Students study impact of councils' climate emergency declarations

Law students participated in a pro bono environmental policy clinic to urge local authorities in the UK to act on their climate emergency declarations (CEDs). 

The initiative was part of a campaign set up by the Environmental Law Foundation – an organisation that helps people and communities voice their concerns on environmental matters. 

Students were tasked with examining whether the CED declarations were merely symbolic statements or steppingstones to enact effective and ambitious local climate policy. 

Since UK Parliaments adopted their own CED in 2019, these declarations have become a popular tool for local authorities across the UK to declare their support for climate action.  

The report found that while a CED is an imperfect instrument that lacks binding effect, the implementation of action on the ground is still lacking behind the 1.5°C target.  

Many of us are now looking to work in advocacy around environmental issues,

The students also discovered that most councils surveyed followed their CED with a strategic document or action plan to respond to the urgency of the climate crisis; this included concrete actions on adaptation, biodiversity and (natural) carbon management, as well as private sector and community engagement initiatives.  

Recent SOAS law graduate Maya Dissanayake-Perera said: “We’re glad to have been able to help ELF showcase the spectrum of climate action in the South East.  

“The clinic enhanced our practical skills and we learned a lot about the importance of collaboration at the local and regional levels, which is essential to achieving global climate action.  

“Many of us are now looking to work in advocacy around environmental issues, and we can draw upon our experience in the clinic"     

Eleven postgraduate students took part in the clinic. The work involved empirical desk research and liaising with local authorities to gather up-to-date information on the climate action of 60 local councils in Southeast England. The students also engaged with local climate action groups in the region to better understand the challenges faced on the ground. 

The outcomes of the year-long research have been published in a report (linked below) on local climate action in the South East of England. 

The Environmental Policy Clinic is hosted by the SOAS Law, Environment and Development Centre and coordinated by Dr Birsha Ohdedar, Lecturer in Climate Change and Environmental Law.