That is the question the European Court of Human Rights will for the first time seek to answer in Strasbourg, France, as it rules this week on three separate climate cases.
The women's lawyers are seeking a ruling that could force Bern to cut carbon dioxide emissions much faster than planned. Their case cites a U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that found that women and older adults were among those at highest risk of temperature-related deaths during heatwaves, and uses the applicants' medical records to show their vulnerability.
Some of the involved governments have argued the cases are inadmissible. Switzerland has said it is not Strasbourg's job to be"supreme court" on environmental matters or to enforce climate treaties. A regional human rights court has never before ruled on climate cases, and the verdicts are likely to be game-changing.