Supporters and members of the Association of Senior Women for Climate Protection arriving for the ruling in the climate case in Strasbourg, France, on April 9.
The European court’s decision on the case, brought by more than 2,000 women, could have a ripple effect across the continent and beyond, setting a precedent for how some courts deal with the rising tide of climate litigation argued on the basis of human rights infringements. “This included a failure to quantify, through a carbon budget or otherwise, national greenhouse gas emissions limitations,” she told the courtroom. She also noted the Swiss government had failed to meet its past greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by not putting in place measures to ensure the goals were achieved.
“I really hoped that we would win against all the countries, so obviously I’m disappointed that this didn’t happen,” Ms Sofia Oliveira, one of the Portuguese youngsters, said in a statement.