Pioneering civil lawsuits for harm to threatened species

Civil lawsuits are a breakthrough in environmental law—including for threatened species.

the WILDS Project is pleased to be starting the soft launch of a series of resources, including a practitioner-facing guide, that explain how lawsuits could be used to protect species harmed by acts such as illegal wildlife trade (IWT).

Unlike traditional approaches that focus on punishing the perpetrators of environmental harm, this strategy refocuses efforts onto remedying the social, economic and environmental harm caused by IWT. The Guide and Policy Brief describe how to explain that harm, and id

entify appropriate remedies for use in conservation litigation. It provides an illustrative example involving the illegal trade of one Bornean Orangutan in Indonesia. They are resources for conservation practitioners globally, including conservation organisations, judges, lawyers and government agencies.