States must better protect people from the negative consequences of climate change. This is the result of a judgement by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) (Ref.: 53600/20 of 09.04.2024). The case was brought by the „Climate Seniors Switzerland“. They argued that the increasingly intense heatwaves were particularly dangerous for older people and that Switzerland was doing too little to protect the climate. The ECtHR ruled in their favour and declared Switzerland's climate policy to be inadequate. In doing so, it relied on Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) on the protection of life and Article 8 ECHR, which respects private and family life. However, the ECtHR did not call for specific measures to protect the climate. For Rechtsanwalt Dr Jan Thiele, the ruling is groundbreaking. „More climate activists will now successfully take legal action against inadequate state climate policy,“ he says.

The contact persons for all legal questions relating to environmental and climate protection in our practice are the lawyers Janko Geßner, Dr Jan Thiele and Tobias Roß.