The Diploma will consist of four seminars, each with three or four sessions, as well as an integration workshop and the development of a final project. The proposed curriculum structure is as follows:
Seminar 1.Introduction to Climate Science
1.1. Fundamentals of Climate Change
1.2 Atmospheric Sciences
1.3. Climate Data and Attribution
Seminar 2. Impacts of Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean
2.1. Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts
2.2. Climate Change and Communities in vulnerable situations
2.3. Regional Climate Risks and Disaster Preparedness
Seminar 3. Climate Change and Law
3.1. Legal Frameworks and International Law
3.2. Procedural Techniques and Judicial Remedies
3.3. Landmark Climate Litigation Cases
Seminar 4. Climate Litigation in Latin America
4.1 International Responsibility of States and Regional Cooperation
4.2. Recent Cases and Ongoing Climate Litigation
4.3.Biome protection and the obligation of prior consultation
4.4 Effective Judicial Sanctions in the Current Regional Context
Integration workshop and development of the final project
.
Seminar 1: Introduction to Climate Science
Session 1.1: Fundamentals of Climate Change
This session introduces the basic principles of climate science, including the greenhouse effect where the climate pollution blanketing the Earth is trapping an increasing amount of heat, key causes of climate change, including emissions of climate pollutants and the destruction of “sinks” that naturally remove these pollutants, and other features of global warming. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how human activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases and aerosols, contribute to climate change. The session will cover the historical development of climate science and the current consensus on anthropogenic climate change and the climate emergency based on the latest scientific reports.
Presenters: Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan, University of California; Dr. Inés Camilloni, Universidad de Buenos Aires; Dr. Drew Shindell, Scientific Advisory Panel United Nations Environment Program Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
Session 1.2: Climate Change and Atmospheric Science
This session will address in more detail several critical processes that influence Earth’s climate system. Sessions include the role of aerosols, radiative forcing, self- amplifying feedback mechanisms that amplify, and irreversible tipping points. The session will also address the need to slow warming in the near-term of the next 10 to 20 years, as well in the longer term of 2050 and beyond. It will emphasis the importance of cutting the super climate pollutants, especially methane and the other short-lived pollutants (SLCPs), as the only know way to slow warming in the near term and keep the 1.5C guardrail in sight. It will explain that it also is critical to cut emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), in parallel, noting that this will not start reducing warming until 2050 and beyond. This module will also discuss the use of satellite data to address methane emissions.
Presenters: Dr. Paulo Artaxo, University of Sao Paulo; Prof. Reilly Duren, University of Arizona.
Session 1.3: Climate Data and Attribution
Participants will learn about climate data, including how it is used in projecting future climate scenarios and in climate litigation. This session will discuss uncertainties and limitations of climate data, as well as its critical role in informing climate policy. Particularly, this section will discuss the causal chain linking specific events to climate change. It will discuss how to use models, as well as their limitations, including the assumptions that are included in the models, observational data, and paleoclimate data such as ice cores, tree rings, and sediment samples, to detect changes and attribute them to human influence on the climate. This attribution process is crucial for linking climate change to specific impacts in the legal and policy context.
Presenters: Dr. Paulo Artaxo, University of Sao Paulo; Dr. .., University of Antioquia.
Seminar 2: Impacts of Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean
Session 2.1: Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts
This theme examines the broad range of environmental and socioeconomic impacts of climate change in Latin America. It includes discussions on how climate change affects biodiversity, ecosystems, water resources, air quality, and human health. The session will highlight the unique vulnerabilities of Latin American countries and the intersection of climate change with issues such as poverty and inequality.
Presenter: Dr. José A. Marengo, National Institute for Space Research (INPE)
Session 2.2: Climate Change and Communities in vulnerable situations
This module explores how climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable communities, including marginalized populations, low-income groups, and others facing heightened risks. It will address key issues such as the loss of land, changes in access to natural resources, and the cultural impacts of climate change. The session will also
hlight the resilience strategies adopted by these communities and emphasize the importance of integrating their perspective, knowledge, and practices into broader climate adaptation and procedural justice efforts.
Presenter: José Aylwin, Observatorio Ciudadano.
Session 2.3: Regional Climate Risks and Disaster Preparedness
This Session addresses the specific climate risks faced by Latin American countries, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, and sea-level rise. It will cover strategies for disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and building resilience in communities. The session will also discuss the role of government policies, international aid, and community-led initiatives in managing climate-related disasters.
Presenter: Dr. Carlos Nobre, University of São Paulo.
Seminar 3: Climate Change and Law
Session 3.1: Legal Frameworks and International Law
This Session provides an overview of the international legal frameworks governing climate change, including the UNFCCC and the associated Paris Agreement, which is largely voluntary, and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, a mandatory treaty with enforceable obligations, as well as other relevant treaties and protocols. The session will discuss how these frameworks are utilized in
climate litigation and the role of international courts and tribunals in enforcing climate commitments. will discuss the ongoing advisory opinion proceedings within international courts and tribunals such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the Advisory Opinion International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea, and the International Court of Justice. The session will also discuss key environmental principles, as the precautionary principle, and the role of United Nations’ institutions, including specialized treaty bodies and special procedure mechanisms to consider human rights impacts and State responsibility arising from the consequences of climate change.
Presenters: Dr. Marcos Orellana, United Nations, Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights; Prof. Durwood Zaelke, Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development.
Session 3.2: Procedural Techniques and Judicial Remedies
This Session provides a general overview and introduction to the broad categories of climate litigation globally, including cases against both state and non-state actors, in diverse areas of private and public law. Participants will survey current procedural techniques used in climate litigation globally, including the use of class actions and the selection of litigation venues, such as constitutional courts or specialized environmental courts. The session will also explore novel approaches to resolving climate disputes. This session also discusses the types of judicial remedies sought in climate cases such as injunctions, damages, among others, and identifies some of the key challenges in enforcing climate-related judicial orders.
Presenters: Justice Dr. Antonio Herman Benjamin, National High Court of Brazil (STJ); Justice Michael Wilson, Retired Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court.
Session 3.3: Landmark Climate Litigation Cases
This session provides a comprehensive overview of significant climate litigation cases from around the world, focusing on their legal arguments, outcomes, and implications for future cases. Participants will analyze landmark cases organized by key themes, including the use of climate science in judicial reasoning, human rights impacts on vulnerable communities, and state obligations under international treaties.
The module will explore how cases like Urgenda illustrate the intersection of climate change and human rights. Participants will discuss the role of Courts in recognizing these connections and how rulings influence state responsibilities in climate action, particularly through principles such as common but differentiated responsibilities and "fair share" obligations.
Additionally, the module will address issues of access to justice, including standing in climate litigation, as exemplified by cases like Juliana v. United States. It will also cover the enforcement of judicial remedies and the accountability of both state and non-state actors in climate policy, using cases such as Ashgar Leghari v. Federation of Pakistan. This analysis aims to equip judicial professionals with a deeper understanding of the evolving legal landscape surrounding climate litigation.
Presenters: Dr. Maria Antonia Tigre, Columbia Law School; Dr. Joana Setzer, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
Seminar 4: Climate Litigation in Latin America
Session 4.1: International Responsibility of States and Regional Cooperation
Regional cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean is essential to address climate change, given the interdependence of ecosystems and the common challenges faced by the region, such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, and extreme weather events. This regional approach allows for a more coordinated view in the defense of natural resources and fosters greater international pressure for states to meet their climate commitments under global agreements such as the Paris Agreement.
In the area of climate litigation, regional cooperation should serve as a catalyst to strengthen legal frameworks and generate jurisprudence that transcends national borders. The articulation between countries has made it possible to share successful legal strategies and emblematic cases that can be replicated in other contexts, promoting higher standards of environmental protection.
Presenter: José Daniel Rodríguez-Orúe
Session 4.2: Recent Cases and Ongoing Climate Litigation
This theme explores the landscape of climate litigation in Latin America. It will cover recent important cases, legal frameworks, and emerging trends. Participants will learn about the unique judicial challenges and opportunities in the region, including the role of constitutional and human rights in advancing climate justice. The session will also discuss ongoing climate litigation strategies and the importance of regional cooperation.
Presenters: Dr. Ezio Costa, FIMA, Universidad de Chile; Dr. Joana Setzer, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
Session 4.3: Biome protection and the obligation of prior consultation
This session will explore fundamental concepts of legal anthropology and indigenous law, in relation to the protection of key biomes in Latin America and the Caribbean. The impact of colonialism on the autonomy of indigenous communities to decide on the use and management of natural resources in their territories will be analyzed.
In addition, ILO Convention No. 169 will be studied, with emphasis on the obligation to carry out prior, free and informed consultations. Emblematic cases where non-compliance with prior consultation has affected not only communities, but also strategic ecosystems for climate change mitigation will be discussed.
Presenters: Dr. Horacio Machado Aráoz, Argentina National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET).
Session 4.4: Effective Judicial Sanctions in the Current Regional Context
This meeting will seek to provide attendees with a contextualized approach to the existing sanctions in the different judicial systems of the States of the region linked to climate justice. Based on the study of some relevant cases and jurisdictional resolutions, the most effective strategies implemented up to the summit will be analyzed and a look at the possible sanctions that in preventive terms can be considered as effective will be provided. Judicial systems that have specific environmental jurisdictions will be studied and work will be done on common guidelines for the entire region, in order to build regional environmental courts.
This session will also examine the need to integrate environmental police technical bodies into judicial structures, with the aim of strengthening the capacity of justice systems to address the complexities of climate litigation. It will discuss how these organisms can play a crucial role in the collection of scientific evidence, the monitoring of environmental damage and the investigation of activities that negatively affect ecosystems, helping to ensure that climate cases have a solid technical basis. The creation of these specialized bodies represents a step towards more effective environmental justice, allowing us to respond to the unique challenges posed by climate change.
Likewise, the interaction of these bodies with other key actors, such as affected communities, non-governmental organizations and experts in climate science, will be explored to build more comprehensive and transparent judicial processes. Through the analysis of international and regional experiences, it will reflect on the institutional and legal frameworks necessary to establish effective environmental police, and on how their implementation can help overcome the current limitations in the prosecution of environmental crimes and the reparation of ecological damages. The session will also address the political and budgetary challenges associated with the creation of these bodies, fostering debate on their viability in the Latin American and Caribbean context.
Presenters: Dr. Eugenio Raúl Zaffaroni and Mag. Lucas Ciarniello Ibáñez, Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Institute of Legal Research.
Integration workshop and development of the final project
The integration workshop represents a key stage in the learning process, where participants consolidate the knowledge acquired throughout the course and apply it in a practical way. This space is designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, combining legal, social and scientific perspectives in the analysis of specific cases of climate litigation. Through group dynamics and the use of participatory methodologies, attendees will reflect on the challenges and opportunities in the construction of legal strategies that address the most relevant socio-environmental problems in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The development of the final project is an instance in which participants put into practice their analytical and creative skills, designing proposals that integrate theoretical and practical elements. This project not only seeks to evaluate the lessons learned, but also to generate innovative and applicable solutions that contribute to the strengthening of climate litigation in the region. The use of advanced scientific and legal tools will be promoted, as well as the incorporation of environmental justice and human rights perspectives, ensuring that proposals reflect a comprehensive and transformative approach to the challenges of climate change.