This Wednesday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) examines a complaint filed by six young Portuguese people against 32 countries, an unprecedented case linked to the environment and that could change the future of Europe in the fight against the climate crisis.
If the ECHR accepts the young people’s complaint, it could create jurisprudence that forces European states to take more measures to prevent global warming.
The six young people, between 11 and 24 years old (André, Catarina, Cláudia, Mariana, Martim and Sofia) maintain that the 32 countries, including Portugal, are not taking the necessary measures to guarantee that global warming does not exceed 1, 5 degrees Celsius. compared to pre-industrial times, one of the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
The young people point out that climate change is causing very strong storms in winter and that in summer the increase in temperature causes more fires.
They say they suffer from anxiety caused by natural disasters and the prospect of such a future and say countries are failing to comply with the “right to life” and “right to respect for private and family life” articles of the Convention on Human Rights. Humans. Humans.
The process was presented in 2020. If the ECtHR accepts it, countries could be legally forced to take measures not provided for politically to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
According to research by the international organization “Save the Children”, a child born in 2020 will suffer, on average, almost seven times more heat waves during their lifetime than their grandparents’ generation.
Children’s rights must be protected immediately, given the systemic threat posed by climate change and its serious impact on all children, the organization says in a statement.
Appealing to the courts for the inaction of countries in relation to climate change is increasingly common, indicates a recent UN report, according to which last December 2,180 climate-related cases were presented in 65 entities, including international courts. , regional and national, among others. such as arbitration courts. In 2017, 884 cases occurred and in 2020, 1,550. The cases doubled in five years.
Children and youth, women’s groups, local communities and indigenous peoples are some of the proponents. Actions against companies are also emerging, according to the report.
Source: TSF
