Global Climate Legal Defense (CliDef) is a nonprofit initiative founded in November 2022 during COP27 by Equation Campaign. Its mission is to protect frontline climate defenders—activists, scientists, journalists, Indigenous leaders, parents, and students—who often face legal, financial, and political backlash for their work.
CliDef operates through a four-pronged strategy:
- Providing legal advice and strategic planning to help individuals anticipate and respond to legal reprisals effectively;
- Funding and supporting local lawyers and NGOs, since pro bono legal help is scarce in many regions;
- Coordinating legal support, matching defenders with the right attorneys and staying involved throughout cases;
- Building a global legal network, expanding the pool of expertise—ranging from tax and defamation to criminal defense—to strengthen climate defenders worldwide.
CliDef ensures that those fighting for climate justice are not legally outgunned by fossil-fuel interests or government power, enabling them to continue their vital work.
