07/05/2026
Date: 14 January 2026
UK Litigation and Dispute Resolution Alert
By: Sarah Turpin, Emma Lidström, Barthélemy Cousin, Claire Morat-Levrin
In recent years, climate change litigation has begun to impact an increasingly diverse range of businesses and their directors and officers. This trend has been highlighted in The Grantham Research Institute’s 2025 Report on Global Trends in Climate Change Litigation, which underscores the growing legal challenges. Businesses from all sectors need to anticipate potential liabilities and insurance considerations to mitigate risks effectively.
The Grantham 2025 Report identifies the expanding categories of climate change litigation, including:
1. Polluter pays litigation: Which seek to hold companies accountable for climate related harm allegedly caused by their gas emissions.
2. Corporate framework cases: which seek to disincentivise companies from continuing with high-emitting activities by requiring changes in corporate governance for example.
3. Transition risk litigation: which concern the alleged (mis)management of transition risk by directors, officers and others tasked with ensuring the success of the business.
4. Climate-washing or Green washing: Cases, where environmental claims by companies are alleged to be untrue or misleading. These cases remain the most widely used strategy for trying to hold companies accountable, although the rate of filings reduced overall in 2024.
Climate change litigation targeting both government entities and private organizations has been on the rise globally. As of June 2025, 33 lawsuits were pending before French courts, positioning France among the top ten jurisdictions worldwide, including the United Kingdom, for climate litigation cases.
