ClientEarth works in partnership across borders, systems and sectors, using the law to protect life on earth. The organizations works to bring about end-to-end systemic change: informing, implementing and enforcing the law, advising decision-makers on policy, and training legal and judicial professionals.

ClientEarth helps to shape environmental laws, hold governments and accompanies to account and push for access to justice and information. It began in the UK in 2007, but has expanded to working in over 60 countries around the world.

An example: chemicals factory

In Belgium ClientEarth has started court cases against building plans for a large chemicals factory in Antwerp harbour. The factory would use gas from environmentally harmful shale gas extraction in the United States to produce raw materials for plastic.

Lawyer Tatiana Luján, who is leading the case: “The consequences for the climate, biodiversity, air, health and fresh water haven’t been adequately investigated. So the permits should never have been granted. Besides, companies are already exceeding the legal pollution limits in the area now and an extra source of pollution would increase the burden on this region further. The factory would also take water from the Maas. A river that supplies drinking water to 7 million people in Belgium and the Netherlands and already struggles to do so in the summer months due to low water levels.”