Recent Climate Litigation Concerning Environmental Rights

An emerging feature of more recent climate change litigation is the use of some type of environmental right as the basis of the claim. The environmental rights invoked include the right of the public under the public trust doctrine; constitutional rights, particularly the right to life and the right to a clean and healthy environment; and more generally, human rights. This trend is likely to continue.

Xianbin Yao

Xianbin Yao is an experienced development practitioner. He worked in various capacities at ADB for more than two decades, including Special Senior Advisor to the President, Director General of the Pacific Regional Department, Director General of the Regional and Sustainable Development Department, and Chief Compliance Officer.

Michiko Katagami

Michiko Katagami is Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist and responsible for advising on food security, agriculture and natural resources issues and supporting ADB’s food security engagement both at the country and regional levels. She has over 15 years of the sector investment experience at ADB, ranging from microfinance to agribusiness development, fair trade, irrigation, agricultural research and various sector development programs in Asia and the Pacific. Before joining ADB she worked for UNDP, Mitsubishi Trust & Banking and UBS Securities.

David Raitzer

My main career goal is to help international development investment make more of a difference. To do so, my work is intended to help improve the logic and evidence that underpins program strategy, selection and design, especially in the sectors that matter most to the poor - agriculture, natural resources, the environment and climate change. My 14 years of experience have focused on quantification of achieved and potential impacts of development investments using novel approaches that draw on tools from different disciplines.