GENEVA, October 9, 2024 – Today’s Swiss government report on the implementation of a recent European Court of Human Rights’ groundbreaking climate ruling represents a significant missed opportunity for the country to align its climate policy with undisputed climate science, according to the Center for International Environmental Law, CIEL.
On April 9, the Court ruled that Switzerland violated the European Convention on Human Rights by failing to take adequate measures against climate change. The Court mandated Switzerland to set a clear timeline for achieving carbon neutrality, along with intermediate targets and pathways, in line with global climate commitments.
Following the ruling, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, representing all 46 member states, is now tasked with overseeing Switzerland’s implementation of the decision. As part of this process, on October 9, 2024, Switzerland submitted an action plan to the Committee, signaling its intent to take limited steps but falling short of fully executing the Court’s verdict.
Sébastien Duyck, Campaign Manager for Human Rights and Climate Change and Senior Attorney at CIEL, said:
“The Swiss government’s response to the Klimaseniorinnen judgment demonstrates a lack of political will to align the country’s climate policies with established scientific consensus and with its legally binding duty to prevent foreseeable harm due to escalating climate change.
Rather than fully complying with the Court’s ruling, the government has selectively chosen only a few measures, effectively attempting to reinterpret its obligations under the European Convention and disregarding key aspects of the decision. Switzerland’s proposed limited actions fall far short of addressing the fact that its climate policies remain grossly insufficient. A failure to embrace science-based climate action in the immediate future can only result in more emissions and worsening climate impacts, particularly for vulnerable communities, both within Switzerland and around the world.
The governments of other Member States of the Council of Europe now have the critical duty to insist that Switzerland comply fully and promptly with its legal obligations as laid out in the judgment rendered by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.”
Media Contact:
Niccolò Sarno, CIEL Global Media Relations: press@ciel.org | +41-22-506 80 37