You’ll never work a day in your life if you love what you do. Friends of the Earth lawyer Katie de Kauwe aspired for environmental justice, which saw her convert to law after studying biology as her undergraduate.
A keen kickboxer in her downtime, de Kauwe kept the UK Government on its toes last year, as she led the organisation’s joint legal action over its net zero strategy. The legal challenge brought by Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth and the Good Law Project argued that the strategy breached the 2008 Climate Change Act. Ironically, the landmark ruling for this case was handed down on the hottest day on record in the UK. The Government was ordered to revise the net zero strategy that is due in March. When that comes out, de Kauwe will be busy scrutinising it very closely.
On top of that, Friends of the Earth has two cases before the UN in which it alleges that the UK is in breach of international law relating to the environment. The organisation’s case is on public participation in the preparation of draft legislation affecting the environment and the access to justice in UK courts. The awaited committee’s draft findings may be set out this year, highlighting once again how de Kauwe is holding the UK Government’s actions to account.