Beyond Plaumann: Statutory and Rights-Based Challenges to EU Climate Commitments
CLIMA lunch seminar with Luigi Pigna, Sapienza University of Rome.
The seminar examines the evolution of climate change litigation within the European Union. Despite ambitious EU climate targets, judicial review before the EU Courts has largely stalled due to restrictive standing requirements under the Plaumann doctrine. The seminar explores whether alternative mechanisms — notably internal review under the Aarhus Regulation and the interpretation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in light of the KlimaSeniorinnen judgment — may strengthen access to justice. It then focuses on litigation challenging National Energy and Climate Plans before national courts, assessing whether statutory and rights-based arguments can ensure the implementation of existing targets or foster greater ambition under EU law.
About the speaker
Luigi Pigna is a doctoral researcher in EU Law at Sapienza University of Rome, specializing in International and European environmental law. He holds an LLM in International Protection of Human Rights. During the early years of his doctorate, he worked at UNIDROIT on a joint project with the ICC addressing modernisation of international investment contracts, including contractual frameworks for sustainability and environmental commitments. His research focuses on climate justice litigation in Europe, with a particular emphasis on EU law and fundamental rights-oriented strategies.