Climate Action – Climate Seniors to sue Switzerland before the European Court of Human Rights
Climate change already produces extensive damage. Menacing heat waves, landslides and floods will become the norm unless we take immediate countermeasures. Scientific insights notwithstanding, Switzerland along with most other countries is not doing as much as is necessary to avert such disasters. Because governments, through their inaction, violate basic rights, more and more people around the globe are taking them to court. What’s at stake is a livable future – without climate collapse.
Objective
With our lawsuit we’re demanding that the federal authorities correct the course of Swiss climate policy because the current climate targets and measures are not sufficient to a limit global warming to a safe level.
Approach
Since only people with legal standing can sue, we have formed the Climate Seniors Association. Why an association? Because that way the legal proceedings do not depend on individual persons. Why female seniors? Because older women are particularly susceptible to intense and frequent heat waves. Obviously, we are aware that older men, people with diseases as well as small children also suffer from heat waves and other climate effects. By focusing on the proven particular susceptibility of us older women we are simply enhancing our lawsuit’s chances of success which is ultimately good for everyone.
Our group counts over 2000 women (spring 2021) and we’re still looking for additional senior female plaintiffs to join our suit (ages 64 and older because women over 75 are especially at risk). Greenpeace Switzerland supports us and guarantees the costs of the proceedings so that no financial risks arise for our association and members.
Key dates
- October 13, 2021 – Our reply to the Swiss government’s response to the ECHR
- September 22, 2021 – Third party interventions by 9 national and international organizations filed with the ECHR
- July 16, 2021 – Response of the Swiss Government to the ECHR
- March 26, 2021 – European Court of Human Rights greenlights our climate case
- January 7, 2021 – Confirmation of receipt from the ECHR
- December 1, 2020 – Submission of our application to the ECHR
- October 27, 2020 – Announcement of our request to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
- May 5, 2020 – Decision of the Federal Supreme Court to dismiss our appeal
- January 21, 2019 – Appeal at the Federal Supreme Court against the decision of the federal administrative court
- December 7, 2018 – Decision of Federal Administrative Court to dismiss our appeal
- Mai 26, 2017 – Appeal at the Federal Administrative Court against DETECs decision (the association counted 772 members)
- April 26, 2017 – DETEC dismisses request
- December 8, 2016 – Receipt confirmed by FOEN
- November 25, 2016 – The association and four lone fighters submit a legal request to the Federal Council, the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication DETEC, the Federal Office of Environment FOEN and the Federal Office of Energy SFOE (the association counted 539 members)
- August 23,2016 – Inaugural meeting of the association « Senior Women for Climate Protection Switzerland » (Verein KlimaSeniorinnen, 40 members)
Key documents
- Reply of us to Switzerland’s answer: Summary, Observations on the Facts, Observations on the Law, Request for Just Satisfaction/Request for General Measures, October 2021 (Greenpeace media release)
- Third party interventions and the full list of signatories, September 2021 (Greenpeace media release)
- Statement of Switzerland to European Court of Human Rights, Juli 2021
- The Court delivers the case to Switzerland, March 2021 (Greenpeace media release)
- Application to the European Court of Human Rights, November 2020
- We bring the case to the European Court of Human Rights (Greenpeace media release)
- Decision of the Federal Supreme Court to dismiss our appeal: own translation of the judgement / Greenpeace media release
- Appeal to the Federal Supreme Court: own translation of the appeal / Greenpeace media release
- Judgement of the Federal Administrative Court dismissing our appeal: own translation of the judgement / Greenpeace media release
- Appeal to the federal administrative Court: Greenpeace media release
- The governments order dismissing our request: own translation of the juridical relevant part
- Original legal request to the federal government and the authorities: own translation: full length and summary
Other articles including the Swiss case
- Report of the Dutch television NOS from 28 May 2021
- Input on the case by Senior woman Elisabeth Stern at 350.org’s virtual event « The Global Just Recovery Gathering », 8-11 April 2021
- Article on swissinfo.ch regarding the legal filing of the case at the European Court of Human Rights
in English, in italiano, em português, 在中文 - KlimaSeniorinnen: lessons from the Swiss senior women’s case for future climate litigation
- Holding your Government Accountable for Climate Change: A People’s Guide