-former Justice of UK Supreme Court
Former Justice of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Carnwath CVO has underlined the important role of the judiciary in enforcing environmental protections and says that judgments in common law jurisdictions ought to be respected here.
On February 15th, Lord Carnwath delivered a lecture at Cara Lodge entitled, `The Crucial Role of Judges in Forcing Politicians to Face Up to Scientific Reality’.
The Commonwealth Law Association, in collaboration with Stanbrook Prudhoe and the Justice Institute Guyana hosted the lecture.
Lord Carnwath opened his address by reflecting on the role of judges in relation to environmental law. He highlighted the significant strides made since the 2002 Global Judges’ Symposium in Johannesburg, where senior judges from over 60 countries convened at the invitation of the United Nations Environment Programme. The conference produced the “Johannesburg Principles,” which affirmed the judiciary’s essential role in enforcing environmental protections and the need for judicial training in environmental law. Lord Carnwath emphasized how this international recognition underscored the crucial task of judges in balancing science, law, and policy to address climate challenges.