Our Case
Will environmental defenders have a fair trial?
Woolwich Crown Court has agreed to hear our legal argument: that we cannot receive a fair trial while the UK government’s own role in alleged climate crimes remains uninvestigated. As a consequence, governments have gone ahead with policies that will increase rather than reduce fossil fuel consumption and global heating. We the defendants understand that, as citizens, we have a duty in law to prevent these climate crimes.
This is the first hearing of its kind.
We believe senior UK politicians may be responsible for climate genocide by oblique intent — setting in motion policies that knowingly fuel mass suffering and death through the climate crisis. These allegations, submitted to the Metropolitan Police in 2019 by the group Climate Genocide Act Now (CGAN) climate criminals, have been ignored and deflected — despite every counter-argument being successfully challenged. The case is now in the queue for the International Criminal Court.
The seven environmental defenders were taking part in the Insulate Britain campaign in 2021. They include Stephen Gower, Ana Heyatawin, Rowan Tilly, Dr. Diana Warner, Cathy Eastburn. However, this court hearing is not about the Insulate Britain actions but about the legal processes that are resulting from their actions.
We are arguing that as citizens we acted out of duty to protect life using nonviolent civil resistance because politicians continue to apply policies which will inevitably aggravate climate change. More than this, Dr Warner acted because of her legal duty as a registered medical doctor to protect the public’s health and wellbeing.
Our specialist barrister, Carl Buckley, is arguing that living with the existential threat of climate change amounts to mental and emotional torture of citizens. The State is failing in its duties to investigate and stop serious allegations of torture. Carl will also argue that the harassment, detention, and fining of citizens who are trying their best to expose existential threats is a denial of their human rights and not justified in law.
On 14 August 2025, Judge Grout will hear our challenge. This is a rare and crucial moment. It could set a precedent for how courts treat environmental defenders — and whether they are allowed to speak the truth in the face of state inaction.
Documentation:
- Judge Grout’s pronouncement on the 14 August 2025 hearing (to come)
- Dr Warner’s Statement
- skeleton argument presented by Barrister Carl Buckley on behalf of Rowan Tilly. NB a skeleton argument is the term for the outline of a legal argument in the defence or prosecution of the accused.