Climate Change Litigation

Taught by the Faculty of Law of Heidelberg University and the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile

Climate litigation is a growing global phenomenon, driven by civil society organizations seeking to hold states and companies more accountable for combating climate change or compensating for its impacts.

This course offers an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective on the role of law in the current climate crisis, focusing on Europe and Latin America. Topics include:

• Environmental Courts and regulatory frameworks such as the Climate Change Law
• Rights of Nature and the ecocentric approach
• International and private litigation, with an emphasis on the German legal system
• Landmark cases involving court-ordered climate policies
• Latin American perspectives, including Water Law and environmental civil liability

Course Objectives

• Analyze the legal foundations of climate-related actions under international, public, and private law.
• Examine relevant cases from Germany and Latin America.
• Understand the role of litigation in the development of public climate policies.
• Explore the interaction between science, law, and environmental governance.

This course is designed for:

• Lawyers and law graduates
• Professionals in environmental studies, natural sciences, geography, and related fields
• Public officials, NGOs, companies, and environmental communities

Requirements:

• Intermediate level of English (B1/B2; certification not required)
• University degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent)

The course will be taught in Spanish and English.

Questions or inquiries?

• For questions about payment methods:
  ✉️ 

• For academic or course-related information:
  ✉️