Climate Justice


Our vision: Australian laws and policies address the impacts of the climate crisis and put the wellbeing of people and the planet at the heart of government decisions.

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Our focus

  • We work in partnership with affected communities to develop legal claims to protect human rights and drive climate action.

  • Our advocacy aims to help re-frame the climate crisis within public debate as a human rights crisis. We shine a spotlight on the people and communities who will be impacted most and outlining the actions urgently needed from Australian governments and companies to address these impacts on people now and into the future.

  • Enshrining this right in Australian law would both strengthen the basis for government action to prevent climate & environmental harms and provide a more direct avenue for people and communities to take legal action if the right is ignored.

    Working with civil society partners, we will advocate for the introduction of the right to a healthy environment into existing and emerging Australian human rights law.

 

What we’re working on

 
Reports
Launching our new Climate and Environmental Justice program
Launching our new Climate and Environmental Justice program

The Human Rights Law Centre is expanding our work fighting for climate and environmental justice. Using our srategic litigation and advocacy expertise, this new program area will push governments and companies to set more ambitious climate targets, protect human rights and secure the reforms needed for a sustainable future.    

 

News, reports and explainers

Get the full story with our latest news and opinion pieces, human rights reports and explainers on key issues from our team

How you can help

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For the media

Media Release Archive
Major environmental damage and human rights impacts to Bougainville communities confirmed by independent investigation into Rio Tinto's former Panguna mine
Major environmental damage and human rights impacts to Bougainville communities confirmed by independent investigation into Rio Tinto's former Panguna mine
Pressure building on Rio Tinto to address harms as independent assessment confirms major ongoing risks and impacts in Panguna
Pressure building on Rio Tinto to address harms as independent assessment confirms major ongoing risks and impacts in Panguna
Passage of landmark healthy environment bill sets standard for Australia and abroad
Passage of landmark healthy environment bill sets standard for Australia and abroad
Whistleblowers could make significant difference to protect climate and environment in Australia
Whistleblowers could make significant difference to protect climate and environment in Australia
Albanese Government urged to protect current and future generations from impacts of climate crisis
Albanese Government urged to protect current and future generations from impacts of climate crisis
Rio Tinto faces biggest test of environmental and social credentials since Juukan Gorge with response to former Panguna mine’s impacts
Rio Tinto faces biggest test of environmental and social credentials since Juukan Gorge with response to former Panguna mine’s impacts
Australian Government should pass law to protect future generations from climate impacts
Australian Government should pass law to protect future generations from climate impacts
ACT Government should seize opportunity to ensure the right to a healthy environment is world leading
ACT Government should seize opportunity to ensure the right to a healthy environment is world leading
Australian Government should pass Duty of Care law to protect future generations from climate impacts
Australian Government should pass Duty of Care law to protect future generations from climate impacts
ACT Government moves to recognise the right to a healthy environment in Human Rights Act
ACT Government moves to recognise the right to a healthy environment in Human Rights Act
Recent flooding shows ongoing volatility of impacts from Rio's former Panguna mine
Recent flooding shows ongoing volatility of impacts from Rio's former Panguna mine
Historic environmental and human rights assessment of Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine begins
Historic environmental and human rights assessment of Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine begins
ACT government must enshrine the right to a healthy environment in law
ACT government must enshrine the right to a healthy environment in law
Andrews government must stop pursuit of draconian anti-protest law
Andrews government must stop pursuit of draconian anti-protest law
Devastating impacts of Rio Tinto's former mine going under the microscope
Devastating impacts of Rio Tinto's former mine going under the microscope