The court will decide whether to agree to continue the case against not only Portugal, where the plaintiffs live, but also 32 other countries – consisting of EU members as well as Norway, Russia, Turkey, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
“The climate crisis does not respect borders, and our laws and policies must reflect this. States must demand to combat climate change and its effects at home and abroad to ensure justice for those most affected by heat waves, droughts and forest fires, especially children.” Ashfaq Khalfan, Amnesty’s Legal and Political Director.
“Governments can no longer act as if people outside borders don’t care when they design their climate policy.”
Against the mass-funded case of Duarte Agostinho and others, Portugal and others, in which the group intervenes, have brought up six young Portuguese people accusing 33 European countries of violating their human rights, including their right to life, without taking adequate measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
“Those affected by climate change should be able to make demands on governments other than their own. If governments are required to act only on the rights of people living within their borders, it will be easier for them to ignore the impact on people in the worst affected countries and be more stupid. Mark Gibney, University of Asheville, North Carolina.
If the case is allowed to move forward, the case could set an important precedent that will pave the way for other climate lawsuits based on human rights grounds.
“This case is also important to ensure that governments are required to design climate policy in a way that recognizes the specific climate risks children have received and to take ambitious climate protection measures to protect their rights,” said Gamze Erdem Tรผrkelli, University of Antwerp.
Source: Amnesty International
Source: The Nordic Page