Exploring the legal obligation to reduce personal greenhouse gas emissions through climate litigation rulings

Abstract

Against the backdrop of an accelerating climate crisis, legal frameworks are maturing globally. Due to litigation, they already establish legal obligations for states and private corporations to implement appropriate reduction regulations and measures for their greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, no globally agreed framework legally obligating individuals to reduce emissions has yet emerged. This article attempts to establish a legal basis for individual emission reduction obligations in light of this situation. Using international human rights conventions as a foundation, it argues that certain reduction obligations for individuals might exist, based on their respective circumstances. This conclusion is significant as a theoretical premise for incorporating individuals as key actors in future climate change countermeasures.