ClientEarth

The law has an immense power to shape the world around us – from the way governments and businesses behave to the systems of energy, transport and agriculture we all rely on. ClientEarth uses this unique power to bring about fundamental change to the complex systems and sectors that are essential to tackling the climate, biodiversity and pollution crises.

ClientEarth strives for a healthy planet where nature and all people can thrive together. A planet with resilient, diverse ecosystems; a safe and stable climate; an environment that is free of toxins, with clean air, soil and water –all underpinned by strong environmental justice and rule of law.

Systemic change needs coordinated action at a global scale, and at the heart of ClientEarth’s work and theory of change are legal systems and rule of law. It is one of the most effective levers for sustained environmental transformation – creating, strengthening, and enforcing the right rules to support a healthy planet where nature and people can thrive together.

ClientEarth’s interventions are innovative and often high risk, including challenging government decisions, advocating for stronger environmental regulations, and promoting transparency and accountability in environmental governance. Its expertise spans jurisdictions, crossing borders and many different areas of the law – from energy transition to protecting marine biodiversity. Collaborating with partners to focus on the most strategically important places around the world, ClientEarth adapts its approach to the local political and cultural context, enabling the organisation to deliver maximum impact for climate, nature, health and justice.

Some of its successful work includes the implementation of a new EU law obliging companies to ensure products sold in the EU have not led to deforestation and forest degradation. This sets a precedent for the protection of forests around the world, with the EU influencing other jurisdictions to follow suit.

With funding from ERF, ClientEarth can progress this positive, coordinated legal action to ensure precious habitats and species are restored and protected. This work includes:

• Continuing to work towards the implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Law. Due to have its final plenary vote in a few weeks, if successfully implemented, it has the potential to be transformative in repairing degraded oceans, rivers, wetlands, grasslands and forests across 1.6 million square miles, stretching across the 27 member countries. Critically, the Nature Restoration Law ensures key elements of the EU Biodiversity Strategy are legally binding and includes targets, such as restoring 25,000 km of rivers through barrier removals by 2030.
• Advance the effective implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy. Adopted in 2020, the EU Biodiversity Strategy is an ambitious plan with specific commitments and targets to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems in Europe by 2030.