STRASBOURG (Reuters) – Europe’s top human rights court ruled in favour of a group of elderly Swiss women who said their government violated their human rights by not doing enough to combat climate change.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) threw out two similar cases, however. The first of those was brought by six Portuguese young people against 32 European governments and the second by the former French mayor of a low-lying coastal town against the French government.
Here are the court’s findings and reactions to its ruling:
ECtHR PRESIDENT SIOFRA O’LEARY:
“There has been a violation of article eight of the Convention.”
“The court finds that there were some critical lacunae in the Swiss authorities’ process of putting in place the relevant domestic regulatory framework. This included a failure to quantify, through a carbon budget or otherwise, national greenhouse gas emissions limitations.”
“The respondent state had previously failed to meet its past greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by failing to act in good time and in an appropriate and consistent manner.”
SPOKESPERSON FOR SWISS ENERGY MINISTRY
“We’re on a good path. We’re doing a lot.”
ROSMARIE WYDLER-WALTI, ONE OF LEADERS OF GROUP OF SWISS WOMEN
“We still can’t really believe it. We keep asking our lawyers, ‘is that right?’ And they tell us it’s the most you could have had. The biggest victory possible.”
JOIE CHOWDHURY, SENIOR ATTORNEY AT NON-PROFIT CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
“We expect this ruling to influence climate action and climate litigation across Europe and far beyond. The ruling reinforces the vital role of courts – both international and domestic – in holding governments to their legal obligations to protect human rights from environmental harm.”
“While today we did not see ideal outcomes in all the three cases, overall today is a watershed legal moment for climate justice and human rights.”
SOFIA OLIVEIRA, APPLICANT IN PORTUGUESE YOUTH CASE
“I really hoped that we would win against all the countries so obviously I’m disappointed that this didn’t happen. But the most important thing is that the Court has said in the Swiss women’s case that governments must cut their emissions more to protect human rights. So, their win is a win for us too and a win for everyone.”
(Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Editing by Richard Lough and Barbara Lewis)
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