The European Court upholds the appeal of the ‘elderly women for the climate’ and condemns Switzerland for environmental human rights violations
After almost ten years of legal battles, the 17 judges of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) have taken a decision on the case brought by the association ‘Elders for Climate Switzerland‘. On Tuesday, 09 April, the ECHR ruled that by failing to do what was necessary against increasing global warming, Switzerland was condemned for violating human rights in the environmental sphere.
Specifically, the court found a violation of Article 8 (right to respect for one’s private and family life) and granted victim status to the association ‘ElderlyWomen for the Climate’, which currently has over 2500 members.
Photo: asvis.it/editoriali
The initiative was born in 2016 when a group of Swiss pensioners created the association ‘S eniors for Climate‘ and submitted appeals to state authorities to demand concrete steps in the fight against climate change. For years, most of the demands made by the ‘KlimaSeniorinnen’ in the Swiss courts on reducing emissions and complying with the Paris Agreements were not taken into account. Local and national authorities have turned a deaf ear to calls for more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction policies in line with the Paris Agreements.
Photo: www.greenpeace.org
The efforts of the ‘Seniors for the Climate’ are now being surprisingly rewarded by the landmark ruling of the Strasbourg Court, which requires Switzerland to take measures to protect the right to health.
The Strasbourg Court has already recognised the harmful effects on life and health of environmental damage in the past. However, it has never applied this jurisdiction to the climate crisis.
Photo: https://www.cdt.ch/news/anziane-per-il-clima-la-cedu-condanna-la-svizzera-348304
Integral ecology is indeed an intergenerational challenge and the initiative of the ‘Seniors for Climate‘ precedes the youth movement of Fridays for Future.
We at the Good Shepherd feel encouraged to persevere in our initiatives aimed at the Care of Creation, which is also the subject of the Congregation’s Positions, and we invite everyone to be inspired by our list of DAILY ACTIONS.