CLAIM team members took the floor at the Earth System Governance Conference 2026

The political science part of the CLAIM team (Pr. Amandine Orsini and Florine Serrault) took part in the yearly conference of the Earth System Governance interdisciplinary research network. The event took place from the 7th to the 9th of September in Bath and gathered nearly 500 researchers worldwide around the topic of  “just and sustainable futures for planetary integrity”.

In a collective and interactive session, Pr. Amandine Orsini highlighted the role of youth as a key player in creating more inclusive planetary futures by better integrating global perspectives on Earth System Governance. While media focus lies on Global North youth initiatives, more emphasis is needed on Global South young environmental defenders.  

In a plenary setting, Pr. Amandine Orsini also stressed the important role of youth in overcoming governance problems’ shifting. Eventually, she presented her ongoing work on age as an underestimated data and underexplored equation in research on diplomacy forums, stressing the procedural challenges for youth in international climate governance.

When it comes to youth’s leading role in creating a more inclusive planetary future, a great example is the climate litigation initiative of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), initiating the request for an advisory opinion before the International Court of Justice. Florine Serrault presented a social movement analysis of the campaigning and advocacy strategies of the Alliance for Climate Justice Advisory Opinion (ACJAO). The presentation highlighted how grassroots activists from marginalised communities triggered two key roles of the Courts in an Earth System Law framework: (i) seeking accountability and (ii) reshifting power dynamics between actors in climate governance.

From this perspective, requests for advisory opinions are not merely aimed at clarifying international law. They may also be understood as attempts to influence the normative foundations of collective action by redefining obligations, responsibilities, and whose voices are recognised in shaping a more inclusive planetary justice.