This keynote will examine how the right to a healthy environment is rapidly emerging as a constitutional principle and reshaping climate litigation. Courts are increasingly using constitutional guarantees to evaluate government action on climate change and to expand standing—especially for young people—challenging policies that disregard broader climate impacts. Recent cases in Montana, Wisconsin, and Hawaii illustrate the growing influence of state constitutions in this area.

Beyond the United States, a wider global shift is underway as jurisdictions recognise environmental well-being as a fundamental right and, in some instances, extend legal protections to natural features and ecosystems. These developments are transforming how environmental responsibilities are defined and enforced, signalling a pivotal evolution in climate governance and future legal strategy.