The European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of over 2,000 Swiss women, known as KlimaSeniorinnen, who sued the Swiss government for violating human rights by not taking sufficient action to address climate change, Reuters reports.
The women argued that their government’s inaction on climate change endangered their lives during heatwaves, particularly due to their age and gender vulnerability. The ruling criticized Switzerland for failing to meet its emissions reduction targets and set a national carbon budget. The ruling could lead to further litigation at the national level if Switzerland fails to update its climate policies.
The court’s decision is expected to set a precedent for future climate-related lawsuits against governments. Despite the rejection of two other climate-related cases on procedural grounds, the outcome of the Swiss case is seen as a significant victory for climate litigation worldwide.
