Staff Reporter

The two-day ‘Climate Justice Workshop: Legal Pathways and Global Actions’ kicked off yesterday at the Jigme Singye Wangchuck (JSW) School of Law in Pangbisa, Paro.

Organised by the JSW School of Law in collaboration with the Bar Council of Bhutan and the Georgetown Institute of Open and Advanced Studies, the event brought together legal experts, environmentalists, policymakers, and activists from around the globe.

The workshop’s focus is on the role of legal frameworks in tackling the global climate crisis and ensuring justice for the most vulnerable populations.

The workshop seeks to enhance participants’ understanding of the climate emergency, assess the effectiveness of current global and national efforts, and explore legal avenues, particularly through the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to advance climate justice.

With global climate negotiations often failing to yield significant results, this workshop highlights the crucial role of legal mechanisms in driving substantial change, protecting vulnerable populations, and securing the planet’s future.

Various topics were discussed yesterday, such as threats to food security, Bhutan’s environmental challenges, and global climate policies, among others.

Today’s session will focus on the legal avenues available to pursue climate justice, with in-depth sessions on the ICJ and its relevance in the context of climate litigation. Participants will also explore Bhutan’s potential to bring a case before the ICJ, discussing strategic and ethical considerations involved.