Climate Justice and Disaster Law

'All who care about environmental and climate issues should feel deeply indebted to Rosemary Lyster. It is indeed fortunate that a distinguished lawyer and ethicist has immersed herself in the technicalities of this field, and written an authoritative book that is not only hugely informative but which also sets out pathways towards a just and effective response to the threats of climatic disasters.' Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, Fellow of Trinity College and Emeritus Professor, University of Cambridge

'This book makes a compelling case for climate justice, not just as a matter of law and collective action, but rather as a moral imperative. That imperative, as outlined through theory and practice, is watertight in its ethical foundations and in its evidence. This book demonstrates clearly how dealing with disasters is intimately related to these fundamental questions of justice.' Neil Adger, University of Exeter, and lead author, Chapter 12, IPCC Working Group II, Fifth Assessment Report

'Rosemary Lyster has made an important contribution to the climate change debate by highlighting the risks that future disasters pose to the planet today. She persuasively argues that we need to consider the concept of justice in using the law coupled with other policy tools to undertake disaster risk reduction measures now. Her book fills an important gap in addressing the many challenges in managing the risks of climate disasters ranging from the economic development of hazard-prone areas to food insecurity and water shortages.' Howard Kunreuther, lead author, Chapter 2, IPCC Working Group III, Fifth Assessment Report, James G. Dinan Professor of Decision Science and Public Policy, and Co-director of the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, Wharton School University of Pennsylvania.

'This highly interesting volume is the first thorough exploration of the relationship between climate justice and disaster law. The book covers disaster risk reduction, response, recovery and rebuilding. In addition to analyzing the relationship between climate justice and disaster law from an academic and policy perspective practical insights are provided as well inter alia through various case studies. This book will undoubtedly be of high importance and interest to both academics and policy-makers interested in the way forward as far as climate justice and disaster law is concerned.' Daniel A Farber, Sho Sato Professor of Law, Berkeley Law, and Michael G. Faure, Professor of Comparative and International Environmental Law, Maastricht University

'This new book by Professor Rosemary Lyster, one of the world's leading authorities on climate change law, significantly advances our understanding ... She deftly brings together climate change law and disaster law - two fields with different conceptual foundations and time frames - and shows how they can and must operate together. She does so using an explicit philosophical framework tha...

Rosemary Lyster is Professor of Climate and Environmental Law at Sydney Law School, University of Sydney. She is also Director of the Law School's Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law.

1. Climate science at the interface with law- and policy-making; 2. The international climate change negotiations: nothing more than sounding brass or tinkling cymbals?; 3. Towards a vision for climate justice in a post-2015 world; 4. Preventing climate disasters: integrating adaptation and disaster risk reduction; 5. Response, recovery and rebuilding; 6. Compensating the victims of climate disasters; 7. Towards an inclusive and impartial practical reasoning process on climate justice and disaster law in a post-2015 world.