Scotland’s first student-led Climate Clinic has been launched in Aberdeen to support grassroots campaigners and individuals with environmental issues.
The Climate Clinic is based at the Robert Gordon University’s Garthdee Campus and is run in association with the Environmental Law Foundation.
It is the first dedicated student-led clinic of its kind in Scotland helping people navigate planning and development matters, as well as understand environment and animal law.
Students are also being given the opportunity to not only learn how to help people with climate and environmental issues but to research current legislation and scrutinize it.
The new initiative follows the successful launch of the Grampian Community Law Centre last year, which is embedded in the Torry Medical Practice.
Although it is already in operation and assisting with ongoing cases across the region, an event to celebrate the launch was held at the university this week to coincide with World Environmental Education Day.
Campaigners and law students gathered to listen to speakers involved in driving the project and videos showing how the clinic can be a resource for people hoping to make a difference.
‘We’re in a climate breakdown and biodiversity crisis’
Hannah Moneagle, director of the Grampian Community Law Centre, is a practicing solicitor, passionate environmentalist, and mastermind behind the Climate Clinic.
She hopes the clinic will equip students with the skills and knowledge to “stand up and do something” about the climate breakdown and biodiversity crisis we are facing.
The solicitor and lecturer believes there is an access-to-justice gap in terms of planning, development, environmental and animal law issues for people at the grassroots level and community groups.
The clinic will enable people to realise “they can have a voice”.
Miss Moneagle said: “It’s something I feel really passionately about, and if I can pass on some of that passion to the students at the centre then we are creating a future generation of compassionate solicitors who care about the environment and the future of the planet.
“It focuses the mind on the fact we’re in a climate breakdown and biodiversity crisis and we need future generations of people who are willing to stand up and do something about that.
“That’s what we’re creating here – people with that knowledge who can then obviously decide for themselves what they do with that.”
Students are being given the chance to work on projects with the UK Centre for Animal Law looking at the laws around pigeon welfare and deer culling across Scotland.
She believes those involved in the clinic are being exposed to areas of the law they otherwise wouldn’t be taught in the curriculum.
‘A unique opportunity’
Rebecca Petrie, who is finishing her diploma year, has been part of the Grampian Community Law Centre since it relaunched last year.
The 22-year-old was involved in a project that resulted in the group submitting a successful request to the Scottish Government to change one of its policies.
She described as a “unique” and “empowering” opportunity.
She said: “I definitely enjoy environmental law, I did my dissertation on it, and it’s an interesting law especially in Aberdeen because we were the oil and gas place. But now, it’s hopefully going to be transitioning.
“It’s interesting to have some insight into it and hopefully be able to see that change happen in the future.”
The Law Clinic has already been involved with Friends of St Fittick’s Park, and members of the campaign attended the event last night.
The group wants to save the green space in Torry from being developed into a new Energy Transition Zone.
Throughout 2022, the group staged a number of ‘Hauns Affa Torry’ campaign rallies to fight against the proposals, and recently took their fight to Holyrood.
Miss Moneagle is part of the legal team supporting the campaign group, and she shares her work to support the group with her students so they can learn from it.
Julia Strickland, one of the campaigners, described the clinic as “validating” and believes it will help support more people challenge environmental issues.
She said: “Hannah has written letters on our behalf which set out in a very clear way the arguments we’ve been making ever since the campaign started.
“It’s very validating to have a solicitor articulate our arguments in that way.”
For more information or to seek assistance, email GCLC@rgu.ac.uk
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