Newsletters
April Newsletter
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This newsletter was first sent by email to the members of our Research Network. If you would like to be part of it, sign up here.
Hello and welcome to the April edition of our Youth Climate Justice Research Network newsletter!
This network is supported by the Youth Climate Justice project at University College Cork. The project is led by Prof. Aoife Daly and funded by the European Research Council (ERC). For more about the project and our team, feel free to visit our website. You can also watch the recordings of our online research forums here!
This newsletter is prepared by YCJ Postdoctoral Researcher Florencia Paz Landeira.
PROJECT NEWS
New Book Publication: We are delighted to announce the publication of our new book, The Rights of Children and Youth in the Climate Crisis: Action and Litigation (Routledge) by Aoife Daly, Florencia Paz Landeira, and Liesl Muller. The book examines how children and young people are engaging with climate litigation and advocacy across different contexts, and in the process are advancing human rights and contributing to a postpaternalist era. Learn more about the book here—and stay tuned, as it will be available open access soon.
We are also pleased to announce the in-person book launch, which will take place at University College Cork on 21 May 2026, 3pm in the Dora Allman room. You can register to attend here.
Fieldwork in Canada Underway: Our project has begun its second case study in Canada, in collaboration with Canadian Newa Guthi. From April to June 2026, Dr. Nabin Maharjan (Postdoctoral Researcher) will explore the views and experiences of children from the South Asian community in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The research will be conducted through art-based workshops and will culminate in an intergenerational art exhibition.
New Blog Post by Liesl Muller: Our PhD researcher Liesl Muller has published a new blog post titled “Africa’s Children vs. the Climate Crisis: The African Committee Weighs In.” The piece explores the growing role of African children in shaping legal responses to the climate crisis, particularly in the context of an emerging advisory opinion and broader questions about states’ obligations towards children. Read the blog post here.
Child-Friendly Article Summary: Our postdoctoral researcher Florencia Paz Landeira has developed a child-friendly summary of the article “Key Insights from Intergenerational Environmental Justice.” This accessible version highlights core ideas around intergenerational justice and children’s rights in the climate crisis, making them available to younger audiences in line with the project’s commitment to meaningful child participation. Read the summary here and access the full article here.
YOUTH CLIMATE LITIGATION/APLICATION
Lighthiser v. Trump: Lighthiser v. Trump: On 13 April 2026, youth plaintiffs presented oral arguments before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, asking the Court to reinstate their constitutional climate case and allow it to proceed to trial. The case challenges executive actions expanding fossil fuel development, suppressing clean energy, and restricting access to climate science, which the plaintiffs argue violate their rights to life and liberty. Plaintiffs’ counsel argued that the harms are judicially addressable through traditional remedies, including declaratory and injunctive relief, while the U.S. Department of Justice maintained that federal courts cannot adjudicate claims arising from climate change harms. Watch the oral arguments here.
Genesis v. EPA: On 9 April 2026, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of this youth-led constitutional climate case against the Environmental Protection Agency. The plaintiffs argued that the EPA unlawfully discounts the value of children’s lives and futures when regulating climate pollution, violating their right to equal protection. The Court found that the plaintiffs lacked standing, holding that their alleged harms were too speculative and not sufficiently traceable to the EPA’s conduct, and that the requested relief would not redress their injuries. The decision marks a significant development in the case and highlights ongoing challenges for youth climate litigation in U.S. federal courts. Read Our Children’s Trust press release here.
African Court Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: Surge in Amicus Briefs — There have been significant developments in the advisory opinion proceedings currently pending before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. In March 2026, a large number of amicus briefs were submitted by a wide range of actors, including NGOs, academic institutions, UN experts, and youth-focused organisations. These submissions address key issues such as States’ human rights obligations, intergenerational justice, climate displacement, and the protection of children’s rights in the context of the climate crisis. This growing body of submissions highlights the increasing importance of advisory opinion proceedings as a site for advancing youth climate justice and shaping the development of international law. More info here.
OPEN CALLS AND EVENTS
Registration Open: UCC Law and the Environment Conference 2026 — The annual UCC Law and the Environment Conference 2026 brings together scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss pressing issues in environmental law and governance. The conference will take place at University College Cork 23rd April and will feature a range of panels on contemporary environmental challenges. Details on registration, programme, and participation are available here.
Book Launch: The Rights of Children and Youth in the Climate Crisis: Action and Litigation (Routledge) by Aoife Daly, Florencia Paz Landeira, and Liesl Muller. This will take place at University College Cork on 21 May 2026, 3pm in the Dora Allman room. You can register to attend here.
Call for Papers: Governing Climate in an Age of Retreat, Risk, and Geopolitical Re-alignment — The Gender Inclusive Climate Change Governance (GenCGov) programme at the University of Bradford is hosting a flagship conference focused on advancing inclusive climate governance across national and regional levels. The conference will take place on 24–25 June 2026 and will bring together over 200 stakeholders, including policymakers, academics, civil society, and youth representatives. The organisers invite submissions for papers, panels, and posters related to the conference theme. More information here.
Call for Submissions: Amicus Briefs (African Court Advisory Opinion Proceedings) — Submissions are open for amicus briefs in the advisory opinion proceedings currently pending before the African Court. Contributions will be included in the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law’s Climate Litigation Database (subject to consent). This is an opportunity to support ongoing climate litigation processes by contributing relevant legal analysis and expertise. Submissions can be made via this form.
Call for Abstracts: 3rd Annual International Conference on Children’s Rights — The Stellenbosch University Faculty of Law will host the 3rd Annual International Conference on Children’s Rights on 8 September 2026, under the theme “Children’s Rights in a Polycrisis.” The organisers invite abstract submissions from a range of perspectives, including doctrinal, empirical, socio-legal, comparative, and practice-based approaches. Abstracts and enquiries can be sent to iccr@sun.ac.za
Event: Global Launch – Children and Young People’s Standards for Meaningful Participation — Join this online global launch event on 25 April 2026 (14:00–15:30 CEST), which will present the “Children and Young People’s Standards for their Meaningful Participation in Global Events.” The event will explore how children and young people can be meaningfully included in global policy spaces, from preparation to follow-up. Registration is available here.
CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTS
In each newsletter, we try to include some climate facts from/for our younger audience 😊 If you or someone you know would like to contribute, please let us know.
Did you know that sea otters are tool-using marine mammals and the largest members of the weasel family? They often hold hands or link paws while sleeping to form “rafts,” which helps them avoid drifting apart in ocean currents and stay warm by conserving body heat. Healthy sea otter populations are also important for marine ecosystems, as they help maintain kelp forests that absorb carbon and support biodiversity. Learn more here
PUBLICATIONS
Book: The Rights of Children and Youth in the Climate Crisis: Action and Litigation, by Aoife Daly, Florencia Paz Landeira and Liesl Muller.
Book Chapter: Human Rights Violations Caused by Climate Change: Who Repairs Whom?, by Patricia Grazziotin Noschang
Article: Barriers to Young People of Colour in Climate Activism: a Case Study of School Strike 4 Climate, by Dinusha Soo.
Article: Just transition through the lens of women, children and nature rights in Kenya, by Nkatha Kabira and Patricia Kameri-Mbote.
Article: Climate-Induced Displacement and Children’s Rights in Nigeria: A Legal and Human Rights Analysis, by Opeyemi A. Gbadegesin.
Article: Intergenerational Inequality From Climate Inaction, by Fatema Tasnim.
Article: Adoption, climate crisis and making kin: Australian young people discuss their reproductive futures, by Celia Roberts, Mary Lou Rasmussen, Lily Harrison, Elizabeth Reinhardt, Greta Bartels, Alex Eagleton and Aoife Connon.
Report: Children’s Access to Environmental Justice – European Union, by CRIN.
Special Issue: Education and Training for the Climate, guest edited by Steve Puttick, James Robson, William Finnegan & Tina Fawcett.