Call for Applications: Climate Justice Lab #2

03. Sep - 22. Sep

THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL COURTS IN A CLIMATE-CHANGED WORLD 

Climate Justice Lab, 2nd Edition 2025-2026 

The Climate Justice Lab returns for its second edition, building on the success of the 2024–25 cohort hosted by the Joachim Herz Doctoral School of Law at Leuphana University Lüneburg. This interdisciplinary research and collaboration initiative gathers early-career scholars, legal practitioners, and policy researchers to interrogate the evolving relationship between climate justice, legal systems, and institutional transformation. 

The Climate Justice Lab offers an expert-guided, peer-supported workshop series where participants collaboratively develop academic papers. It is designed to complement participants’ climate justice research agendas, offering a space to refine working papers, including those stemming from dissertation research, receive targeted feedback, and build interdisciplinary insights on climate justice jurisprudence. Participants will benefit from:

  • Research development: structured feedback on papers, including those stemming from dissertation research, from peers and senior experts. 

  • Publication opportunity: the chance to publish their contributions in a dedicated SSRN working paper series (optional and subject to editorial capacity). 

  • Policy impact: specialized training on policy brief writing and strategies to translate academic research into actionable public knowledge. 

  • Networking and collaboration: access to an international network of scholars and practitioners working on climate justice. 

  • Long-term engagement: opportunities to stay connected through future Lab activities, including the third edition to be launched in 2026. 

In this edition, the Lab turns its focus to a pressing and timely question: What role do courts play in shaping our legal and political realities in the face of the climate crisis? 

THEME

Courts around the world are increasingly confronted with questions of climate justice, from national constitutional courts to regional human rights bodies and international tribunals. With landmark rulings and advisory opinions already emerging – such as those from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR), and national supreme courts – the Lab asks: 

How can courts shape climate justice futures? 

Participants will critically engage with recent jurisprudence, identify pathways for legal and political implementation, and co-develop innovative, justice-oriented frameworks for institutional accountability in the Anthropocene. 

STRUCTURE & TIMELINE

The Lab follows a multi-stage format combining in-person ideation, online engagement, and collaborative publication: 

Sept 2, 2025 Call for Abstracts 
Sept 22, 2025 Submission Deadline 
Sept 29, 2025 Invitations for Participation Sent 
Oct 24, 2025 Pre-Workshop Orientation & Personal Introductions 
Oct 28, 2025 1st In-Person Lab: Ideation, Agenda-Setting and Peer Feedback Process 
Jan 2026 Thematic Lecture and Catchup 
Mar 12–13, 2026 2nd In-Person Lab: Output Consolidation & Policy Paper Training 
Apr 2026 Submission of Articles to an SSRN Working Paper Series (optional and subject to editorial capacity) 
Jul 2026 3rd In-Person Gathering: Launch Event, Optional Policy Workshop and Announcement of Climate Justice Lab 3rd Edition 

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

We welcome applications from: 

  • PhD researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and early-career academics in law, social sciences, environmental governance, and related fields; 

  • Legal practitioners or policy advisors working on climate litigation, human rights, international law, or environmental justice; 

  • Activists and researchers engaged in bridging legal frameworks with community-level climate action. 

Participants should demonstrate a strong interest in interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to justice-oriented climate work. 

APPLICATION & CONTACT

  • Deadline for submissions: September 22, 2025 

  • Applicants should submit a 250-word abstract, a CV, and a brief statement of interest (max 300 words) via the online form (link). 

  • Selected participants will be notified by September 29, 2025. 

For more information, contact the Climate Justice Lab coordinator, Dr. Matthias Packeiser, at matthias.packeiser@leuphana.de.  

ORGANIZERS & HOSTS

This edition is co-organized by: 

  • Leuphana University Lüneburg – Joachim Herz Doctoral School of Law 

  • Wageningen University & Research – Law Group 

  • Tilburg University – Department of Public Law and Governance 

The Climate Justice Lab is supported by an international advisory group and academic partners from leading environmental and climate law institutions.