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Network Members Contribute to UN Special Rapporteur’s Report on Justice Systems and Climate Change

“Protecting grassroots justice defenders is essential to achieving climate justice. Without protecting defenders, access to climate justice will remain extremely limited.Consultation participant

On June 9, 2026, Grassroots Justice Network members participated in a closed-door virtual consultation with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. The Special Rapporteur was seeking inputs for their thematic report on the role of justice systems in addressing the climate crisis.

Discussion Highlights

Network members from over 14 countries representing 23 organizations highlighted how they use justice systems to address the climate crisis, including documenting environmental impacts, conducting independent investigations, assisting in community-led monitoring and evidence generation, and using strategic litigation to seek accountability.

 

“Grassroots justice defenders work with communities to resolve the problem with administrative and regulatory agencies using environmental laws. Only if matters are not resolved with administrative institutions, [then] the communities approach courts for judicial intervention.” —Consultation participant

“We act to ensure that vulnerable groups can effectively access justice and participate in legal and policy processes, and we ensure this through gathering evidence, providing pre-litigation advice, and helping translate lived experiences.” —Consultation participant

 

Members also highlighted challenges they face, especially as they encounter shrinking civic space. Common threats to defenders include stigmatization, Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), and physical violence.

 

“In one instance, a justice seeker was brutally attacked after engaging with authorities on an individual land dispute. In another case, a paralegal was imprisoned for several months. A different paralegal received death threats from illegal loggers after attempting to protect a community forest.” —Consultation participant

“Since 2025, my organization and I have supported defenders in court cases. These cases are brought by large mining companies supported by the state… I was then nicknamed the “Green Lawyer,” intended to stigmatize and mock me for supporting trees, animals, and the environment.” —Consultation participant

 

When asked about leading and best practices to support grassroots defenders, members emphasized ongoing solidarity actions, recognizing community-generated evidence, ensuring access to environmental information, simplifying procedural rights, and strengthening whistleblower protections.

 

“Building solidarity through cross-regional peer exchanges allows paralegals and community justice workers to share survival strategies, troubleshoot difficult cases, and reduce feelings of isolation.” —Consultation participant

“The inclusion of ancestral, Indigenous, and community knowledge as climate science is a key recommendation. These knowledge systems should be included in legal strategies and evidence considered by courts—they should be appreciated the same way as hard science.” —Consultation participant

 

More Information

Input from this consultation will feed into the Rapporteur’s report, which will be presented at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in September 2026.

Information about the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and upcoming thematic reports is available in this link.

To stay updated on future Network consultations, learning offers, and opportunities related to land, environment, and climate work, subscribe to our newsletter.


July 21, 2026 | Leeah Wilson

Region: > Global

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