Media

May

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21

Adam Morton

Media

Australian court finds government has duty to protect young people from climate crisis

May 27, 2021

Eight teenagers, along with 86-year-old nun, launched case to prevent the approval of a massive coalmine.

Jun

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21

Anjali Sharma

Media

Sharma v Environment Minister

June 5, 2021

For the students who launched legal action against the Environment minister over her duty to protect young people from an impending climate change catastrophe, the fight is far from over.

Jul

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21

Graham Readfearn

Media

‘One more mine does make a difference’: Australian children argue for the climate – and the law agrees

July 10, 2021

With a short reading to the court, Justice Mordecai Bromberg formalised into law that Australia’s environment minister had a duty of care to “avoid causing personal injury or death” not just to Sharma and her friends – but all Australians under 18 – “arising from emissions of carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere”.

Aug

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21

Natasha Kaul

Media

The schoolgirl who took Australia’s environment minister to court on climate change

August 10, 2021

Anjali Sharma, a Melbourne teenager made headlines with her Federal Court battle against Australia’s environment minister Sussan Ley for seeking an injunction for a coal mining project in New South Wales.

Oct

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21

Madeline Hislop

Media

17yo Anjali Sharma took on the Morrison Government over climate change. Now she’s up for an international prize

October 14, 2021

Anjali Sharma has been named as a finalist for the international Children’s Climate Prize, in recognition of her work leading other students in a class action against the federal environment minister, Sussan Ley.

Oct

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21

Dawn Lo

Media

Standing up for climate justice: why it matters for children and future generations

October 20, 2021

In Australia, children have also been mobilising for climate justice. Many young people are pressuring the government to protect their future and the world they live in. But is it too late to act?

Feb

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22

Madeline Hislop

Media

The ‘angry’ young women leading us in a different, better world

February 21, 2022

In a world first, the federal court ruled that the government had a duty of care towards young people in relation to climate change impacts. Sharma’s ability to mobilise, take action and get results is impressive, and cements her place as leader in the youth fight for climate action.

Mar

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22

Anjali Sharma

Media

Losing this court case feels like we’ve lost our chance for a safe future

March 15, 2022

Growing up, children are told to take losing graciously because winning isn’t everything. But in this case, it felt like winning was everything. We lost, and I’m angry. I’m angry, and so devastated.

Mar

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22

Media

Australia climate change: Court overturns teenagers' case against minister

March 15, 2022

The Australian government has won an appeal against a ruling that it has a duty of care to protect children from harm caused by climate change.

Mar

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22

Adam Morton and Tamsin Rose

Media

Sussan Ley does not have duty of care to protect young from climate crisis, appeal court rules

March 15, 2022

Eight teenagers and a nun had previously won their case against the federal environment minister related to the expansion of a NSW coalmine

Mar

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22

Amy Hall and Natasha Kaul

Media

Teen activists vow to keep fighting for 'climate justice', despite Federal Court ruling against them

March 15, 2022

The Federal Court on Tuesday ruled the government has no duty of care to protect children from the impacts of climate change when considering fossil fuel projects. But the teenagers who brought the class action against the environment minister say they're not giving up.

Mar

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22

Jacqueline Peel and Rebekkah Markey-Towler

Media

Today’s disappointing federal court decision undoes 20 years of climate litigation progress in Australia

March 15, 2022

Ley’s successful appeal is disappointing. As legal scholars, we believe the judgment sets back the cause of climate litigation in Australia by two decades, at a time when we urgently need climate action to accelerate.

Mar

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22

Keely McDonough

Media

Federal Court overturns landmark climate change duty of care ruling

March 15, 2022

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley is “committed to protecting the environment for current and future generations”, despite a court ruling the Minister does not have a duty of care to protect young Australians from harm caused by climate change.

Mar

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22

Kieran Pender

Media

In the Sharma decision the federal court says: we see the climate risk but cannot act

March 16, 2022

In the ultimate analysis, what is the point of our law, if not to protect Australians from the most significant existential risk ever faced? What is the point of our constitution if Australia becomes all-but uninhabitable – a land of fire, flood and drought?

Mar

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22

Natasha Kaul

Media

Anjali Sharma to continue her fight for climate action in Australia

March 17, 2022

The Federal Court on Tuesday overturned a previous ruling that Environment Minister Sussan Ley had a duty of care to children when approving coal mines. The leader of the action, teenage climate change activist Anjali Sharma, says she will continue fighting for protection from global warming.

Mar

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22

David Kinley

Media

Do we need a human right to a healthy environment? Australia is out of step with the rest of the world

March 21, 2022

Following last week’s ruling by the Federal Court in that the Federal Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, does not owe a duty of care to Australia’s children, we might now ask whether it’s time that Australia catches up with the rest of the world in recognising a right to a healthy environment.

Mar

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22

Anjali Sharma

Media

An open letter to Scott Morrison

March 26, 2022

I don’t know what you think this whole climate action thing is, but if you were wondering, it’s not a passion project. It’s not an extracurricular activity or community service hours for the resume … it is a responsibility.

Apr

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22

Anjali Sharma

Media

Why I'm angry that eight children had to fight Australia in court for two years

April 6, 2022

Here Anjali reflects on her journey so far, and the hateful responses she received to her open letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison following the case.

Apr

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22

Graham Readfearn

Media

Teen climate activist subjected to sexist and racist abuse amid federal court climate case

April 12, 2022

Anjali Sharma, one of eight who fought for government’s duty of care to young people, says she will not be silenced by online abuse.

Apr

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22

Anjali Sharma

Media

Dear politicians, young climate activists are not abuse victims, we are children who read news

April 28, 2022

I’m a first-time voter. I’ll be voting for the climate, as will hundreds of thousands of young people like myself. The ball is in the court of both major parties. Show us you won’t be putting profit over people’s lives. We’re waiting.

May

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22

Anjali Sharma

Media

India’s devastating heatwave is a warning for us all

May 3, 2022

Reconciling the euphoric image I have of my home country, carefully cultivated over these journeys home, with headlines that completely shatter it, is hard. Knowing that the country, the people and stories that have made and remade me are in the grip of yet another catastrophe that receives minimal attention, is simply distressing.

Jul

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23

Madeline Hislop

Media

David Pocock’s new bill would impose a duty of care on the government to protect children from climate harm

July 31, 2023

Should the government have a duty of care to protect young people and future generations from climate harm? Independent Senator David Pocock believes so, and is introducing a bill to federal parliament this week that would make it a requirement.

Jul

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23

Jane Bardon

Media

Independent senator David Pocock to propose climate change impacts 'duty of care' bill

July 31, 2023

An independent senator hopes to convince the federal parliament to consider giving the federal government a duty of care to protect young people from climate change when assessing fossil fuel projects.

Jul

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23

Lisa Cox

Media

Pocock seeks to impose duty of care on Australian government over climate harm

July 31, 2023

Senator’s bill calls for new conditions in Climate Change Act to influence decision-making on projects that could raise greenhouse gas emissions

Aug

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23

Anjali Sharma

Media

The ‘duty of care’ bill is a chance for the government to show it cares about young people

August 3, 2023

On Monday, I stood beside Senator David Pocock as together, we launched a campaign to legislate a duty of care owed by the government to young people, to ensure our health and wellbeing is taken into consideration when decisions that could cause climate harm are made.

Aug

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23

Anjali Sharma

Media

We want politicians to think of young people, not themselves, over climate crises

August 3, 2023

Anjali Sharma, a young climate activist, says it’s the health and well-being of current and future generations that should be front and centre.

Aug

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23

Mike Seccombe

Media

The fight to enforce a climate duty of care

August 5, 2023

On July 31, the last day of the hottest month in Earth’s recorded history, at a press conference in Parliament House, Anjali Sharma stood with ACT independent senator David Pocock and others – including a nine-year old girl holding a toy unicorn – to announce a new bill.

Oct

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23

Tahlia Roy

Media

Canberra set to become the first place in Australia to legislate the right to a healthy environment

October 26, 2023

Now living and studying in Canberra, Ms Sharma said she would like to see other jurisdictions follow the ACT's lead.

Dec

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23

Brianna Boecker

Media

Anjali Sharma on giving young people a voice about the issue that matters most to them

December 5, 2023

As a prominent voice for the climate rights of her generation, Sharma was recognised as the 2023 Emerging Leader in Climate & Sustainability at the Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards in October with judges noting her particular brand of “courageous leadership”.

Jan

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24

Elfy Scott

Media

Anjali Sharma, the youth climate activist leading a fight she shouldn’t have to

January 30, 2024

Anjali Sharma says that her interest in climate change is, in many ways, inextricable from her cultural and family background.

Feb

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24

Courtney Gould

Media

Pressure from young people for Anthony Albanese to consider duty of care over climate harm

February 22, 2024

A teenage activist leading the call for governments to legislate a duty to consider the impacts of climate change says Labor can’t just rest on its laurels as she pushes for further action.

Mar

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24

Dash Bennett

Media

Youth Activists’ Push for Climate Duty of Care Bill

March 4, 2024

Young activists are driving action on climate change in the Australian Parliament.

Mar

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24

Leisa Scott, Jennifer Feller and Winsome Denyer

Media

Teen activist Anjali Sharma wages war on government climate inaction from dorm room

March 11, 2024

Ms Sharma believes the world, her future, is on the brink of a climate disaster and it's her right – duty even – to try to pull it back.

Mar

'

24

Producers Jennifer Feller and Winsome Denyer

Media

VIDEO: Call of Duty | Anjali Sharma

March 11, 2024

Australian Story coverage of Duty of Care campaign

Mar

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24

Anjali Sharma

Media

Labor’s chance to protect youth over fossil fuels

March 23, 2024

Catherine Pendrey is sitting on a panel of four medical professionals, giving evidence to the Senate Committee for Environment and Communications. She’s 38 weeks pregnant and everyone in the room feels the significance of what she is saying. “It’s absolutely the case,” Dr Pendrey says, “that the health of a child born today will be defined by climate change.”

Jun

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24

Harry Sekulich

Media

A Senate review has rejected a climate duty of care law

June 27, 2024

The Senate has rejected a bill to create a duty of care for the Federal Government to consider young people’s health and wellbeing when making climate-related decisions.

Jun

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24

Madeline Hislop

Media

Anjali Sharma vows to keep fighting as Labor-led Senate committee rejects ‘duty of care’ bill

June 28, 2024

A Labor-led Senate committee has rejected a bill that would compel law makers to consider the health and wellbeing of young people when making decisions that could cause climate harm.

Jul

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24

Anjali Sharma

Media

In 2022, I left court in tears. Standing in parliament felt like deja vu

July 10, 2024

Today, the Senate Committee quietly rejected Pocock’s bill and recommended that it not pass before a vote in parliament’s upper house.

Jan

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25

Jo Lauder

Media

Prominent Australians call for climate laws to protect future generations

January 11, 2025

High-profile Australians have signed a letter to the federal government demanding climate protection laws.

Jan

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25

Anjali Sharma

Media

As the world burns, young Australians are feeling disbelief – and looking for answers

January 13, 2025

More than 50 high-profile individuals and organisations have now signed an open letter to demand that the government legislate a duty of care bill.

Jan

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25

Madeline Hislop

Media

Grace Tame, Emma Mckeon, Tim Winton sign letter pushing for climate duty of care

January 13, 2025

Several high profile Australians including Emma McKeon, Tim Winton, Grace Tame and Professor Fiona Stanley have signed an open letter urging the government to legislate a climate-related duty of care for future generations.

Jan

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25

Anjali Sharma

Media

Youth advocates push for "duty of care" climate laws

January 13, 2025

As catastrophic fires continue to rage in Los Angeles, young advocates are stepping up a campaign to get "duty of care" climate laws passed in the Australian parliament.

Jan

'

25

Media

So far, climate activist Anjali Sharma has had radio silence from the government

January 16, 2025

Anjali told Missing Perspectives about the thought behind the open letter and the response rom the government so far.

Feb

'

25

Maryel Sousa

Media

How to get involved in climate activism, from the woman who sued the Australian Government

February 24, 2025

Anjali Sharma speaks on how anybody can get involved in activism for something they care about.

Feb

'

25

Nancy Notzon (Producer)

Media

Changing Australia: Anjali Sharma on the future climate fight

February 26, 2025

Anjali Sharma speaks on the trailblazing open letter for a Duty of Care.

Mar

'

25

Genevieve Quigley and Melissa Singer

Media

‘Courage to put yourself out there with no certainty of success’: Meet the Trailblazers

March 9, 2025

Anjali Sharma speaks with Sunday Life about her journey as a trailblazer for her legal advocacy but also for her ability to inspire others to take action.

May

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25

Anjali Sharma

Media

Young voters demand bold politics

May 31, 2025

Young people shaped the result of this election. It's time to honour our votes.

Sep

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25

Anjali Sharma

Media

In 2050, I’ll be 46. These climate targets abandon my generation

September 19, 2025

Labor's climate targets fall devastatingly short of what is needed to protect my generation.

Oct

'

25

Annabel Whitehouse

Media

Labor and Coalition vote down climate duty of care bill

October 30, 2025

Labor and the Coalition voted against a bill that would have created a federal climate Duty of Care.

Oct

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26

Anjali Sharma

Media

The Coalition’s ‘chainsaw’ climate policy

October 3, 2026

I am no stranger to the spiral of doom that inevitably follows a skim of the morning headlines. Perhaps that is a burden this privilege of youth must carry – the emotion in the immediacy of the world’s crises. Even so, the headlines of Wednesday, September 23 packed a visceral punch.

Media coverage

Filter posts

Australian court finds government has duty to protect young people from climate crisis

Sharma v Environment Minister

‘One more mine does make a difference’: Australian children argue for the climate – and the law agrees

The schoolgirl who took Australia’s environment minister to court on climate change

17yo Anjali Sharma took on the Morrison Government over climate change. Now she’s up for an international prize

Standing up for climate justice: why it matters for children and future generations

The ‘angry’ young women leading us in a different, better world

Losing this court case feels like we’ve lost our chance for a safe future

Australia climate change: Court overturns teenagers' case against minister

Sussan Ley does not have duty of care to protect young from climate crisis, appeal court rules

Teen activists vow to keep fighting for 'climate justice', despite Federal Court ruling against them

Today’s disappointing federal court decision undoes 20 years of climate litigation progress in Australia

Federal Court overturns landmark climate change duty of care ruling

In the Sharma decision the federal court says: we see the climate risk but cannot act

Anjali Sharma to continue her fight for climate action in Australia

Do we need a human right to a healthy environment? Australia is out of step with the rest of the world

An open letter to Scott Morrison

Why I'm angry that eight children had to fight Australia in court for two years

Teen climate activist subjected to sexist and racist abuse amid federal court climate case

Dear politicians, young climate activists are not abuse victims, we are children who read news

India’s devastating heatwave is a warning for us all

David Pocock’s new bill would impose a duty of care on the government to protect children from climate harm

Independent senator David Pocock to propose climate change impacts 'duty of care' bill

Pocock seeks to impose duty of care on Australian government over climate harm

The ‘duty of care’ bill is a chance for the government to show it cares about young people

We want politicians to think of young people, not themselves, over climate crises

The fight to enforce a climate duty of care

Canberra set to become the first place in Australia to legislate the right to a healthy environment

Anjali Sharma on giving young people a voice about the issue that matters most to them

Anjali Sharma, the youth climate activist leading a fight she shouldn’t have to

Pressure from young people for Anthony Albanese to consider duty of care over climate harm

Youth Activists’ Push for Climate Duty of Care Bill

Teen activist Anjali Sharma wages war on government climate inaction from dorm room

VIDEO: Call of Duty | Anjali Sharma

Labor’s chance to protect youth over fossil fuels

A Senate review has rejected a climate duty of care law

Anjali Sharma vows to keep fighting as Labor-led Senate committee rejects ‘duty of care’ bill

In 2022, I left court in tears. Standing in parliament felt like deja vu

Prominent Australians call for climate laws to protect future generations

As the world burns, young Australians are feeling disbelief – and looking for answers

Grace Tame, Emma Mckeon, Tim Winton sign letter pushing for climate duty of care

Youth advocates push for "duty of care" climate laws

So far, climate activist Anjali Sharma has had radio silence from the government

How to get involved in climate activism, from the woman who sued the Australian Government

Changing Australia: Anjali Sharma on the future climate fight

‘Courage to put yourself out there with no certainty of success’: Meet the Trailblazers

Young voters demand bold politics

In 2050, I’ll be 46. These climate targets abandon my generation

Labor and Coalition vote down climate duty of care bill

The Coalition’s ‘chainsaw’ climate policy