Call for Applications
Natural Justice, the Centre for Environmental Rights and the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Environmental Justice in Africa, invite applications for participation in a Climate Litigation School (“the School”). The School will bring together students, researchers, and climate justice practitioners to explore the role of law and interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing the climate crisis. The School will focus on key themes including climate litigation strategies, environmental governance, climate science, and the role of legal and community advocacy in advancing climate justice.
The School curriculum will commence 6 – 10 July 2026, at the Future Africa Campus, University of Pretoria, South Africa. The school curriculum is fully funded and wheelchair accessible accommodation, meals, and flights for participants will be covered, as required.
About the School
The School aims to build sustained capacity and collaboration among a diverse network of actors advancing climate justice in South Africa and across the African continent. It will serve as a dedicated space for training lawyers, legal empowerment practitioners, and students from multiple disciplines—including law, environmental science, and policy—in the skills, strategies, and ethics of climate litigation. Beyond traditional legal education, the School will focus on practical, context-specific training, drawing from landmark climate cases, participatory methodologies, and rights-based frameworks to support strategic litigation grounded in environmental justice. By facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration and fostering deep community-lawyer alliances, the School will help bridge the gap between legal expertise and the lived realities of frontline communities most affected by climate change and extractives.
A distinctive feature of the School, is its emphasis on integrating scientific evidence and Indigenous and traditional knowledge into legal strategies. As climate cases increasingly rely on climate attribution science, environmental data, and impact projections, the School will bring together scientists, Indigenous knowledge holders, and community leaders to co-develop litigation approaches that are both technically robust and culturally grounded. This holistic approach will ensure that communities are not merely represented in litigation but are active co-creators of legal strategies, grounded in their rights, ecological stewardship, and historical knowledge systems. Ultimately, the School seeks to cultivate a new generation of climate litigators and movement lawyers, capable of advancing transformative legal actions that challenge systemic injustice and promote a just, inclusive, and sustainable future.
Participants will also engage with leading practitioners, academics, and experts working at the forefront of climate litigation. In order to create an enriching experience for participants, the School aims to bring together a cross section of diverse individuals.
Who should apply
We welcome applications from individuals based in South Africa, working or studying in fields such as law, environmental science, public policy, and climate justice activism. We are particularly interested in participants who are committed to using knowledge and skills gained from the programme to support climate justice in their communities or professional work.
Selection criteria
Participants will be selected based on:
• Demonstrated interest or experience in climate, environment, or human rights work;
• Potential to contribute to and benefit from the programme;
• Commitment to advancing climate justice in their respective communities or professional work;
• Consideration will also be given to diversity, including racial and gender representation.
