Swiss government violated human rights over climate inaction, European court rules
Switzerland violated its citizens' human rights by failing 'to quantify, through a carbon budget or otherwise, national greenhouse gas emissions limitations,' European Court of Human Rights President Siofra O'Leary said.
In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled the Swiss government's failure to address climate change has violated a group of senior women's rights.
The women, mostly in their 70s and part of a group called Senior Women for Climate Protection, argued to the court that they suffer negative health consequences from weather events like heatwaves.
The European court backed the women's argument, declaring Switzerland's emissions reduction efforts as inadequate, reports the BBC.
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Importantly, the verdict has binding effects on the 46 member states of the Council of Europe, which includes the United Kingdom, despite the country's departure from the European Union.
“The court found that the Swiss state had violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the ‘right to respect for private and family life,’” the Telegraph noted.
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“This included a failure to quantify, through a carbon budget or otherwise, national greenhouse gas emissions limitations,” ECHR President Siofra O'Leary said.
The Swiss seniors received backing from activists like Greta Thunberg and groups like Greenpeace.
“We keep asking our lawyers, ‘Is that right?’. And they tell us: ‘It's the most you could have had. The biggest victory possible,’” Rosmarie Wydler-Walti, from the group Senior Women For Climate Protection told Reuters.
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The challenge had been before the court for nine years. Two other similar challenges, one from a group of Portuguese youths and another from a former French mayor, were both thrown out.
“[T]he 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!" one of the young Portuguese claimants said.
The verdict cannot be appealed.
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Like most nations, including all of the G20 minus Turkey, Switzerland has signed onto the United Nations Paris Climate Accords. The agreement directs countries to implement emissions cuts by 2030.
The Swiss government proposed stiffer emissions cuts in 2021, but the proposal was rejected by voters.
Switzerland's largest party, the Swiss People's Party, criticized the ruling, calling it a “scandal” and suggesting the country could leave the Council of Europe. The Socialist Party, meanwhile, applauded the decision and encouraged immediate action.
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