Fighting climate change through the courtroom

Pakistan, ranked as the world's fifth most climate-vulnerable country, is grappling with a severe environmental crisis marked by the devastating 2022 floods, a deadly 2024 heatwave, melting glaciers, and increased forest fires. In response, the country's judiciary, including the Supreme Court, is actively intervening, demonstrated by a recent Climate Change Conference chaired by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and Justice Ayesha Malik. Judges emphasized treating climate protection cases as serious human rights issues and moving beyond a human-centric approach to protect nature. Justice Shah proposed a 'Global Court' for Pakistan to claim significant losses from developed nations due to fossil fuel emissions, while Justice Malik highlighted legal tools and past cases like Asghar Leghari, which influenced national climate policy and the formation of the Ministry of Climate Change.