Dr Marlies Hesselman and David Patterson, LL.M., publish article in The Lancet

Dr Marlies Hesselman and David Patterson, LL.M., have published for the second time in The Lancet, one of the world's most prestigious academic journals. Their article is titled “Ensuring Health at the Heart of Climate Change Advisory Opinion”.

International Court of Justice on Climate Change

On 13 December 2024, the International Court of Justice in the Hague concluded its landmark oral hearings on climate change, that could fundamentally reshape the future of global health and human rights. The General Assembly of the United Nations had requested an Advisory Opinion on States’ Legal Obligations in respect of Climate Change from the court in 2022, leading to a non-binding, but highly authoritative statement clarifying States’ legal obligations.

World Health Organisation’s intervention

Hesselman and Patterson wrote “Ensuring Health at the Heart of Climate Change Advisory Opinion” for public health experts. For this reason, they discuss the important oral contribution of the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO asked the Court to put health “at the heart” of the advisory procedure and to “give full effect to the right to health”.

In the article, Hesselman and Patterson explain why the intervention is an important example for the continued use of scientific evidence around public health in climate justice, law and policy. In doing so, they emphasize the importance of lawyers and public health experts working together to create strong legislation and policy.

Climate change and health

This is the second publication by Hesselman and Patterson in The Lancet. The publication is part of the climate change and health research theme of the Groningen Centre for Health Law. Hesselman and Patterson are affiliated with both the Faculty of Law and the Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health.

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This article was published by the Faculty of Law.