Climate change landmark case – European Court of Human Rights condemns Switzerland for not doing enough against climate change
Climate change landmark case – European Court of Human Rights condemns…
In a historic ruling, the European Court of Human Rights ("Court") found that the European Convention on Human Rights ("Convention") encompasses a right to effective protection by the State authorities against the adverse effects of climate change. The Court found that Switzerland had failed to act in a timely and sufficient manner to adopt and implement relevant legislation and measures to mitigate climate change, violating Article 8 of the Convention. Although the judgment is final and binding, the Court did not order Switzerland to take specific measures to comply with the ruling. This new case law will undoubtedly have a significant symbolic and political impact. While the rights protected under the Convention are not directly applicable to private entities such as companies, the judgment may however add further momentum to so-called horizontal climate change lawsuits brought against private entities.