Portugal’s Gen-Z sues dozens of governments over climate change

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on the Financial Times or enjoy below

🗞️ Driving the news: Six Portuguese youngsters, aged between 11 and 24, have initiated a landmark climate case, bringing 32 governments to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg
• The case marks Europe's most extensive lawsuit related to failures in addressing climate change impacts, specifically focusing on emissions reductions

🔭 The context: The plaintiffs argue that the implicated governments, which include all 27 member states of the EU, along with Norway, Turkey, the UK, and Switzerland, have infringed upon their rights to life, privacy, and family under the European Convention of Human Rights due to years of extreme heat and wildfires in Portugal, exacerbated by climate change

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: This pivotal case symbolizes the escalating legal endeavor to hold governments accountable for their climate commitments and their repercussions on human rights
• The proceedings and the eventual ruling can substantially influence global climate litigation and policy-making

⏭️ What’s next: The ECHR’s judgment, anticipated in the first half of the next year, will not only dictate the progression of similar ongoing cases but will also potentially shape the climate action strategies of the implicated governments, providing a legal framework for enforcing international climate and human rights commitments

💬 One quote: “Governments around the world have the power to stop this. The European governments are choosing not to,” (Catarina dos Santos Mora, 23-year-old from Lisbon)

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change