Treaty that puts climate change on back burner to be challenged at European Court of Human Rights

Young victims of the climate crisis will file a lawsuit against 12 European governments at the European Court of Human Rights over an international pact that allows fossil fuel investors to sue countries for taking action to tackle climate change on Tuesday, as reported by Reuters.

The case targets Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain, all of which are Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) signatories.

The plaintiffs represent countries hit by recent climate change-related disasters including Germany and Belgium, which last year suffered devastating floods after heavy rain that scientists said was made more likely by climate change.

Their suit will ask the European Court of Human Rights to protect their rights by ordering governments to remove impediments to fighting climate change created by the ECT.

As reported by Reuters, a 17-year-old student Julia, one of the plaintiffs, says, "Governments are still putting profits of the fossil fuel industry over human rights. But climate change is escalating and demanding more and more lives every day."

Originally drawn up to support energy sector investments in former members of the Soviet Union, the ECT allows investors to sue countries over policies that damage their investments, and has been branded an obstacle to climate action by campaigners.

Criticism of the treaty has intensified amid lawsuits from companies seeking compensation for fossil fuel assets. RWE last year used it to seek compensation from the Dutch government over its plan to phase out coal-fuelled power by 2030, which would affect the German utility's Eemshaven power plant.

(with inputs from agencies)

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