Legal challenges aimed at obstructing or reversing climate action are on the rise globally, with the United States leading the surge in anti-environmental litigation, according to new research published on Thursday.
The report, compiled by the Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics, represents the most comprehensive analysis of climate litigation worldwide. It warned that such legal efforts are likely to grow as the White House adopts what the authors describe as “an increasingly aggressive stance” against environmental regulations.
As in previous years, many of the 2024 lawsuits were brought by individuals and non-governmental organisations seeking to promote climate action, often targeting fossil fuel projects or demanding stronger environmental protections. However, the report highlights a notable shift, with a growing number of cases now being used to oppose or reshape climate policies.
Of the 226 new cases filed this year, 60—around 27 percent—challenged climate measures or were not aligned with climate goals, said Associate Professor Joana Setzer, one of the report’s authors. This marks an increase from 2023, when roughly one in five cases fell into this category.
Setzer pointed to increasing political polarisation, especially in the United States, as a driving force behind this trend. “The situation in the United States shows that litigation is a two-way street—it can support climate action, but it can also be used to hinder it,” she said.
The report noted that opponents of climate action have largely moved beyond denying climate science. Instead, they are now focusing on challenging the implementation of climate policies, targeting regulations that affect building standards, household appliances, and vehicle emissions.
In the United States alone, at least five lawsuits have been filed this year against new government regulations intended to improve energy efficiency across various sectors.
The study warned that this anti-climate litigation trend has already accelerated during President Donald Trump’s second term, with further cases expected. Trump’s executive orders to roll back environmental measures have prompted federal legal challenges from four US states, triggering what the report described as a “wave” of counter-litigation.
“It has become increasingly clear that the courts will remain a key battleground in the fight over climate policy, particularly in response to Trump’s attempts to dismantle environmental protections,” the report concluded.
