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Exploring the Rise of Judicial Climate Governance

Held on 6 November 2025, the inaugural masterclass in the International Courts and Africa: Navigating Global Climate Jurisprudence series examined the growing role of courts in shaping climate governance and explored what this emerging body of jurisprudence means for Africa. 

As climate change increasingly moved beyond international negotiations and into judicial forums, the session provided participants with a comprehensive introduction to the landmark decisions that are redefining States' climate obligations. The masterclass unpacked developments from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR), and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), while also considering the significance of the anticipated advisory opinion from the µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR). 

Serving as the foundation for the broader series, the session offered a uniquely µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø perspective on international climate jurisprudence, highlighting how these decisions may influence climate governance, litigation and policy development across the continent.

Key Topics Explored

During the masterclass, participants explored:

• Why courts have become central actors in climate governance alongside international treaties. 
• How the ECtHR, ITLOS, IACtHR and ICJ decisions fit within the broader global legal order. 
• The potential implications of the forthcoming AfCHPR advisory opinion for Africa. 
• The growing influence of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) science in judicial reasoning. 
• Africa's climate and development paradox and its relevance in climate litigation. 

Presenter

Zunaida Moosa Wadiwala
PhD Candidate, Legal Researcher and Lead of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø Climate Law, Mandela Institute, School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand.

Her research focuses on climate law, litigation and governance, with particular emphasis on the development of climate jurisprudence in µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø contexts.

Event Details

Date: 6 November 2025
Format: Online Masterclass