GENEVA, October 9, 2024 – According to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), the government’s action report, published today, on the implementation of a recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on climate matters represents a significant missed opportunity for the country to align its climate policy with undisputed climate science.
On April 9, 2024, the Court ruled that Switzerland had violated the European Convention on Human Rights by failing to take adequate measures to combat climate change. The Court asked Switzerland to set a precise timetable for achieving carbon neutrality, as well as intermediate targets and pathways, in accordance with global climate commitments.
Following this judgment, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which represents all 46 member states, is now responsible for supervising the implementation of the decision by Switzerland. As part of this process, on October 9, 2024, Switzerland submitted a review of action to the Committee, signaling its intention to take limited measures, but not proposing to fully implement the Court’s verdict.
Sébastien Duyck, head of the human rights and climate change campaign and senior lawyer at CIELsaid:
« The Swiss government’s response to the Elders Against Climate ruling demonstrates a lack of political will to align the country’s climate policies with established scientific consensus and its legally binding duty to prevent foreseeable damage from worsening climate change. climate change.
Rather than fully complying with the Court’s judgment, the government has identified a few measures already in force, thereby attempting to reinterpret its obligations under the European Convention and ignoring essential aspects of the Court’s decision. The limited actions proposed by Switzerland fall far short of addressing the fact that its climate policies remain largely insufficient. The absence, in the immediate future, of adequate climate action aligned with science can only lead to increased emissions and worsened climate impacts, particularly for vulnerable communities, both in Switzerland and around the world. .
The governments of other Council of Europe member states now have a duty to insist that Switzerland fully and quickly complies with its legal obligations as set out in the judgment delivered by the Grand Chamber of the Court European Human Rights ».
Media Contact:
Niccolò Sarno, CIEL Global Media Relations: [email protected] | +41-22-506 80 37
