Johanna Chamberlain

Project summary

Shaping the public debate on environmental issues through tort law

Johanna Chamberlain holds a PhD in Law, specialising in tort law. Her project, “Challenges in tort law arising from environmental damage – the example of PFAS contamination”, addresses issues that touch on many fundamental aspects of tort law. One example is the requirement to establish causation, where it can be difficult to demonstrate that a particular action caused the damage. PFAS cases often involve many different parties, making it particularly challenging to establish a chain of events stretching far back in time.

 

“In cases of this kind, we often cannot know what adverse health effects environmental damage may cause in the future. There is considerable scope to identify and clarify the uncertainties in this area and to explore new ways forward. This gives me an opportunity to contribute to important issues facing society and to stimulate debate around them,” Johanna says.