Child/youth leadership and climate cases: Postpaternalism in the courts?

Aoife Daly; Lucy Walsh

doi:10.35295/osls.iisl.2552

Authors

Aoife Daly University College Cork https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4005-9803
Lucy Walsh Youth Climate Justice Project/Matheson LLP

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl.2552

Keywords:

children’s rights, climate crisis, cases, Climate Change Litigation

Abstract

This article examines the phenomenon of child/youth leadership within climate litigation. We argue that it is a part of postpaternalism, whereby children/youth engage in grassroots action (for the first time, on a global scale), rather than well-meaning adults ‘giving’ them their rights. Analysis is provided of 15 child/youth-involved climate cases. We identified that the leadership of children is inherent in their taking of these cases, and particularly in the way that they assert their constitutional/human rights as legal actors. We found significant reference in applications to children’s leadership in their communities and countries. Children are engaging in leadership as they see it on behalf of all children/youth; or on behalf of humanity more broadly. We found some limited reference to their leadership in the judgments and outcomes of cases. We conclude by arguing that the involvement of children/youth in these cases is crucial for human rights and for the climate.

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Author Biography

Lucy Walsh, Youth Climate Justice Project/Matheson LLP

Former Researcher Assistant at Youth Climate Justice Project, Ireland. Incoming Trainee Solicitor at Matheson LLP, Ireland (2027)

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