“Swiss ‘Climate Seniors’ Shocked and Betrayed by Parliament’s Decision on Historic Climate Ruling”

Swiss women who won a landmark ruling on climate change at the European Court of Human Rights are expressing shock and disappointment after their country’s parliament voted against complying with the court’s decision. Anne Mahrer and Rosmarie Wydler-Walti, known as “climate seniors”, brought their case to the court in Strasbourg, France, arguing that Switzerland’s inadequate response to climate change, particularly extreme heat events linked to global warming, was violating their right to health and life.

In April, the court ruled in favor of the women and ordered Switzerland to take more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a decision that was unprecedented and binding for member states. Climate activists hoped this ruling would set a precedent for using human rights law to protect citizens from the impacts of climate change.

However, Switzerland’s parliament rejected the ECHR’s ruling, arguing that the country already had an effective climate change strategy in place. The debate in parliament was heated, with right-wing politicians criticizing the involvement of “foreign judges” and Green Party members condemning the discussion as “shameful” and “populist”.

Switzerland is currently not on track to meet its Paris Climate Agreement goals, which aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The country’s Alpine climate is especially vulnerable to global warming, with studies showing that glaciers, crucial to Europe’s water supply, could disappear by the end of the century if temperatures continue to rise.

Despite concerns about climate change, Swiss voters recently approved government proposals to increase renewable energy production. Opinion polls indicate that a majority of voters believe Switzerland is already doing enough to protect the environment and reject the ECHR’s involvement in climate issues.

The UK and other countries will be closely watching Switzerland’s response to the ECHR’s ruling. The UK government’s controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda has faced pushback from the court, leading some British voters to call for the country to leave the body. However, such a move is unlikely in Switzerland, where the final decision on compliance with the ECHR’s ruling lies with the government, expected to announce its decision in August.

The ECHR did not specify what actions Switzerland must take to address climate change, only that it must do more. The Swiss government may offer a list of measures taken since the case was brought to the court in hopes of reaching a compromise. If not, the climate seniors have indicated they may return to court to continue their fight for climate justice.