This week, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled the Swiss government violated the Human Rights Convention on climate change in a case brought by a climate organisation and four Swiss women claiming to be victims of insufficiently mitigated climate change.
Eight years ago, a group of Swiss senior citizens, known as the Climate Seniors, filed a lawsuit against the federal government for failing to tackle climate change. On Tuesday, the ECHR in Strasbourg decided that the Swiss government’s lack of action against climate change violated the human rights of the group of senior citizens who were suing. More specifically, the court decided in favour of the complaint made by the association but not the one lodged by four individuals making a direct claim.
According to the court in Strasbourg, complaints from organisations active in the field of climate change are admissible if their goal is to protect their members from the consequences of climate change. However, the claims made by the individuals in this case were not because they did not sufficiently demonstrate how the claimants were victims of climate inaction.
Swiss President Viola Amherd, said she was surprised by the decision. Sustainability, biodiversity and goal of net zero are very important to Switzerland, reported SRF.
Swiss politicians were divided on the result. While the Socialist and Green parties welcomed the decision, the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) and PLR/FDP and Centre parties were critical of the ruling. The Green party said it hoped the decision will prompt the government to act.
A member of the PLR/FDP accused the court of misunderstanding Swiss democracy. A law proposed by the Federal Council to reduce emissions in 2021 was rejected by voters in a referendum. A watered down version of the proposal was eventually accepted by voters in 2023. Blaming the Federal Council for inaction was beyond comprehension. In a similar vein a parliamentarian from the Centre Party suggested the Climate Seniors launch a popular initiative. In doing so they would face the same political constraints as the government.
The ultimate ramifications of the decision are currently unclear. The EU commission has reacted cautiously, stating that it will carefully study the judgement.
The case could have repercussions across Europe.
More on this:
ECHR article (in English)
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