Rules Navigator

Register

Energy and climate change: The most significant climate change litigation decision yet?

A general view of the dry riverbed at the confluence between Po and Ticino rivers.
Photo: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images

Phillip Ashley | CMS, Valerie Allan | CMS, Sarah Vasani | CMS, Olivia Jamison | CMS+2

 Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window/tab) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window/tab) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window/tab) Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window/tab)

The decision casts law courts rather than governments as ultimate body responsible for deciding whether public authority action and inaction on climate change are appropriate.

In Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v Switzerland (application no. 53600/20), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) issued arguably the most impactful and far-reaching ruling on climate change by any European court.

The decision has the potential to affect individuals, businesses, and governments in a radical way by

Free Trial

Register for free to keep reading.

To continue reading this article and unlock full access to GRIP, register now. You’ll enjoy free access to all content until our subscription service launches in early 2026.

  • Unlimited access to industry insights
  • Stay on top of key rules and regulatory changes with our Rules Navigator
  • Ad-free experience with no distractions
  • Regular podcasts from trusted external experts
  • Fresh compliance and regulatory content every day
Register for free Already a member? Sign in
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
You may also like