An international court ruled Switzerland’s failure to tackle the climate crisis violated human rights, in a judgment experts say could have a ripple effect across the globe.
An international court in France on Tuesday ruled Switzerland’s failure to adequately tackle the climate crisis was in violation of human rights, in a landmark climate judgment that could have a ripple effect across the globe.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France delivered its ruling in a case brought by more than 2,000 Swiss women, the majority of whom are in their 70s, against Switzerland’s government. They argued that climate change-fueled heat waves undermined their health and quality of life, and put them at risk of dying.
The court ruled that the Swiss government had violated some of the women’s human rights due to “critical gaps” in its national legislation to reduce planet-heating emissions, as well as a failure to meet past climate targets.
From the first link, that's unexpectedly about last autumn:
It makes us worried about our future. How could we not be scared?
So very true, but the hypocrisy of the defendants is overwhelming:
The government in Greece – a country which has just experienced a deadly summer of heat, fire and storms – said in its response: “The effects of climate change as recorded so far do not seem to directly affect human life or human health.”
Edit: it was a bit hard to find the outcome of Portuguese claimants' case, but it appears to be rejected:
The European Court of Human Rights rejected two other, similar cases on procedural grounds — a high-profile one brought by Portuguese young people and another by a French mayor that sought to force governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France delivered its ruling in a case brought by more than 2,000 Swiss women, the majority of whom are in their 70s, against Switzerland’s government.
The court ruled that the Swiss government had violated some of the women’s human rights due to “critical gaps” in its national legislation to reduce planet-heating emissions, as well as a failure to meet past climate targets.
“Today’s rulings against Switzerland sets a historic precedent that applies to all European countries,” Gerry Liston, a lawyer at Global Legal Action Network, which supported the Portugal case, said in a statement.
Vesselina Newman, from the environmental lawyers organization ClientEarth, said this result “from one of the world’s highest courts sends a clear message: governments must take real action on emissions to safeguard the human rights of their citizens.”
The court also delivered judgments on two other claims, one brought by a municipal mayor against the French government and a third, the largest and highest-profile, by six young people in Portugal against 32 European countries.
Tuesday’s judgment in favor of the Swiss women sets “a precedent for other international courts to follow,” Liston, from Global Legal Action Network, told CNN.
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Dear Greta, this is what real climate activism looks like. Not smiling to the cameras as you get arrested, working thanklessly behind the scenes to create real awareness and enact real change.
A sustainable climate absolutely needs to be regarded as a human right. And this is an excellent step in that direction.
In the span of any given week, Greta will do more to fight for meaningful action on the climate crisis, than you will accomplish over the span of your lifetime.
This given week, Greta is in out-processing (assuming she's being released immediately). So all have to do is take out the recycling.
I'm not going to repeat your mistake of assuming someone I know nothing about doesn't contribute to the fight against climate change. Apart from the change I make as an individual, my efforts are centered in education. Similar to the fight against climate change, the fight against ignorance is a fight that me and my kind are apparently losing. And comments like yours don't offer any reassurance.
But I'm not going to give up just because it feels hopeless. I owe it to my children to fight for a world that isn't run by idiots and will still hopefully be habitable when they reach my age. That's not going to happen by standing outside a schoolhouse with a bullhorn or tying myself to a school bus. At some point you have to stop demonstrating and actually put in the hours, like the heroes in this article.
Maybe sit this one out.
Sit what out, exactly? Climate reform? Calling out the things that distract from the real issues? Supporting the things that actually do make a difference? I will sit none of that out. I'd rather be hated by stans who feel compelled to defend the honor of someone who will never know they even exist than shy away from issues that are making an already insurmountable problem that much harder.
What a stupid argument to say to a recent teenager. You may think her methods are less effective, but action is action. Especially for a disenfranchised literal child.
Have you ever heard that "there is no such thing as bad publicity?" We have no clue if Greta helped bring attention of WHY this heat wave is occurring; they could have easily assumed it was natural to begin with.