Dr Fredi Otto to take part in ‘Climate Science and the Law’ seminar

Hosted by environmental law firm ClientEarth and the Oxford Martin School.

Drawing on a recent paper in Nature Geoscience, the event on 7 December at SCI London brings together leading scientists in probabilistic event attribution, lawyers and academics to discuss the intersection of event attribution science and the law.

Dr Otto and other experts, hosted by environmental law firm ClientEarth and the University’s Oxford Martin School, will discuss the basic methodologies used in event attribution studies, the admissibility of statistical evidence in court, and the potential implications for common law claims against those with duties to protect society from foreseeable risks.

Climate change will be the most disruptive and defining force of this century. After a series of extraordinary climate-related weather events around the world in 2017, those affected are asking questions about responsibility, accountability, justice and future resilience.

There is growing interest in how the law and the courts will shape and be shaped by climate change and its impacts.

Through event attribution studies, scientists can now identify the human influence on changes in the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts and storms. The information these studies provide about the increased risk of certain weather events could be crucial evidence in climate change litigation.

These recent scientific advances, together with increasing litigation, and the historic reliance of environmental courts on science, has created the need for a critical and early interdisciplinary dialogue between scientists and lawyers working on climate issues.

The event will be recorded and screened as a webinar for those who can’t attend in person – dial in details will be provided to those with Webinar tickets closer to the event date.

Climate Science and the Law Seminar, Thursday, 7 Dec 2017 at 18:00. Sign up at Eventbrite.