Climate court ruling could set precedents in Europe and beyond
But legal challenges also risk backlash from governments, which have their own legislative efforts
THE political battle against climate change has, so far, largely been driven by government legislation and regulation. However, a key European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling this month raises a new, potentially important legal precedent in the 46 member states of the Council of Europe.
Some eight years ago, the KlimaSeniorinnen or Swiss Elders for Climate Protection group – comprising 2,000 Swiss women over the age of 64 – filed legal action against their government for failing to take stronger action against climate change.
On Apr 9 this year, the ECHR in Strasbourg – unrelated to the European Union – surprised the Swiss government by upholding the lawsuit. In an approximately 300-page ruling, it said that insufficient measures against global warming infringe the human rights of the female senior citizens involved in the case.
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