Calum MacLaren
Supervisor: Dr Andrew Jackson
Research Area: Climate Litigation
Scholarship / Funding: Irish Research Council & UCD Sutherland School of Law Doctoral Scholarship
Thesis Title: Legal Accountability for Environmental Harm Caused by Climate Change: the Emerging Field of Corporate Responsibility
Abstract: This research investigates the various emerging approaches to corporate legal accountability for environmental harm. As the climate crisis worsens, the legal world has been forced to diversify its approach to tackling environmental harm, a promising facet of which has been ‘climate litigation’, which is proving a powerful bulwark against ever-increasing environmental degradation. Cases, such as Urgenda in the Netherlands, have paved the way for innovative litigation in this sphere, but most litigation has focused on holding governments accountable. However, it is apparent that the majority of environmental and climate harm comes at the hands of private corporations. This research evaluates the efficacy and viability of various legal approaches to holding corporations accountable for this damage.
Biography: Calum is a PhD researcher in UCD Sutherland School of Law focusing on the role of corporate accountability in climate litigation. Calum began his research on a UCD Sutherland School of Law Doctoral Scholarship and was later awarded funding by the joint partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Irish Research Council. Calum holds an LLM (General) from the University of Galway, with a minor thesis focusing on environmental human rights. Prior to this, Calum graduated first in his year in a BCL with Legal French degree from the University of Galway. He also holds a Diploma in European Union Law Studies from the Université Toulouse Capitole.