Senior women win first ever climate case in human rights court against Switzerland
Landmark victory for group of senior Swiss women at the European Court of Human Rights, marking the first time the government has been held accountable for insufficient climate action
A historic ruling by Europe’s top human rights court on Tuesday slammed Switzerland for failing to adequately address climate change. This is the first time a country has been condemned for this issue.
Senior Women for Climate Protection, a Swiss group comprising older women, predominantly in their 70s, brought the case to the fore. They highlighted their particular vulnerability to climate change-induced heat waves, emphasizing the heightened risk to their age group and gender.
According to the court, Switzerland’s actions to meet its emission reduction targets were critically lacking, with the court describing them as “woefully inadequate.”
The ruling, binding and influential across 46 European countries, including the U.K., shows the imperative of robust climate action. It implies that climate inaction can be deemed a violation of human rights, specifically breaching the “right to respect for private and family life” as stated in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Elisabeth Smart, 76, a member of KlimaSeniorinnen, shared her experience with BBC News. She reflected on the noticeable changes in Switzerland’s climate since her childhood and stated, “Some of us are just made that way. We are not made to sit in a rocking chair and knit,” underscoring the group’s unwavering commitment to its cause.
This legal triumph comes against the backdrop of worrying global climate patterns. Data revealed that last month registered as the world’s warmest March on record, continuing a concerning trend of temperature records being broken for ten consecutive months.
While this decision represents a significant victory for climate activism, the court did not rule in favor of all climate-related petitions.
It dismissed cases from six Portuguese youths and a former French mayor, both targeting European governments for inadequate climate mitigation efforts. In the French mayor’s case, the court determined he was not a direct victim, as he had relocated to Brussels.
This landmark ruling aligns with the global call for more aggressive action to limit global temperature rise to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celcius), a crucial target agreed upon by world governments.
Despite commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, scientists and activists warn that the pace of progress remains dangerously slow.
Source: Newsroom
