Climate protection is a human right – this was decided by the European Court of Human Rights in a case from Switzerland. Do other countries now have to do more to avoid being sued?
Is there a human right to climate protection? The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) answered this question with yes in one case today. This is an important victory for the global climate, said Dr. Roda Verheyen, one of Germany’s most important climate lawyers star. Swiss senior citizens who accused their country of not doing enough to combat climate change successfully sued. Two further climate lawsuits brought by teenagers and young adults from Portugal and a French mayor were unsuccessful before the court in Strasbourg. Here are the most important questions and answers about the process and its possible consequences.