Client “Earth” – Lawyers for the Environment  “If Everyone Points Fingers at Everyone Else, Nothing Will Get Done”

The environmental organisation ClientEarth uses the law to defend the planet. But what does it mean to treat the Earth as a client? We put this question — and many others — to Managing Director Christiane Gerstetter in our interview.

ClientEarth – taken literally. What does it mean to imagine the Earth as your client?
In German, one might translate it as “Mandantin Erde”, since lawyers have Mandant*innen (clients). We, however, do not work as lawyers in the strict sense. We work more broadly as legal experts, using the tools of the law to strengthen environmental protection.

As a global environmental law organisation, we do three things. First, we provide legal expertise in legislative processes and advocate for strong, effective environmental laws at both national and EU level. Second, we bring strategic litigation, particularly in cases where there is evidence that existing environmental law is not being properly implemented. Third, in some countries – though not in Germany – we support civil society organisations in using the law more effectively. We offer training, help build structures, and provide funding so that other organisations can carry out legal work.

But your “client”, the Earth, cannot exactly call you and say: “My rights are being violated, help me!” How do you decide when to act?
We continuously analyse developments globally and within individual countries. We know where the most serious problems lie and where legal leverage exists. Sometimes partners approach us directly and ask whether we can support them in a particular case.

There are major challenges in the world, and we as legal experts look for ways to address them through the law. We currently have offices in nine countries across three continents, and we meet globally to discuss and coordinate our work.

And then you go to court?
Not always. Sometimes we file complaints, or we initiate legal proceedings but ultimately reach an out-of-court settlement. Litigation is only one step in a much longer process. Environmental law also plays a role on the international stage — a field that has suffered recently. How does this affect your work?
International law matters because it creates obligations for states and influences how national courts interpret domestic legislation. But beyond its legal effect, international law is politically significant. We all know the major international conferences where climate issues dominate for two weeks. They are politically important and crucial for raising awareness — far beyond the strictly legal dimension.

In our concrete work, however, we mostly operate within national and EU law, because the actions of authorities in Germany are primarily governed by European and national legislation.

What are you currently working on at the national level?
In Germany, we work on a range of issues, including agriculture. We depend on a functioning agricultural sector to ensure food security. At the same time, we must ask how agriculture can operate in a way that meets ecological requirements. For example, we have taken legal action to ensure that agricultural activities in protected areas — such as nature reserves — are compatible with conservation objectives.

Is climate protection “out” at the moment?
We are seeing — not only in Germany, but also at EU level and in other countries — a kind of rollback in environmental policy and legislation. There are attempts to dismantle environmental laws that were once agreed upon and to weaken standards. This is deeply concerning.

This does not only affect climate policy, but environmental policy more broadly. We are facing a biodiversity crisis and a pollution crisis — all areas that require ambitious measures, not a weakening of hard-won standards. That is why we work to preserve and improve environmental laws.

That’s quite a list of problems. What frustrates you most?
This rollback is extremely frustrating and alarming, because ecological crises are intensifying. Weakening environmental laws simply makes no sense. They protect human life, the planet, and ultimately the economy. If soils are depleted, agricultural businesses cannot produce. If extreme weather destroys factories, that is an economic loss. Another worrying trend is the shrinking space for civil society engagement — attacks on NGOs, attacks on their funding. The tone is becoming harsher. This does not make our work easier and distracts us from what we should be doing: using our expertise to protect the environment.

I assume you are referring, among other things, to last year’s reporting in WELT, which accused you of “climate lobbying”. Do you see yourself as climate lobbyists?
No. We use our legal expertise to advocate for better environmental laws — which is also the goal of the EU and of German climate legislation.

In the sense that we fight for the environment, we might be considered lobbyists, but the term often carries an odd connotation. We are a non-profit organisation; we act in the public interest, not in private interests — unlike corporate lobbyists.

Speaking of corporations: Germany is a country of car enthusiasts, and the automotive industry is central to its economy. Doesn’t that rule out climate-conscious action and climate-conscious policy?
It shouldn’t. But yes, we need economic transformation in many sectors. We need to restructure our transport system, and the automotive industry may be one of the sectors where change is necessary. The plastics industry is another example. Other sectors need to expand — for instance, renewable energy.

So, the economy and climate protection go hand in hand?
It would be wrong to claim that the economy is incompatible with climate protection. The key question is: what kind of economy do we want, and how, and by whom, is production carried out? How much responsibility does Germany bear globally?
Germany is one of the world’s largest economies and a politically influential country — within the EU and globally. It undoubtedly has a global role model function, and with its many imports and exports it also has economic leverage along its supply chains. What Germany does in climate protection, biodiversity protection, and environmental protection more broadly is highly significant and has an impact beyond Germany and Europe.

Yet we often hear the argument: “As long as industrial giants like the US and China don’t do more for the environment, why should we, as ‘little’ Germany, make sacrifices?”
If everyone points fingers at everyone else, nothing will happen. Many environmental problems are global, and Germany contributes to them. Therefore, Germany must also contribute to the solution, regardless of what others do. We cannot sit back and wait until others are ready to act — that is not how environmental protection works. If my neighbour destroys their garden, that does not mean I should destroy mine as well.

January 2026