
  • Paul Powlesland, Garden Court
  • Monica Feria-Tinta, barrister, Twenty Essex, author of A Barrister for the Earth
    More speakers tbc

4. Working with communities internationally

This panel will discuss the question: ‘How are communities working with lawyers internationally, and particularly in the UK, to use the law to enforce rights – both through soft law approaches and through the courts?’. 

  • Sue Willman KC (Hon), KCL Legal Clinic
  • Jake White, WWF
    More Speakers TBC

16:45-17:45 Effective use of the law by communities and frontline organisations protecting the environment

This session will look at how communities and smaller frontline organisations can use the law effectively to protect the environment.   

  • Tina Louise Rothery, Anti-fracking Nana and environmental campaigner 
  • Susheela Math, Systemic Justice
  • Sarah Finch, activist and campaigner, Weald Action Group.
  • Laura Neal, Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland

17:45 Closing address

  • Asad Rehman, Director, Friends of the Earth

18.00 Close

 

File:King's College London logo.svg - Wikipedia in 2023 | King's ...                   


3 March 2026
10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Book now

Online | Standard

Price: £80.00
VAT: £0.00
Total: £80.00

Online | Discounted

Price: £65.00
VAT: £0.00
Total: £65.00

Online | Concession

Price: £30.00
VAT: £0.00
Total: £30.00

Online | Contribution

Price: £20.00
VAT: £0.00
Total: £20.00

Online | Student

Price: £10.00
VAT: £0.00
Total: £10.00

Book a place

Ticket Type Price Spaces
Online | Standard
for those in private practice, Government and public bodies
£80.00
Online | Discounted
for NGOs, charities, trainees, pupils and paralegals, researchers and academics at universities
£65.00
Online | Concession
for community groups or small charities with under £250k income
£30.00
Online | Contribution
for those with very little training budget
£20.00
Online | Student
for students in full-time education making the booking using a valid university email address
£10.00

Pay now via credit/debit card