From breakthroughs in climate science to new legal frameworks and climate actions: what are the potentials and pitfalls?

The impacts of climate change already have severe consequences for people and groups in vulnerable situations. Recently seen across Europe, China and US from the extreme events in the summer of 2021. Despite mounting evidence of the impacts of climate change societies are falling short in mitigation and adaptation. Economic and technological solutions are not enough. There is a growing social mobilization around climate equity and justice. 

The new science of extreme event attribution can link specific greenhouse gas emissions from human activity to particular climate events such as torrential rains, extreme heat waves or hurricanes. In a conversation between researchers from sustainability science, climate science and law we will discuss how the science can serve as evidence in court cases against governments and companies, spur social movements, and pressure politicians to take urgently required action on climate change. 

The panel will tackle interrelated questions such as: 

• What is the current scientific evidence for attribution science?  
• What opportunities and constraints can attribution science have on future legal frameworks for climate related disasters, and what impact can it have on those responsible (fossil fuel industry or individual consumers) and for those affected by climate related disasters?
• How will the new science of attribution impact the climate movement and a just transformation?  
• What can attribution science do for the most vulnerable in society?
• What philosophical and existential discussions arise from attribution science? 

Panel
Linnéa Nordlander, postdoctoral fellow, Centre for International Law and Governance (CILG), Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen.

Rupert Stuart-Smith, PhD Candidate in climate science and the law at the University of Oxford

Salvatore Paolo de Rosa, postdoctoral fellow, Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies.

The discussion will be moderated by Emily Boyd, Professor in Sustainability Science, and Director at Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies.

Registration

The event will be held online via Zoom. Please register to receive a link here.

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Future Week
This event is part of Lund University’s Future Week, 18-24 October 2021. View the whole program (in Swedish) – lu.se/framtidsveckan.

Corona information
We care about the safety and health of all participants. Therefore the Lund University Future Week follows the Public Health Agency of Sweden’s and the government's decisions and corona recommendations. Events, premises and logistics during the week will take into account official corona recommendations. We encourage everyone who has the slightest symptom of a cold or other illness to stay home.