commentary and to what extent a study can opine on the impact of anthropogenic emissions on the future likelihood of occurrence or severity of the event. Clear and confident expression of science in a manner that can be applied by non-scientists, including lawyers —while maintaining scientific integrity — can inform some of the most pressing economic decisions of our time; that is, what to mitigate, what to make resilient and above all, in which activities to invest, in an environment of scarce resources. Be bold. The law needs your insights. ❐ Sophie Marjanac and James Thornton are at ClientEarth, 274 Richmond Road, Martello St Entrance, London E8 3QW, UK. Lindene Patton is at Earth & Water Law, 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 20004, USA. e-mail: jthornton@clientearth.org; smarjanac@clientearth.org; lindene.patton@earthandwatergroup.com References 1. Thornton, J. & Covington, H. Nat. Geosci. 9, 3–5 (2016). 2. The Status of Climate Change Litigation (United Nations Environment Programme, 2017); http://go.nature.com/2vpgpVN 3. Banda, M. L. & Fulton, S. Litigating Climate Change in National Courts: Recent Trends and Developments in Global Climate Law (Environmental Law Institute, 2017); http://go.nature.com/2hQfgSq 4. Stott, P. A. et al. WIREs Clim. Change 7, 23–41 (2015). 5. Attribution of Extreme Weather Events in the Context of Climate Change (The National Academies Press, 2016); http://dx.doi.org/10.17226/21852 6. Stott, P. A. et al. Nature 432, 610–614 (2004). 7. Herring, S. C. et al. (eds) Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc. 97, S1–S145 (2016). 8. Hannart, A. et al. Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc. https://doi.org/10.1175/ BAMS-D-14-00034.1 (2015). 9. XYZ. v. Schering [2002] EWHC 1420 (QB). 10. Novartis v. Cookson [2007] EWCA Civ 1261. 11. Sienkiewicz v. Greif [2011] UKSC 10; [2011] 2 AC 229. 12. Fairchild v. Glenhaven Funeral Services Ltd and Ors [2002] UKHL 22; [2003] 1 AC 32. 13. Gold, S. The Yale Law Journal 96, 376–402 (1986). 14. Green, M. D. Nw. U. L. Rev. 86, 643 (1991–1992). 15. Duffy, M. Temple J. Sci. Tech. Environ. Law 28, 185 (2009). 16. Morgenstern, M. Daubert v. Frye — A state-by-state comparison. The Expert Institute (3 April 2017); http://go.nature.com/2hQNwwL 17. Heneghan v Manchester Dry Docks Ltd and Ors [2014] EWHC 4190 (QB) at para [26]. 18. Wentz, J. Planning for the Effects of Climate Change on Natural Resources (Environmental Law Institute, 2017). 19. Klein, J. Potential Liability of Governments for Failure to Prepare for Climate Change (Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School, 2015); http://go.nature.com/2vVn4s6 20. In Re: Katrina Canal Breaches Litigation 696 F.3d 436, 441 (5th Cir., 2012). 21. Tzakis v. Berger Excavating Contractors, Inc. No. 09-CH-06159 (3d Cir. 2015). 22. Illinois Farmers Insurance Company v. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago No. 14 CH 06608 (3d Cir. Cook Co., 2014). 23. Local Council risk of Liability in the Face of Climate Change: A report for the Australian Local Government Association (Department of the Environment and Energy, 2011); http://go.nature.com/2wP22Ib 24. Climate Change Act 2008 Sec. 62 (UK Government, 2008); http://go.nature.com/2wAICY7 25. National Guideline on Principles of Climate Change Adaption for Professional Engineers (Engineers Canada, 2014). 26. Infrastructure, Engineering and Climate Change Adaptation: Ensuring Services in an Uncertain Future (Royal Academy of Engineering, 2011); http://go.nature.com/2fy0Q8D 27. The Impact of Climate Change on the UK Insurance Sector: A Climate Change Adaptation Report by the Prudential Regulation Authority (Bank of England Prudential Regulation Authority, 2015); http://go.nature.com/2wBn919 28. Australia’s New Horizon: Climate Change Challenges and Prudential Risk (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, 2017); http://go.nature.com/2hQOwkw 29. Thermometer Rising — Climate Change and Canada’s Economic Future (Bank of Canada, 2017); http://go.nature.com/2wOLdwP 30. Assessing Climate Change-Related Risks in the Banking Sector (French Treasury, 2017); http://go.nature.com/2fyQxkS 31. Barker, S. Directors’ Duties in the Anthropcene: Liability for Corporate Harm Due to Inaction on Climate Change (Office for Environmental Programs, 2013). 32. Hutley, N & Hartford-Davis, S. Climate Change and Directors’ Duties (The Centre for Policy Development, The Future Business Council, 2016). 33. Juliana v. United States [2016] D. Or. No. 6:15-CV-01517-TC; [2016] WL6661146. Published online: 28 August 2017 NATURE GEOSCIENCE | VOL 10 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | www.nature.com/naturegeoscience 619 . d e v r e s e r s t h g i r l l A . e r u t a N r e g n i r p S f o t r a p , d e t i m i L s r e h s i l b u P n a l l i m c a M 7 1 0 2 ©