Not fighting climate change: six Portuguese sued 32 countries
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Six Portuguese have filed lawsuits at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against 32 countries over their inaction on climate change.
This is reported by the BBC and The Guardian.
Applicants are between 11 and 24 years old. They accused the governments of all EU countries, the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and Russia of not doing enough on climate change and failing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
| Applicants before the ECHR. Frederick FLORIN/Getty Images |
The applicants claim that the forest fires that have occurred in Portugal every year since 2017 are the result of global warming.
According to them, their rights are being violated due to governments’ reluctance to fight climate change. In particular, an increase in air temperature worsens sleep and limits sports activities. In addition, some of the plaintiffs developed allergies and asthma due to climate change.
At the same time, they do not demand material compensation.
“I want a green world without pollution, I want to be healthy. I’m in this business because I’m very worried about my future. I’m afraid of what the place where we live will look like in the future.” – says 11-year-old Mariana, the youngest of the plaintiffs.
Their lawyers will argue in court that the policies of the 32 countries are driving the world towards global warming, which will raise the overall temperature by 3°C by the end of the century.
“Without urgent action from governments, the young applicants involved in this case will face unbearable heat which will harm their health and well-being. We know that governments can do much more to stop this, but they choose do nothing”, Gearoid O’Quinn, director of the GLAN organization, which deals with human rights violations, comments on the situation.
All countries decided to respond jointly.
If the ECtHR approves the lawsuit, it will impose a legal obligation on them to step up their climate action by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and phasing out fossil fuels.
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| ECtHR (Frederick FLORIN/Getty Images) |
“The applicants seek to impose broad obligations with profound social and economic consequences for the respondent States… There is no consensus between the States and they have not discussed the issue in their national parliaments.” – lawyer Sudhanshu Swarup said on behalf of Great Britain.
At the same time, Dunya Mijatovych, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, intervened in the case.
“There is no doubt that climate change is a global threat to human rights and human existence. It has a devastating impact on the lives of all of us, but especially on children and young people.
It is imperative that young people affected by climate change are heard and have access to justice… Time is of the essence. Climate change is outpacing government action.” – she remarked.
The ECtHR should issue a decision in a few months.
It will be recalled that earlier Richard Branson announced the creation of the “Guardians of the Planet” coalition to combat climate change.
Read also: Photosynthesis may stop in tropical forests: what risks does it bring to the world
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