What it actually takes to sue your government over climate policy – and win – with Georgia Elliott-Smith

“I'm taking the government to court. This is bonkers.” In 2021, environmental engineer and the founder of Fighting Dirty, Georgia Elliott-Smith, did something almost no private citizen had done before: she took the UK government to the High Court over its Emissions Trading Scheme – and won. The landmark ruling established that near-term government policy must account for the Paris Agreement, a precedent described as the most significant regulatory intervention to the UK waste industry in a generation.

In episode one of Season Three, Climate Humans: The Policy Edition, Elliott-Smith speaks to host Mauricio Porras about the reality of citizen-led legal action, the unglamorous persistence it demands, and what her case might mean for environmental accountability elsewhere in the world.

Learn more about ⁠Fighting Dirty⁠.

Climate Humans is brought to you by HERO, the platform for people-powered climate solutions. Produced by Josie Colter. Edited by Ben Beheshty. Hosted by Mauricio Porras.

Timestamps

00:10 Welcome to Climate Humans Season Three: The Policy Edition + today’s guest

02:26 Quickfire warm-up: elevator pitch, comfort food & court theme song

05:56 Advice that fuels the work: “Don’t let lack of money stop you”

07:07 The 2019 wake-up call: when sustainability work stopped feeling enough

10:17 Meaningful change vs. “fiddling while Rome burns”

11:13 Greenwashing from the inside: how ESG language gets gamed

13:36 From consultant to activist: joining Extinction Rebellion & dropping the ego

15:47 The incinerator turning point: re-reading the science and changing sides

17:13 Go after the system: law, policy, finance – and the legal challenge begins

18:20 Crowdfunding courage: community support and the long-run win

19:21 How legal action forces change: disclosures, consultation, and rewriting the rules

21:05 ‘The Queen vs Me’: Seeing your name up against the government! 

22:13 Why Elliott-Smith founded Fighting Dirty (and the legal dream team behind it)

23:22 Carrot vs Stick: Why law beats voluntary corporate sustainability

27:25 Fundraising without burning out: community, kindness & chocolate

31:20 Case study: The UK waste tyre scandal and the ‘one-two punch’ strategy

36:54 What’s next: PFAS, waste & holding iIndividuals accountable

38:41 The Future Elliott-Smith is fighting for & final thanks