Climate Defense Project (CDP)
CDP is a legal nonprofit that provides advice and support to the climate movement in the United States and internationally. CDP has been active in promoting the necessity defense, a legal argument that climate protesters and civil disobedients are increasingly using to defend themselves against criminal prosecution. In 2017, CDP helped secure the first two written rulings recognizing a protest defendant’s right to present the climate necessity defense at a jury trial.
Climate Defense Project fills a gap in the legal landscape by representing front-line activists, developing legal strategies, and connecting attorneys with communities and campaigns. Climate Defense Project operates across the United States and in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.