Issue (WIWE) status: Submitted, Unpublished

Weak Signal's progress: Fully-fledged

This Weak Signal came from: 
European Commission Framework Programme for RTD

The theme/scheme related to this Weak Signal: 
Theme 6 - Environment (including Climate Change)

The sub-theme that best relates to this Weak Signal: 
Pressures on environment and climate

When did the Weak Signal manifest ? 
before 2000

Weak Signal's description: 

There is rapid growth of environmental legal class actions on no-win no-fee basis. This originated as local and regional lawsuits in respect of specific and discreet environmental effects. There is now debate on the potential for international lawsuits on such issues as climate change and loss of ecosystems. This indicates the precursors to global scale environmental law suits, with huge commercial opportunities equal to the risks involved. There is also the risk that established negotiation frameworks e.g. UNFCC are bypassed or undermined.