Dr Marlies Hesselman and David Patterson, LL.M., co-author article in The Lancet

Dr Marlies Hesselman and David Patterson, LL.M., are co-authors of a publication in the leading health journal The Lancet. The article they co-authored is titled “Collective action and legal mobilisation for the right to health in the climate crisis”.

The right to health

The climate crisis is a health crisis and the understanding of violations of our “right to health” and other human rights can be enhanced through interdisciplinary collaboration between lawyers, the public health sector and affected communities. The input of expert bodies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), in legal proceedings such as the World Court opinion is invaluable. WHO provided material to the International Court of Justice in April, which should underscore the implications of the right to health.

Legal mobilization and collective action

The article that Hesselman and Patterson co-authored was published for a public health audience. The goal was to highlight the trend in legal mobilization and collective action against climate change based on the implications for physical and mental health.

This article was published by the Faculty of Law.