Friday, 17 May 2024

Europe’s Young People Are Suing Governments Over Climate Change

Europe’s young people are taking matters to the court, challenging governments over climate change they say violates their human rights.

According to The Verge, the case is being heard by the European Court of Human Rights. The plaintiffs range in age from 11 to 24, and all of them were impacted by the 2017 wildfires in Portugal.

The plaintiffs are making the case that governments’ pollution violates their human rights.

“As in many other places young people are leading the way and demonstrating that there are legal avenues through which climate justice can be achieved,” Mandi Mudarikwa, Amnesty International’s head of strategic litigation, told The Verge in a statement. Amnesty International filed a written submission supporting the plaintiffs’ case.

The case follows a similar one in Montana, USA, in which the young plaintiffs scored a major victory. Given the EU’s emphasis on human rights, a victory in the bloc certainly seems at least as likely as one in Montana.

If the plaintiffs are successful, the court could force governments to take drastic action to address climate change.