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Smith v Fronterra Co-operative Group Limited & Others

Geographic relevance: New Zealand

Language: Inglés

Data type: Legal citations

About this resource:

In New Zealand, a climate change spokesperson of Maori heritage is bringing a claim against big national GHG emitters to hold them liable for their contributions to climate change.

While the court has dismissed the claims that were based on negligence and public nuisance, they allowed a claim to continue to trial that was based on “a duty cognizable at law to cease contributing to climate change”. The court accepted that in the age of the climate crisis, there may be a new special duty emerging that restrains GHG emitters from contributing to climate change. This will be decided at trial.

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