Climate Justice and Multinational Corporations: Challenges and the Role of Technical and Scientific Evidence in Transnational Civil Litigation

Abstract

This article examines the role of scientific evidence in climate litigation brought against multinational corporations operating through global value chains. Building on the international scientific consensus regarding anthropogenic climate change, the paper explores how civil courts rely on climate science and attribution science to address causation between corporate conduct and climate-related harm. By analysing Milieudefensie v. Shell and Lliuya v. RWE, the contribution highlights both the potential and the limits of science-based adjudication.