Law and Climate- Atlas

Introduction

The Law and Climate Atlas illustrates the connections between climate change and various legal domains, offering brief summaries of how different areas of law are impacting and being impacted by the changing climate.
The Centre for Climate Engagement at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge, in partnership with the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, created the Law and Climate Atlas. This collaborative initiative aims to offer current and precise information across various legal domains, with plans to broaden its scope to encompass a wide array of jurisdictions.

Different Areas of Law related to Climate Change

The pervasive influence of climate change across society and the economy renders it pertinent to every facet of law. Consequently, lawyers will hold a crucial position in facilitating the transition towards achieving net zero emissions.

• Administrative Law- Public bodies and decision makers now have climate-related obligations and may face judicial review if they fail to meet them.
  
• Commercial Arbitration- Climate change issues are now directly and indirectly relevant to international commercial arbitration.
  
• Company Law- Companies have a key role to play in the net zero transition, and are subject to a growing number of legal requirements related to climate change.
  
• Competition Law- Businesses must collaborate to tackle the climate crisis, but this can raise competition law concerns
  
• Contract Law- Contracts let a wide range of actors create legally binding climate commitments without waiting for legislation or litigation.
  
• Criminal Law- Both climate activists and greenhouse gas emitters may need to worry about criminal law.
  
• Employment Law- The net zero transition is changing workplaces, creating climate-related employment law issues.
  
• Environmental Law- Climate change is linked to many other environmental issues and the legal regimes that aim to address them.
  
• European Union Law- The European Union has many important climate laws which remain relevant to the UK.
  
• Financial Law- Many new laws and regulations aim to use the financial system to drive emissions reductions.
  
• Human Rights Law- Human rights are closely linked to climate change, creating challenges and opportunities for human rights law regimes.
  
• Immigration Law- Climate change will drive migration, which immigration law must facilitate.
  
• Insurance Law- Insurance is crucial to managing climate risks, and may even play a role in reducing emissions.
  
• Intellectual Property Law- Intellectual property law is highly relevant to the many new products and technologies that address climate change.
  
• Planning Law- Planning law can be leveraged to ensure low-carbon development and accelerate the deployment of green infrastructure.
  
• Property Law- Legal mechanisms may help buyers, sellers, and renters address climate change.
  
• Public Health Law- The law is increasingly recognising climate change as a significant public health issue.
  
• Public International Law- A new international law regime has emerged to address climate change, and the climate crisis is closely intertwined with many other areas of international law.
  
• Tax Law- Fiscal policy is an important tool for tackling climate change, and the net zero transition is creating many legal changes in this area.
  
• Tort Law- There have been many efforts to address damage from climate change using tort law but claims often struggle to fit climate impacts into traditional tort law principles.
  
• Trade Law- Trade mechanisms are becoming a central aspect of international climate policy and diplomacy.
  

Access the original website to find more details here: https://lawclimateatlas.org/resources/