Spotlight on: Meredith Warren
We’re delighted to introduce Meredith Warren as part of our PhD/ECR Spotlight Series. Meredith is currently a PhD candidate at Queen Mary University of London researching the narrative impact of climate change litigation.
Find about more about Meredith via her LinkedIn and researcher profile. Meredith can also be found on X/Twitter (@mere_warren_).
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! My name is Meredith Warren. I am heading into the third year of my PhD at Queen Mary University of London and I am a research assistant at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. Prior to starting my PhD, I did my Masters at the London School of Economics and Political Science and my Bachelors at Hendrix College. After my time at the LSE, I worked at The Law Society of England and Wales in the Policy Directorate, helping run the twenty-three policy advisory committees which produce guidance and policy recommendations for government on behalf of the law profession. I have a background in the legal sector and non-profit work, working with governments and NGOs. I am a proud Texan and enjoy going to the cinema, finding decent southern BBQ in the UK, and spending time with my cat!
What are your research interests?
My PhD research sits at the nexus of socio-legal studies and global environmental politics scholarship. I focus on storytelling in climate change litigation at regional human rights courts. I am particularly interested in the experiences of participants involved in climate change litigation and how their stories in the law act as a site of worldmaking. I approach my research with a critical, decolonial lens concerned with trying to understand who is able to tell stories through the law and what these stories can tell us about our climate future(s). Right now, I am conducting interviews with claimants, litigators, and advisers and about to go on fieldwork to Canada and France!
What are three sources you’d recommend to others related to environment and climate politics?
First, I'd love to recommend the recent Global Trends in Climate Change Litigation: 2025 Snapshot report by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. I'm recommending this (somewhat selfishly) as I worked on it with the amazing authors, Joana Setzer and Catherine Higham, for the past six months. This report, in its seventh iteration, is what inspired my initial interest in climate litigation during my Masters degree and it is the most exhaustive, accurate, and valuable resource on climate litigation the field has. This year's report is incredibly interactive with beautiful illustrations and key findings on how this field of cases/study is maturing.
Second, Isabella Kaminski, a fantastic reporter, created a newsletter called The Wave which covers climate litigation news and climate justice topics more broadly. It's a wonderful way to stay up-to-date and such an important resource for consistent news on domestic, regional, and international litigation.
Third, I have recently been inspired by this book -- The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated: People Power and Legal Power in the 21st Century. It's a collection of essays and reflections from movement lawyers on their time spent at the legal and physical frontlines of social justice issues around the world. The book considers the role of the law in modern social justice and civil rights movements, ultimately reminding us that the law is simply a tool in the global fight for liberation and solidarity rather than the tool.
What’s next for you?
I'm aiming to submit my thesis in the autumn of 2027 after which I would love to work for an NGO or non-profit working on climate change and/or legal advocacy!
The ECP WG’s Spotlight Series provides a platform for PhD and early career researchers to introduce themselves and their work. If you are interested in participating, please get in touch at: ecp.group@bisa.ac.uk.
Photo by Paul Hudson via Flickr. Text has been added to the photo.