Name: Why is China appointing judges to combat climate change?
Uploaded: 2022-02-16T15:45:34Z
Duration: 11 min 43 s
Description: Why is China appointing thousands of judges to environmental courts and training prosecutors to bring cases to them, even if it means suing the government? Eco-lawyer James Thornton takes us inside the country's growing effort to use the power of the courts to address environmental problems -- a little-known story that indicates China could become a champion of legal action on climate.

Why is China appointing thousands of judges to environmental courts and training prosecutors to bring cases to them, even if it means suing the government? Eco-lawyer James Thornton takes us inside the country's growing effort to use the power of the courts to address environmental problems -- a little-known story that indicates China could become a champion of legal action on climate.

James K. Thornton: Why is China appointing judges to combat climate change?

Why is China appointing judges to combat climate change?

China's unprecedented move: training 1,500 environmental judges and allowing NGOs to sue polluters, even state-owned ones.

In a transformative approach, China's prosecutors trained by eco-lawyers to sue the government for environmental issues, catalyzing change.

China pledges to halt coal power projects abroad and aims for domestic emissions to peak before 2030, marking a pivotal climate stance.