The Perils, Paradoxes and Promise of Climate Transition Litigation

A Global North, Global South conversation with Steven Donziger (USA) and Wilmien Wicomb (South Africa), facilitated by Dr. Jackie Dugard (Senior Lecturer, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University)

Steven Donziger helped Amazon communities in Ecuador win a $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron for one of the worst oil-related catastrophes in history. After that, he became the main target of a retaliatory campaign by Chevron and Gibson Dunn, the only person ever to be prosecuted by a corporation, and was wrongly imprisoned for nearly 1000 days. He received support from 68 Nobel Laureates and 120 NGOs working for his release.

Wilmien Wicomb is co-lead attorney on Land Rights for the South African Legal Resources Centre (LRC). She has litigated extensively for environmental, climate and land justice in South Africa, and was involved in the recent legal victory against Shell to stop seismic surveys off the South African coastline, notwithstanding significant pressure by Shell and the South African government to proceed with the offshore operations.