Climate Change and the Individual in the United Kingdom

Abstract

This chapter discusses the potential for climate change litigation to be brought by individuals, in the context of the United Kingdom. Responding to specific queries concerning the potential for particular ‘types’ of cases, it provides an overview of the field in public and private law, with a particular focus on individual actions, and also examines access to justice considerations might impact on climate litigation in this context. It concludes that there is very little scope for genuinely individual action in relation to the ‘types’ of cases it examines, but questions both whether these cases will be brought by NGO’s, and whether the role of the individual in climate change might not be seen in smaller, more mundane litigation that impacts on climate policy.